Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-09

| HE bass season, which opened on
July /, both In Maryland and
Virginia, finds the Potomac
l. River one of the best stocked
streams. according to Swepson
Earle, State conservation commissioner
of Maryland.
To show how well the Potomac Is
stocked with bass. Earle referred to the
rescue work which was carried on IN
Washington County by the Hagerstown
Chapter of the Izaak Walton League
recently, when the Spring freshets
washed thousands OF bass from the Po-
tomac into the old Chesapeake e. Ohio
Canal, which, had they been allowed
to remain there, would have persisted
when the waters reeeded.
THE conservation department aided
in this work with money and wardens.
Earle said "A report from the secre-
tary of the chapter, Frank l.. Bentz,
informs my department that something
like 10000 bass from 8 to Is inches
In length were seined out and returned
to the Potomac River The boundaries
of a number of western Maryland coun-
ties follow the Potomac from the Ma
tional Capital to Keyser, W. Va. in
GLIDING In addition to Washington
County, Carroll. Frederick and Allegany.
This gives many miles Of bass fishing,
not only to the anglers OF the counties
mentioned, but even to non residents
of Maryland"
In addition to the Potomac. many
streams OF Maryland are stocked with
small mouth bass. including Big and
Little Pipe Greeks, Piney Run and
Monocacy River In Carroll County.
Toms. Hunting. Catoctin and the north
and south branches Of Linganore Creeks
In Frederick County, Sideling Hill.
Conochocheague and Antietam Greeks
in Washington County and Wills and
Town Greeks In Allegany County.
Fisherman at Great Falls on July 4
we're approached by an unknown person
claiming to be game warden and
warned to desist from fishing without a
license under penalty of arrest and fine.
A. B. Carter, game warden OF Fairfax
County, and the two special game war
dens. Lewis b. B. Oliver and z. c. ut-
terback all disclaim responsibility for
this action.
Under the new game law effective
In Virginia July /. neither residents nor
non presidents require a license to fish
In the waters of Fairfax County, ac-
cording to z. r.. Hoibrook, deputy clerk
In charge of issuing all licenses who
quotes the instructions OF l.. w. Tylis,
fiscal secretary of the Virginia Commits
sion of Game and Inland Fisheries,
that no fishing license is required In
order to fish In the waters Of tidewater
Virginia"
This includes the following counties !:
Accomac, Arlington. Caroline, Charles
City. Chesterfield Elizabeth City. Essex,
Fairfax, Gloucester. Hanover, Henrico,
Isle OF Wight, James City. King George,
Kning and Queen, King William. Lam
caster, Mathews. Middlesex, Nanse-
monde, New Kent Norfolk, Northamp-
ton, Northumberland, Princess Anne,
Richmond, Stafford, Warwick. West
moreland, York, Surry, Prince George,
Sussex and Southampton
Prince William County is not included
in tidewater Virginia, hence, accord
Ing to the law a license is necessary
to FISH In the waters of Occoquan Greek,
place where the tide Gibbs and flows.
1t would seem from the new Virginia
law passed at the last session of the
General Assembly that there were many
factions at work To provide special laws
for special counties One Of the mys-
teries Is how the Potomac from Little
Falls TO Great Falls can be included In
| tideWater and no license required to fish
! from the Virginia shore, and the other
| Is why Occoquan Creek, place where
the tide does ebb and flow, is NOT
placed with other tidewater streams
and license required to Ash In those
waters.
The act of the General Assembly. pro.
viding new fishing laws for the State
Of Virginia has certainly complicated
matters as far as the Potomoc above
tidewater Is concerned and must be a
blow TO the well developed plans oil
| the State Of Maryland.
AS matters now stand, any one, young
and old. men and women. can fish In
the Potomac from the Virginia shore
Between Little Falls and Great Falls
without having Virginia fishing
license, All person has to do to FISH
10 his hearts content Is TO cross over
the Potomac TO the Virginia shore. Nc
doubt the result OF this action viii hs
that thousands of anglers will be seer
| lining the Virginia shore, depriving both
Maryland and Virginia OF source oil
revenue and depicting again the bass
In that section OF the river.
In our opinion, the Virginia Assembl,
has done more harm than good In pass.
Ing the new fishing laws for that state
There In only one thing left 10 right Il
some extent the harm that has beer
done by not requiring license TO fish
In Fairfax County and that Is for ths
anglers themselves 10 see that the Law
In 0beyed In SO far as the. bag limit anc
the size Of the FISH taken from tn,
Potomac Is concerned
This action on the part of Virgins
has been called Ia the attention 0l
lSWepson Earle. Maryland state con-