Evening star., 1924-04-20

Louis Lindler OF the War Depart
nent. IF you want TO know where
TO go to catch a particular kind og
fish at a particular season of the
year, ask Lou. He keeps closer tabs
on the migratory wanderings of fish
than the United States employment
service does on harvest hands He
does not gauge his calculations on
tho seasons of the year, but on tho
size of locust blossoms, the crop OF
insects and the growth Of vegeta-
ton
When it comes to Congress there
are great many ardent devotees OF
the piscatorial pastime in both houses.
but all will concede that Representa-
tive Harry B. Hawes of Missouri
ranks little short of Izaak Walton
himself in the zeal and enthusiasm he
sgives to this sport. Not only is
Hawes an ardent angler but he goes
in for various other forms OF out
door life. Any question of his su-
premacy among his colleagues as d
fisherman can be dispellcd by quoting
an epic he delivered recently from
the House floor on outdoor life.
y * y !;
AN innovation for fishing trips
which is expected this year to
supplant "put-and-take" and Other
diversions hitherto employed to while
away the time until the tide i
right" is the radio. Already some
of the boys who have acquired the
radio habit are planning compact
outfits which they can carry along
and set up in the boat or on the shorc
TO l!sten-in on the doings of less for
| tunate beings.
Again the day is near, In fac.
some of the more impatient fishermen
| already have been angling for cat.
| and quite number were caught be
fore the food came along. And jus
a word about catfish.
This sort of f~''rg is not Away
appealing TO I! ranger in Wash
ington, but tina because he IS not
acquainted wit the Potomac cat.
That acquaintance, once made. brings
a change Of heart. For some rea sor
the catfish caught in the Potomac are
endowed with more spunk than their
brethren OF other waters. They do
| not come in like a water-soaked log.
| and many fisherman experiences all
the thrills of capturing a fighting
| bass only to find a lively catfish has
| taken his bait.
Even experienced anglers are some
times taken by surprise by the antics
| of vigorous cat which breaks water
| like a bass. Only q sudden dive for
| the bottom reveals the nature OF the
brute. The Potomac cat frequently
runs to twenty pounds. and monsters
of thirty pounds occasionally are
caught. In the Missouri River speci-
mems of this species of fish have
been caught weighing $50 pounds
and even the Tennessee River boasts
Of f1fty-pounders, but it is said they
do not put up the fight of a twenty
| pound Potomac cat.
The best bait for catfish this time
of year is shad entrails. but some
| times they will take cut herring
chicken entrails and soft-shell crab
At this season they are found only
in the deeper water. and may be
caught almost anywhere from the
/
| Georgetown Channel, Outlet Lock
and below Little Falls. Some big
ones inhabit the deep holes and chan
| nels on the upper river, both above
| and below Great Falls, usually in the
vicinity of the mouth OF creek. With
warmer weather they will seek shall
lower water, and may be caught on
angleworms and liver. while in hot
| weather some fishermen insist that
| the best bait is either bread balls
made from the soft part Of bread
kneaded with snappy cheese and with
ordinary Clipped beef.
| 4 X = =
THE first OF the migratory fish to
arrive in Washington waters will
| be the perch, white and yellow. Usu-
ally due about April Is. they are
| few days late this year, according to
| Lindler.
Then will come the rush of the
needless herring. making the waters
of the Potomac ripple and boil with
their wriggling forms, intent only
| upon spawning and disdainful of
even the most tempting food. Be
| cause OF their great numbers, how
ever, bait is not necessary. AS a
matter of fact; these FISH live on a
microscopic food. Thousands are
caught each year by Washington
anglers on bare hooks through the
simple expedient OF snagging them.
Close on the heels OF the herring
| comes the Voracious rock, big and
little. The rockfish come also to
spawn, but, unlike the abstemious
herring, they are positively ravenous
in their desire for food, devouring
not only the herring roe. but the
herring themselves.
Rock fishermen use for bait herring
gills, cut herring. including half a
/ herring at a time, softshelI crab and
bloodworms. After the herring run
| is over, finger" cells make an ex-
cellent bait.
When the rock run is on they may
be caught almost anywhere in tho
river up to the tidewater At this
| CONTINUED on Third Page.J