The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-16
HOW THE POTOMAC'S
FISH WERE PLANTED

Washington, D. c.. Aug. IL
The national capital has a variety
OF claims for fame, but one OF its
popular pastimes, fishing. often Is a
surprise to visitors" says a bulletin
from the National Geographic society,
which has its headquarters in Wash
ington.
Thousands of war workers who
thronged to Washington found re-
creation in angling in the Potomac.
How the river came to be so well
stocked with fish is an interesting
story
The bulletin quotes from a COM
munication to the society by Hugh
NJ. Smith. as follows:
AS an example of what may be
done for large stream in the way
of beneficient acclimatization. the
case of the Potomac river may be
cited. The commercial fisherman. the
professional lycaster, an dthe casual
angler all have cause to render pro-
found thanks for what has here been
accomplished in their interest.
The most valuable n-indigenous
fishes now inhabiting the Potomac are
the small mouth and large-mouth
black BASES. These most excellent
food and game species are not native
to this river, but their introduction
occurred so long ago that the general
public has lost sight of the interesting
facts connected Herewith. 1t was in
1854, shortly after the completion
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
that lot of small mouth black bass
from the Ohio river were brought
east in the water tank OF locomotive
engine and liberated in the basin of
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal at
r., ~
the Potomac, the fish soon found their
way to various parts OF the river, and
inside of ten years literally swarmed
| in all the tributaries from Mount
| Vernon to the headwaters. AT the
present time the species affords much
| sport from Washington to Harpers
| Ferry and beyond, but is not common
/ below the capital. The introduction
of the largemouth black bass into
, the Potomac basin was accomplished
by the bureau OF fisheries in 1889. the
! first plants being made in the Shenan-
doah and later in the vicinity OF
Washington. By 1895 the fish had
become remarkably abundant, and
| now it IS taken in large numbers by
net fishermen and anglers in all the
| lower fresh water reaches of the river.
The strawberry bass and the
crappy were established in the Poto-
| mac by the bureau of fisheries in
1894, and both are now common in a
long stretch of the stream from Alex
andria upward. They. are excellent
fvod and game fishes, and many are
caught by anglers and many are sold
in the Washington markets Other
members Of the bass family that have
been colonized in the Potomac are
the rock bass, the Yarmouth, and the
) bluegill.
las result Of plants OF fry be.
tween Washington and the Grea,
Falls, the wall-eyed pike OF pike
perch, the largest and most valuable
member of the perch family, ha.
been acclimatized and for five or six
years has been attracting attention
1t is not yet very numerous, bu
apparently is becoming more SO each
season and in time should prove a
valuable addition to the supply o.
fishes caught for market and fol
sport.
Not the least important of the ad
ditions to the Potomac fauna are tive
catfishes from the Mississippi basin
One of them. the spotted or blue cat
is probably the best of the tribe, in,
habitating cold, running water, hav,
Ing dainty feeding habits, possessed
OF game qualities scarcely inferior
to those Of the bass. and beinh eAccl
lent food. Small plants of adults anc
yearings were made at Quantico, Wiz
ginia, and Woodmont and Hagers
town, Maryland, in 1889, 1891 anc
1892; and since 1899 the ash have
been taken in increasing number,
each year. especially between Wash
ington and Little Falls. many Of then
weighing 10 to 20 pounds.
There appeared in the river con.
siderable numbers Of another species
the great fork-tailed cat. of the in
PRODUCTION of which there was nj
record: so it is evident that the youne
were mixed with the spotted cats and
. were overlooked when the plants were
made. This fish reaches a weight o,
more than 100 pounds In its native
waters, and examples taken from the
Potomac by line fishermen hav.
weighted upward of 80 pounds"