The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-27

pads and allowed to sink to the koitom
OF the lake and there push and swim
around as best II could.
The hungry bass, seeing this, cannot
resist, especially II they are hungry.
and will snap II UP, hook and all. Re
suit. q capture. Thus the pads were
combed and the catch was made and
you we're met and were laughed at.
The only consolation you have 10 that
you were fair, and the cane pole man
was not but that does not help you to
bring homo enough fnny ones for sup
per. Were the cane pole man restricted
to using fair methods. II Is doubtful II
he ever would acquire q nsh, but there
Is no doubt about it-giveu his own
singular methods you cannot beat these
cane pole men. They know how to get
the fshi
Conservation Made Necessary.
I know of a man who was wont to
60 out on the lakes and sit all day long
catching sunfsh. He would bring home
half a sack full and would sometimes
dig down half Of them In his garden.
II that inhuman cuss went out and
failed to get more than twenty he would
like to cry, and the people at home
would shoe him away ana laugh him
downi whats the matter, Pete, you
always ust to git sacks full OF 'emT'
And the poor fool. to keep his record
high and dry. would actually leave work
couple of days after and 20 out and
bring home hordes of fish for his neigh
bors, and to fertilize his garden.
Through my efforts and the efforts oil
others we had the law changed (and
1t went through) so that now you are
only allowed twenty-five sunfish a day,
| oh ~ ~
inches in length. take flendish de-
light in thinking how many avid for
eigners in my district were stopped In
the midst OF their work Of destruction.
The way the still fishermen on those
lakes operate the ruler on their catch 4,
nothing short OF marvellous. They have
partly gotten around the problem, how.
ever. by bringing along the whole fam.
lily 80 that each will have twenty-five
sunfish when they go home. other,
bring their twenty-five TO shore and &c
out for another twenty-five and Their
drive homo by buggy or by auto. Any
old way. Just 70 get the feh-and lot,
Of theml
The laws of many States arc not &c
fixed as to protect the spawning fishes
and here the destructive fishermen ge
in their worst licks. In some districts
TO see ten. fifteen bodts squatted ovel
the spawning nest colony of the crop
pies and the sunflsh Is nothing rare.
With their live minnow lures thes,
spawn nests are fshed. Over each G
parent will be standing guard to pro
tect the eggs and the fishes to be- The
minnow drops into the nest, and eve,
though the fish may not take that min
now. through hunger. he Will seize 4
In anger to protect the nest.
The result ia tho fiqh lie fhe
spawn In the nest will soon thereafter
be devoured by smaller or larger fishes
and through the spawning season hun.
dreds upon thousands OF fishes are thu
indirectly cut Off. where they should
continue TO live IN the water in un
counted thousands.
Then people wonder why hatcheriei
are working overtime, and even then car
not keep the fish population in lake VI
so Is true OF the suntish in their spawn
ing nest colonies; SO also the bass, and
others.
The early bass fisherman is often sur
prised at his success at catching bass
but he does not take into account the
fact that he has stumbled into a bass
colony OF spawn nests, and that the bas:
have struck the lures. not through hun
ger. &c, but TO drive away these intrud
ers or destroy them
Thousands Of spawn-laden bass ar,
yearly captured--and are not put bacl
IN the water. Many fishermen will ac
tually state that they like TO catch these
fish. large with spawn; they Ike the
spawn fried.
Truly it may be said. to catch one fish
fair and clean. on sportsmanlille tackle
has more to its credit than one fish taker
on crude tackle.
1t IL sad that many fishermen cannot
see It that way-sportsmanlike anglers
too--and that they should feel down
hearted II they have rot caught the limit
The very thought that they are spar
ing. that they are following In the foot
steps Of the great Walton, should ado
dignity to their joys, and certainly no
regret, even though they have but two
or three fair sized fishes 10 show 70
their days fishing.