Catoctin clarion., 1923-05-24
NIBBLINGS OF NIMROD

Some diseases are hereditary, some
are contagious. Fishitis is botf
hereditary and contagious. l DOM
know how l contracted it, but I sure
have it badly, and it may be that
Peter was one of my ancestors and if
such is the case | am proud of it
Fishitis is glorious. Troutitis is
grand and Bassitis is scrumptious.
am slowly recovering from Troutitis,
but | feel that Bassitis-being a SYM
pathetic disease-will soon put it's
mark upon me, in fact on June 1st
| expect to be suffering intensely with
it and ! am now preparing for So
journ along the banks of Monocacy,
Toms Creek or Owings Creek. AL
ready ! have looked at Miss June
(my bass rod) and l find her as good
looking and as graceful as ever. My
reel, lines and hooks are in tiptop
shape and my minnow bucket has
received new coat of paint.
"Time and tide wait for no man."
and neither does the first of June, the
opening day of the bass season. May
day is alright to go gathering flow
ers, but June day was made to gather
bass, land take my tip boys, if at all
possible am going to gather a few
of them.
Let's take a trip along our bass
streams. If you feel that Toms creek
is the best bet, go there. Starting at
the -Four Points" bridge, you should
fish little to the right as there is
good chuck there, and should pay up
pretty well. Just below the fording
is another good prospect, then below
the old mill race from MaXell's mill is
where you will get your rod bent.
Follow the stream and fish carefully
and by the time you reach Broad
Water you have had days fishing
and should have a nice string of fish
and some sizeable ones too. Toms
creek is a good stream from Maxell's
dam to the mouth.
If you can't go to Toms creek, slip
out to Owings creek. l generally
start at Null's fording and fish down
stream. have caught fish from there
to the covered bridge at Logs Sta
tion, and if you cover that part of
the stream, you will have done enough
for one day and should be repaid for
your trouble. Owings creek is good
country from Hoover's dam to the
mouth of Beaver Branch. Both of the
above mentioned streams are early
streams. Not much good after June.
Now fellows comes the real place to
fish-Monocacy. All you oldtime
minnow tossers know what Monocacy
is, but for those who don't know, let
me tell you that river is a double
action self starting high powered place
of pleasure, and is good fishing from
one end to the other. Of course
there are places in Monocacy that
seem slow, but can't take time to eX-
plain all of that to you. AS lots of
the stream above the w. M. r. r. is
posted against fishing you will not
miss it by starting at Miller's bridge
and fishing down. Utz' Bottom,
Mort's dam and LeGore's bridge seem
to be favorite spots for some of our
fishermen. Some nice fish have been
caught at the mouth of Owings creek,
around the rocks on the Ogle farm,
and on down to the Creagerstown
bridge. From there to the Hunting
creek hollow is to my knowledge real
ground. Minnows are the best bait,
but l always take few angle worms
along. l can't tell any one how to
catch fish but / can tell you how fish.
Always use live minnow as a dead
minnow on the hook is about as much
good as a fifth wheel is to a cart.
Hook your bait through both lips and
throw him where you think bass
might be. Give the bait chance to
sink to the bottom and wiggle there a
few momonts. If you don't feel a
bite, reel your minnow in slowly and
repeat as before. When a bass does
strike it you'll know it and if he hits
it hard enough, you will be very apt
to have Fishitis for the rest of your
life. never uss any fancy bats
such as spinners, plugs, spoons, etc.,
but at times bass will take them and
would advise the ladies who camp
along Monocacy and go bathing, to
remove their earrings as l have no
ticed some of the late style "earbobs"
that would be very attractive to bass
and he might take ear also.
About tackle. You don't have to
go out of town to get fishing tackle,
as our hardware stores and confection-
cries handle good line. l use six
foot steel rod, either a silk or enamel
ed line so yards long, a reel and Gin
cinatti bass hooks size 10. 20, 21. If
you fish carefully and don't try to get
over too much territory you will have
a days sport and very likely some fish.