The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-11-22

spurts. AT times they would hit on
any lure offered. then again, when
they were off their food. no bait
seemed to tempt them. It was
during the former that many rec
ords were established for numbers
caught and bigness. Summing the
situation up for total there is
no doubt in the mind Of the
angler that 1924 outstripped tho
two previous lean years.
Bluefish or tailors were more
plentiful this year than last, bur
the big fellows were very scarce
and fell to the hook of only q
chosen few. If one remembers cor.
rectly the bluefish made his ap-
pearance two years ago for the
first time in a long spell when
some fine specimens OF the much
sought-after fighter were boated.
Rockfish, the gallant fighter. has
furnished untold sport for the fol-
lowers of the trolling game. Pan
sized stripers up to three and four
Founders were found in enormous
schools throughout the fall season,
1t was only last week, prior to the
strlpers' departure, that the years
record for big fish was swept by
the boards.
The one.eyed tabled founder
lived up to his past record by
schooling away from our nearby
waters. Few Of the choice table
fish were taken during the sea-
son, but at that IL was an Inn
prOvement over 1923.
With the saltwater finny clans
departed for Southern waters the
''stove league" anglers Of the briny
deep will be compelled to adopt as
their slogan wait till next year"
While saltwater anglers are be-
moaning the fact that cold weather
has called a halt on their pastime,
bassers and catfishers continue to
carry on.
Big fish of both species are be-
ing taken daily by consistent ang.
lers in both the upper and lower
Potomac. Water conditions are per-
feet, so We followers of the sport
dress warmly and go get 'em.
"Co-operation Is to- be the
watch word" says Henry O'Mally.
commissioner of fisheries, I'm his
report to Secretary OF Commerce
Hoover. He recommends that
the Federal Government and the
States get together and map out
. program whereby the remain
ing fisheries may be properly
Safeguarded.
Good roads and the increasing
use of the automobile has increas-
ed the large army of fishermen.
''In one State alone" says Mr..
O'Malley, nearly 100000 licenses
were issued during the year.
Pollution, deforestation, reclama-
tion and irrigation projects, power
dams and other distractions to the
free movement of fish to the spawn
ing areas and other factors his
report reads, ''have seriously de-
pleted the supply Of aquatic lifa,
especially In our interior and coast.
al waters, and created conditions
that make it extremely difficult for
the national supply to be properly
maintained"
Among the Investigations by the
Bureau of Fisheries, was one of
the shad\ and alewife industry Of
the Potomac river. The result
showed that the fishery employed
1888 fishermen in 1923, against S32
fishermen in 1922. In 1923 the
Potomac fishers produced 351 ,546
shad, weighing 1,187,3S2 pounds,
valued at $19S,619, and more than
100000 aleWivee, ! valued at
$49, 421.
The National Masonic Fishing
and Country Club gave. testf-
mOniaI dinner to Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank A. Dagit at the City Club,
November IL, MIR. Dagit being an
officer in Uncle Sans army, and
having been ordered to another
station. He is vice president of
the club and has been member
since its inception.
The dinner took the form of a