Evening star., 1925-01-19

great many anglers are of the
opinion that a closed season is not
necessary, but that the strict en-
forcement Of the laws already en-
acted IS the really essential thing.
Some of them say that even as close
TO home as Great Falls, they have
seen several hundred anglers fishing
on week ends, Saturdays and Sun
days, lining both the Virginia and
Maryland side of the river and
catchlng and keeping hundreds of
small, undersized bass
The argument of this column is
that if a closed season was declared
these anglers, or the greater per
centage Of them, would not be fish,
ing, and those who did would be
afraid to keep any bass that might
be enticed to take their bait for
fear game warden might be among
the crowd of anglers.
OF course, every one knows and
fea!lzes that even a closed season
viii not do much good unless the
game wardeus of the counties take
an interest and keep a close watch
on the river. But why should they
not; the more anglers they catch in
their nets" the more money will go
into their pockets.
Fishermen Can Help.
If nothing else can be done its up
to every real bass fisherman to dis
courage all bass anglers from fish
ing the waters of the upper Potomac,
telling them that the movement has
been started to make the Potomac
River one OF the best bass fishing
streams in the United States And
the natives of both Maryland and
virginia, engaged in boating and
fishing in the upper Potomac, should
realize that by helping in this move
ment they also will he helping their
families. When the time comes that
the Potomac is full of small-mouth
bass, the news will spread quickly,
and their receipts for boat hire and
taking fishing parties out will double
and perhaps triple.
So the movement will benefit not
only the angler, but all persons who
have anything to sell, whether it be
boats for hire, bait, meals and lodg-
ing. all will be benefited if this col
umn's dreams of the near future of
Potomac River well stocked with
small mouth bass come true.
Speaking of dreams, wouldn't II be
wonderful If local anglers could fish
in the upper Potomac, between the
dam just beyond Little Falls and
Great Falls, and be assured of coming
home with some nice bass and per-
haps the bag limit for the day, which
l hope will not be more than 10 bass?
And again. for those who desire to
make a little longer trip, say around
Seneca and Stubblefield Falls. and
then again, going farther up river
around Point of Rocks, Weayerton
and Harpers Ferry?
And speaking or restocking the.
river at Harpers~ Ferry, Charles r.
Hood, secretary of the Blue Ridge
Rod and Gun Club, has said: Per
sonally, ] think ii iS a great thing
and the only thing that will save
Potomac and restore the stream to
its former condition. / know and
can give you the names of some of
the members of our club who, during
the past several years, have fished in
the Potomac right in front of the
club for four and five hours a day
and got only one fish, or one strike,
and, some of them nothing at all.
Potomac Bass Depleted.
II cannot speak for the club, but
from the experience of our anglers
on the Potomac. / should think they
would be heartily in favor of the
movement 1t is apparent to all
anglers who fished in the Potomac
| during the last several years that the
stream is fast being depicted of bass.
I can recall times when good big
catches, both in regard to size and
number, were being made almost any
day. but lately the catches have been
SO small as to make them almost
negligible. ! will do anything in my
nowder to assist in this movement.
for we all want to continue to fish
for small mouth bass in the Potomac
River"