The Washington times., 1923-05-19

III COuIBO tnO OlS OtfGD II III HUI
larry any great length of time,
briny abodes. 1t is only q portion
of the smaller clan that hnger,
that is, fish ranging from pan size
to three or four FOUNDERS.
The rock fish or striped bass, so
named on account of the seven or
eight black longitudinal lines on
his silver body is no relation to our
grass bass family. But he is q
gamester and well deserves the
name Of fighter.
Frank Forester calls it "a gal
liant fish and . bold bitter" and
GeniO Scott says Il Is his fav0ritc
Of all American game fishes.
The rock reaches enormous size.
The Bureau of Fisheries have a
record Of $4,000 pounds being land
ed in one haul on May g. 1896.
Among them were about 500 fish
that averaged sixty pounds each,
and several that weighed los. The
roe of one fish weighed forty-four
pounds.
DR.. Henshall saw one weighed in
Baltimore which tipped the beams
at more than 100 pounds. One taken
at Cutythunk weighed 1O4 pounds,
and DIR. Goode records an example
caught at Orleans which weighed
liz pounds and which must have
been six feet long.
The largest striped bass records
were Of several taken ut EdehtOn,
n. c., each of which weighed 1IO
pounds.
When a big one is hooked, look
out, for a scrap to the finish can
be expected, for he never gives up
until every ounce of strength has
been spent.
It is only the experienced or
boys of the old school that are sue
cessful in landing the monster
ones and they attribute all their
good work to the motto, Don't
get excited"
Such famous local anglers as
Messrs. Joe Fletcher, Charles
Fletcher, Sid. Held, Sahdala. Wheel
er. Perron, Ruddiman, Hurley. Mac
Sparrow, Norman Pulliam, Craig,
Bennett, Mrs. Halsey lady OF the
Lake,, and others whose names l
cannot just recall, can be seen most
any morning. at the break or day,
during the height of the season.
anxiously awaiting a strike from
one Of the big rollers"
On one occasion Charles fetch
or and Sid Held made q catch
Of nino rock, the smallest weigh
ing eleven pounds and the largest
twenty-nine pounds.
A. n. Sahdala, one morning land
ed seven fish, ranging from fifteen
to thirty pounds.
The best fishing grounds are to
be found from the steel plant to the
Little Falls. The vast majority OF
the big fellows are taken In the
broken waters Of the upper river.
near the Chain bridge.
Famous fishing spots that have a
grip on the regulars" are Middle
Rock, Two Stays, Swish Eddy, Big
Eddy, Turkey Foot, Sunken Rock,
Tim White, Hidden Rock, and Pot
Rock.
The small.size rock at times
travel I'm big schools and can be
seen clipping" out Of water late
in the evening.
An observer described some Of
the breeding habits Of the fish, to
the effect that when a female was
in spawning condition, the males
gathered about her in great num-
bers. A single female which might
weigh from 5 to so pounds would
have around her 20, 80, or SO small
male fish, all Of which weighed less
than pounds each, and they seem
ed to be the only males present.
The water was stated to be discolored
with blood from the fish filming
one another while contending for
the female.
The rate of growth is very rapid.
Young fish an inch long found in
the Delaware river in the second
week of June, about the middle Of
October were observed too have
grown to the length of Al inches.
Young fish to 8 inches in length.
which are taken in quantities In
the Potomac in the spring. are sup.
posed to be the young of the pre-
Vious year.
The striped bass has been kept
in q small pond OF fresh water
and fed upon crabs and oysters,
increasing i'm about II months
from 6 inches to 20 inches in
length. It IL stated that in
Rhode Island pond q bass weigh
ing u to l pound in June. in
creased to a weight of 6 pounds
in the following October.
-
Capt. John Smith wrote, butMas
his veracity has been questioned IA