Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-18

thusiastic anglers who this week Wis
tied the river and tried their luck
Anglers have become SO accustomed to
rapid changes in weather conditions
however, that many of them do not
consider the weather when they want
to engage in the sport.
Warm weather early in the week in
duced scores Of sportsmen to go out
and even the "cold-feet" members OF
the VIII Reynolds Fishing Club warm
ed up to the occasion and caught q
few Mississippi catfish.
Monday and Tuesday the weather
conditions did not interfere with the
sportsmen.
wednesdays weather was decidedly
suggestive Of st. Patrick's day." John
Hurley said, admitting that the rain
and snow had put crimp in his plans.
Bass fishing at the tidal basin early
in the week furnished all tho sport
that could be desired, while anglers
who tried their luck above Aqueduct
bridge reported good catches of Mis-
sissippi catfish.
Anglers expect there will be little
bass. The season closes April ! for
all kinds of bass and crappie; but only
an occasional fish of the small-mouth
variety is landed In District waters;
along the upper Potomac pay no at
tention to the closed season.
They may not be troubled" re-
marked Washington enthusiast: but
the city sportsman who took the chance
probably would make the acQuaint-
ance Of deputy game warden. Then.
too, he would be liable to arrest and
prosecution If he brought the fish In
.se District between April l and May
Washington anglers have heard moth
ing of the catching of any smal1-mouth
bass this season other than those
caught in nets below Alexandria three
weeks ago. 1t is thought the upper
river probably will not be In condition
for bass fishing during the few re-
naming days of the spring season.
IF the law is obeyed and no spring
fishing DONE" said viii Reynolds. I'VE
will have that much better sport in
the later summer and fall sea son."
Hard-shell crabs appeared in the local
markets.. and their appearance. many
ing Of the perch season 10 not far dis
tant.
'They look good to me-" said Billy
Withers. polishing his reel and going
over his leftover supply of hooks in
preparation for an early trip to the
river.
when the crabs arrive. it means
that there is bait to be had. and when
a fellow can get supply Of bait he's
pretty apt to give the fish trial."
Billy says he never has been able to
understand why Ash cannot be caught
with hook and line when the nets are
catching them.
They must BE on the move to get
they are moving they must eat. and
why they cannot be caught seems a
mystery. 1 frankly confess I'm a
doubling Thomas on that proposition"
The wet weather has brought mil
lions of angleworms to the surface.
shrimp are fairly plentiful, there are
hard crabs to be had, and dealers in
live bait say they have large supplies
of smelts and other small fish on hand.
Billy Withers and Walter E. Schnei-
record at Rock Point. are making ex-
tensive preparations to enter the Ash
ing game early in the spring.
fishing in various parts Of the country.
discussing the question with Ringgold
Hart. ~ne of Washington's most en-
thusiastic anglers. told Of the big cat
fish ne had seen in the west.
Juggling for catfish is great sport"
be said. land when you see a jug
quickly disappearing downstream you
may rest assured there is fish not
far distant.
Reference was made to a catfish that
weighed IT'S pounds The fish was left
In a puddle after a freshet he said.
and a boy who was wadIng for frogs
or turtles leaped on it's back and was
carried down stream.
Telling of a time when he resided on
the Virginia side of the river at Point
of Rocks. where his friend Hart visited
him and tried his luck for bass, Mr..
Shreeve related an incident in which his
guest was some time ascertaining why
FISH would not take his attractive
frog bait.
THE frog was perched on the branch
of rec that had fallen in the water"
he added.
w. r. Bowie. enthusiastic gunner and
angler, visited Annapolis this week to
arrange for crab bait for the approach.
ing season, visited the state capitol and
brought home some information of in
terest to hundreds Of sportsmen.
Il found that statewide cunning
license bill has been introduced in the
legislature" he said. ''one of its pro-
visions affecting many residents Of this
city"
The bill. Bowie explained. provides a
license fee of $40 for nonresident gun
ners and 81 for residents OF the state
cunning in the counties in which they
reside Residents who gun in counties
will have to pay an additional tax of IS
if the bill becomes a law Mr.. Bowie
said 1t was expected the bill would pass
Another bill. he said. provides for the
payment of license fee of So for nom
resident anglers In Washington county.
which includes o number of attractive
bass fishing places. among them being
Weverton, Catoctin. the vicinity of Har-
pers Ferry, Wiuiamsport and Hancock.
The license money. the bill provides.
shall go to a fund to pay salaries to
game wardens. /: provide: for abolish
ing the fee systenl, and holds the war
dens responsible for the protection of
game and fish in their respective dis
trictS.
Charlie Birkigt. one of Georgetown's
foremost sportsmen. stopped at viii
Reynolds boathouse Thursday to
toast his feet" the weather prevent.
ing him from going on the river, and
while there he heard what he termed
some rather "fshy" yarns.
Charlie related what he declared to
be true story OF a happening on
Aoueduct brid~e du~in~ on" . . ~
cent SHOWS that covered the ground.
Friends of Birltigt. who has dole po-
lice duty in tie vicinity of AGueduct
bridge for a number of years. know of
the interest he has taken in angling
and protecting game.
II was feeding corn to the pigeons
that make their home on the rafters
of Aqueduct bridge" he said. and a
sparrow picked w one of the large
grains, but was unable to swallow it.
1.-The little bird carried the big gr in
to the car tracks on the BRIDGE" added
Birkigt. placed 1t on the track and
few away. Along came a car and
crushed the corn. and back flew the