Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-07
The Great Outdoors
BROOK TROUT ARE DECREASING
BY GEORGE Z. CASE

Can Expert on Fish and Fishing)
Generally speaking the trout ca
son Is IN, the various states have diff
ferent opening dates. varying from
April 1 to May 1.
The brook trout. the beauty of all
the trout with his beautiful olive
colored back marked somewhat like
a turtle, this marking extending up
into the dorsal fin, his side shaded to
a pink and his belly white, the pee
toral, ventral and ana fms q beauti-
full pink tipped with white. His
sides are spotted with red surround
ed with light blue and covered with
scales So small they can scarcely be
seen. The brook trout Is one Of the
gamest little rascaLs that swims. He
seldom leaves the water as other
trout do when being played. This
little prince of the stream is fast dis
appearing, due to advancing civiliza-
ton. In many of our boyhood trout
streams and brooks he Is totally ex-
tinct. This has been brought about
by the disappearance of the forests.
for as the forests disappear the tiny
brooks vanish.
Passing of the Trout
In the larger waters industries
nave robbed the streams of their
original pureness by pollution. Fed
eral and state commissions are doing
4eStA "
in the larger streams and to keep
down contamination. It Is hoped
that some day pollution problems
will be solved and the streams kept
clean and pure. This must be done
in the east to save our most beauti-
full game fish. In the west where
this little battler has been introduced
to the pure mountain ream he has
been given q new lease OF life. The
time may come when, outside of a few
game and fish preserves of c1ubs in
the east 1t will be only I'm the western
states hat brook trout may be found.
1t Is disheartening to think of the
passing of the brook trout.
1t Is also disheartening to know
that your angling record OF last year
was worse than the year before and
this year It may be worse. As we
fare forth this spring let US be a con-
servationist each and every one, and
also be human. When you have net
ted your quarry your first duty Is kill
the fish by striking him on the head
with your landing net handle or the
man and angler will not allow his
fish to die a lingering death. Re-
member that a fish suffocates out Of
water.
II he is @ little feller' don't look
to see If q game warden Is hanging
around, but turn him loose. First try
to let him escape by giving hin a
loose line. If this Is not successful
wet your hands thoroughly and with
out touching the fisheS gills or
squeezing him too hard, remove h
hook as gently as possible and In
stantIy release him. II he is too weak
to swim against the current hold him
with his head up stream for a min
ute. II you head him down stream
the water will run into his gills from
behind and drown him.
1 have resuscftated fish that were
practically dead by the use of salt.
This can be done by putting a small
portion of salt in the palm of the
hand, holding the head OF the fish
between the thumb and f~orefinger,
allowing enough water to run in
the hand to I'LL It. Then force the
head of the fish down into the salt
water. He will soon liven up and
dart away.
Never throw a little Teller" back
like you would throw a stone. Try