New Britain herald., 1920-07-20
FISHING spoRTsMANsHIP.

the community is. at present. at sub ject Of more or less agitation and is one which will bear a great deal of scrutinizing, though our mental de- bate is finally liable to lead us into a Aggression and reflection upon the faults of mankind in the aggregate. One correspondent points out that he which would contaminate the waters which the public uses for drinking those at Shuttle Meadow-and does not see why he should not be al- lowed to fish. We shall not question the truth of his statement, but he cannot deny that he. for one. is un- willing to drink of the liquid which has washed the boots of a fisherman less sportsman nike than himself. No telling what sources of contagion those boots might have crossed before they were placed in the water. They might have borne the wearer through any amount of pollution infected with typhoid, and it takes little to breed germs, once planted. in a reservoir. Untold sufferings would result from the contagion due to the carelessness of one individual. one person, at least. was fishing knec-deep in the water at shuttle Meadow recently.
 The water commissie ners must pro- tect the public and they are unable to dinercntiate between the good fisherman. of which there are plenty. and the bad. Therefore they must keep all from the source of supply. They have no other choice. That is the argument; there is m other.
 Having reached this conclusion we naturally ponder upon the lack of sportsmanshIp of a selfish few. with the result that the lakes are closed to all. Granting that there was but one who walked into the water at our reservoir. there is but one who is selfish to the roint that he must en- danger his privilege and that of others. But how often that follows in every walk of life. In every voca- ton that man pursues.
 We have, in Connecticut. some of the finest trout waters in the state. How often may the fisherman of to- day 20 out and catch a good mess of | fair-sized trout. unless he goes upon some stream which he protects by the use of his money and his priv | iIege to keep others off his leased | | little fish are caught. Sometimes they are thrown back. sometimes kept. Ii really makes little difference which | happens to them-they usually die ! when hooked and are manhandIed in | being released. The state stocks the streams with fingerlings every year they ara taken out by fishermen be- fore they have a chance to grow or to spawn. How many fishermen will i cease fishing when there are nothing bat little fellows running. or change the size Of the1r hook and bait? Very few. They remoin to kill baby trout that arc nearly useless to them ir the hopes of getting a big one. but | hhNS hcN PeN paa !" 'h' SN' aAVcH and a bigger worm to set that big one passing up the small ones. Neither do they consider that. in killing the small trout of today they are makinl certain that there will be no big onei tomorrow. "I may as well get then ns the next fellow" says the average fisherman with which selfish though
 he satisfies his conscience. And ye
 our streams are perfectly capable O
 developing large trout and plenty O
 them. if given the chance. But on
 man can undo the sportsmanlike con
 duct of a dozen others by goini
 through the stream where there ar
 little ones and killing as he goes. jus
 ns one man has recently killed tia
 fishing in the reservoirs for all.
 There is but one solution, and tha
 one which will hardly come about
 the development of the highest in
 stincts Of sportsmanship in ever
 soul that uses our natural advantage
 The result will he fine fishing for al
 plenty of fish for all. But it will b
 incumbent upon everyone to make a | outrawf of tha aah-h and the selfis