Evening star., 1922-06-25
81 SPECIES OF FISH
IN POTOMAC WATERS
Rockfsh Lead in Size and Gameness-
Big Factor-7hirty Kinds Have
Market Value.

each season is caught before the fish
have reached their spawning grounds
In fresh water. The average weight
of males. or bucks" is three pounds,
and of females, or ''roes." four and
half pounds.
Here All Year Round.
OF the fish which inhabit the waters
of the Potomac all the year around
Washington, the bass family, includ
ing small and large mouth bass,
crappie- perch. sunfish Or tobacco box.
furnish the best sport for the angler
and the best food for the table. The
monarch of this family, the small
mouth bess. is found in the Potomac
| ,ubm Washington to Harpers Ferry.
but seldom soen below the city. This
fish is not really native. but was in
, troduced in the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal from the Ohio river about 1854
and thence reached the Potomac.
, The large-mouthed bass were intro
duced in the Shenandoah river in 1889
by the fish commission and later
plants were made in the lower Poto-
| mac. with the result that by 1896 the
hsh had become abundant in the
vicinity of Washington and is now
taken in large numbers by anglers
and net fishermen.
Following the bass in food value
and greatly outnumbering' them is the
white perch. This fish is favorite
with anglers. many of good size be-
ing taken in the channel of the river
from Long bridge to Little Falls.
Some white perch are found in Dis
trict waters at all seasons. but the
principal run occurs in the spring.
; the fish spawning here in April and
| May. They feed on the spawn OF
shad and other fish and also on in
sects, rninnows. young eels. etc.
Yellow Perch Abundant.
| The yellow perch is one of the most
! abundant food and game fishes in the
Districts waters. They are caught in
large numbers with nets and also taken
! by anglers, and are sent to the city
markets chiefly in winter and spring.
| usually with well developed roe at that
time. spawning taking place in March
| or April.
Another member Of the bass or grass
! family is the sunfish, we'll known fcr
| its gamenesS and beauty of coloration.
! and joy to youthful anglers. This
fish is abundant In the Potomac and all
! IT'S tributaries, spawning and rearing
| its young along the shores with sandy
! bottom. Below the city many are
| caught in winter with nets and sent to
the city markets.
! The catfish family comprises the
spotted or blue cat, Mississippi cat,
| the channel cat. mud cat and the little
vicious fellows known as poison cats
or mad toms. The Mississippi cat or
| great fork-tailed cat was introduced
| in the Potomac river by the fish COM
| mission about 1891 and is now abundant.
1t forms one of the valuable food fisn of
! the. river, and when properly prepared
! makes very edible dish. The mud cat
| is very numerous but much less vaiu-
able for food than the Mississippi cat.
| The sucker or mullet family is very
common in the Potomac, Rock creek
! and other tributaries at all times,
weighing from one to two pounds, but
! is a poor food fish. These fish bite
freely at the hook and are often caught
| by anglers
Many Carp Sold in Market.
The last and least, from the stand
point of food value, Of the fish to be
found in the Potomac is the carp. This
| fish was introduced from Europe and is
| now very abundant IN the Potomac and
the c. and o. canal. Large quantities
are sent to the city markets and many
! weighing from a few pounds to over
| thirty pounds have been caught by
! anglers from wharves and all along the
river front. The meat of this fish is
extremely coarse and heavy and is not
one that would be put on the table
through choice.
Then, of course, the Potomac river
gives up its quota of cells. Now do not
shudder and shrink back at the mere
thought of an eel, or of the hard time
had when trying to unsnarl a line at
the end of which dangled one of these
slippery creatures. The eel forms a
big part of the food-value of fish taken
from the river, and, If properly prepared
and cooked, is anything but bad to eat
Thousands Of them are caught and sent
to the markets. where a ready sale
awaits them.
The old Potomac furnishes many ex-
cellent diversions in different lines of
endeavor, namely, canoeing, boat races.
mr. hra VI
! sports. but it also furnishes something
that is of real necessity to the main
tenance of 1ife-f1sh, and the food value
of these fish runs into many thousands
Of dollars annually.