The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-25
GET OUT YOUR
TACKLE, THE
CAT is HERE
Water Conditions Favor the
Angler Looking for the First
Real Fishing Of the Season.

/ Angler [ looking for the First
Real Fishing Of the Season.
BY r. A.. ANGLER.
l"yATER conditions favorable
/ w for the taking Of catfish
- made its initial appear
ance two weeks ago. The river
was high for the first time this
year and with . strong current.
For the average angler this would
spell defeat and he would turn
away disgustingly. more than ike
/ ~ renaarkfng, No good tor fish@
ing.
And he would be perfectly cor
rect IN making such q statement
for all anglers know from expert
ence little or no luck il to be had
I'm high, swift, muddy water But
almost every general rule has It's
Perceptions and this applies 70 the
art Of angling. For the more ek-
lperieneed or Z might say the stu
dent. such water conditions ut this
Itiune Of year mean successful cat
fish angling.
lSLU1tBERs DISTURBED.
The swiff water dislodges the
sinn1bering catfish from his mud
bed where he hibernated in the
late faiL With an empty stomach
and gIuttonons appetite, the catty
starts out TO search for his meals
Fish food being scarce at this time
of the year. the angler has q much
better chance or having his bait
taken than at any time during the
entire season t
And then again 1t IL during sthe
months Of February ana March
that all the monster cattiee are
taken. OF course every once and
a while a big one win be landed
during the fishing season, but as
a general rule more and bigger fish
are taken during the early months
than during the regular season for
fishing.
THE THRILL.
The angler at times il forced to
undergo q good deal of punishrnent
in the form Of cold weather, but
that matters little 50 long as he IL
getting a thrill once in y while.
once asked an old.timer how he
managed to fish In such freezing
weather. Instead of giving me an
answer. he asked me a question.
/ Have you ever landed . catty
pounds" To which I trutl1fulIy
answered. mo-" have since found
out his reason for such q query.
Catfish caught during the early
months are fat, almost to the fab
by stage and their flesh, when
cooked, has a muddy tang. This
is due to the resting period, from
which they have just been routed
by the current. To improve or
/ purify this condition they should
be kept alive and allowed to swim
In clear water for three or four
days before being prepared for the
table.
QUESTION.
What is the bag limit on game
fish. in the State Of. Virginia?
ANSWER.
Chap. 27S-An act to limit the
number of certain game fish that
| may be taken in any one day in
this Commonwealth. Approved
March II, 1892.
1. Be 1t enacted by the General
Assembly, Of Virginia, That It
shall be unlawful to take, capture
or kill, In any one day In this
State, more than fifteen black bass,
small-mouth bass, or millpond. or
Southern club, or take, or kill in
any one day in this State more
than thirty-five rainbow or Cali
fornia. brook or mountain trout.
II shall be unlawful for any per-
son to have in possession at any
one time more than the number of
fish mentioned in this act that
may be legally taken, captured or
killed i'm two days.
| Violations Of any of the pro.
visions of this act shall be deemed
a misdemeanor and punished by a
fine of not less than five dollars,
nor more than twenty-five dollars
for each offense. Provided, this
act shall not apply to Back bay
and it's tributaries in Princess
Anne county.
1 2. All acts or parts Of acts in
conflict with this act are hereby
reDealed 1922 n .4601