The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-10-04
WORK OF THE BELLEVIEW
GUN AND ROD CLUB

Belleview, Oct. 5.-True to one of
its declared objects. i. e., "to promote
TIE sportsmanlike use of rod and
gum" the very much alive Belleview
Gun and Rod Club has taken a stand
against artificial bats bristling with
treble hooks and hopes to so arouse
southern sentiment. not only in Flor
ida but in other states, that legisla-
tive action. or some other effective
curb, will result.
In particular, the club "unreserved-
ly condemns" the bait carrying FIVE
three-pointed hooks, which it charac-
tcrizes as brutal and brutalizing''
land calls on other sportsmen to dis
courage its use and on fishing tackle
manufacturers to discontinue its pro-
duction, and. by plain intimation. sug-
|gests that the subject is one meriting
the attention of the state legislature.
In fact, in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, the sale and use of bats hav-
ing more than one or such hooks al
ready is forbidden by law.
The views and attitude of the
BellevieW organization are pointedly
defined in the following resolution
which it has adopted:
Resolved, That the Belleview Gun
and Rod Club views as unsportsman-
like, and, therefore. with disfavor, the
use Of bats holding more than one
treble hook, and in particular, unre-
lservedly condemns those brutal and
brutalizing bats carrying FIVE of such
hooks.
Resolved Further, That other or
foundations of sportsmen be urged to
discontinue their use and manufactur-
ers be urged to discontinue their pro-
lduction, and to substitute more hu-
name single and double hooks, failing
(which, this club suggests to the state
Legislature the advisability of enact
ing a law prohibiting their use I'M the
waters of Florida.
1T is unthinkable that the men OF
THE South who use rod and reel are
less sportsmanlike than those of other
Iparts of the country, but it is a fact
nevertheless, that treble hook bats
are in almost general use, an almost
lunholy proportion of them having five
lof the brutal hooks, which means NJ
less than Is barbs on which one gam,
fish is invited to impa1e ITSELF" saiC
r. G. Belts, the official of the Belle
view club who sponsored the resolu
tions. 1t is the equivalent of hunting
quail with a machine gun and make
1.-THE despised fish trap appear mercifu
by comparison.
/ 4 think the situation is due to tn
fact that the fish laws of the Soutl
! being so liberal and the fishing sea
son SO long, lot of US never stop t,
: think that fishing fish deserves
lighting chance. The theory the NOR
hooks, the more fish seems to hav
obtained and in consequence the tackl
manufacturers apparently use th
South as dumping ground for thei
five-treble-hook wood minnows. /
actual practice. it is probabl that 'th
more hooks the more weeds. ais
I more snagging and more profanit,
IS more generally the case and
therefore should not be very difficul
to arouse sentiment in favor of NOR
humane and less cussable bats; W
hope SO. at any rate.
All. or practically all, of the trebl
Y hooks IN use are imported and If a
n appeal to the sportsmanlike instinct
{ OF American manufacturers is nc
: sufficient, the mere elimination {
o from two to four of the hooks ougf
d Ito so reduce their production cost
e that it should appeal to their poke
g books. even if they do not care /
It share the saving with the men WI
and use their bats. .
e