Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-17

TINE best news possible for the bass
anglers Is that the Potomac
River is in the best condition it
i has been for some time past.
This fact is augmented by the
report from Harpers Ferry stating that
the river is clear at that place. 1t may
be said for the first time this season
that anglers, for the large-mouth gass
as well as the Small-mouth bass, will
have an opportunity to cast for their
favorite fish.
Another feature of the past week was
the discovery of crabs in the Tidal
Basin. The report reached us that
crabs had been caught In the basin, but
we were skeptical, and the writer made
a special trip to investigate. Much to
his surprise, he saw several crabs SWIM
ming near the floats at the boathouSe.
His attention was first attracted to them
by several small colored boys excitedly
pointing to them and trying to make
the crabs grab stick they poked into
the water One Of these youngsters vol
unteered the information that the day
previous a man had landed several,
including a soft crab.
The question is, What are crabs doing
in Tidal Basin? The Bureau of Fish
cries, when informed of the fact, could
there Assistant Commissioner of Fish
cries Radcliffe said that some years ago
when dredgers were at work in the
Eastern Branch great many crabs
were seen, but that he had not heard
of any being in these waters since that
time. Following a protracted dry spell
when the BrackiSh water of the lower
Potomac worked it's way well up toward
Alexandria, crabs were caught at and
below that place.
When asked how long these crabs
could continue to live in fresh water,
the Bureau of Fisheries said that that
was hard question to answer and Sug-
gested that perhaps it might be possible
to develop a species of fresh-water
crabs How many crabs there are in
the basin no one knows. and how they
got there Is mystery, because the
would permit only small crab enter
ing and it would have to squeeze
through sideways.
There are a great many rock and
trout reported in Chesapeake Bay off
Herring Bay and Chesapeake Beach.
The fish have actually been caught, but
not by the rod and reel anglers, the
purse METERS landing more of them dur
ing the past week than all the rod and
reel anglers visiting the bay would take
in five years fishing.
Recently one of the purse net boats
saw few fish breaking near the shore
off Chesapeake Beach. One of the net
tiers remarked, well, we saw a few
break and we need little exercise;
let's go out and see what we can do"
They saw, they went and they conquered
for, much to their surprise, the water
was fairly alive with fish. If it re-
ported they landed 9 tons of trout and
rock. some of the trout weighing in the
neighborhood of 10 and IL pounds. They
had so many fish they could not dis
pose of them and gave great many
away, practically filling one mans boat
with trout and rockfish.
OF course, they didn't catch all of
the fish and there is still hope that some
of the lucky rod and reel anglers will
get among the fish without the eagle
eyes of the purse METERS observing them
first, but this is, indeed, difficult task
Another report reaching us from Rock
Point states that one day last week.
Tuesday or Wednesday. large school
Of rockfiSh were seen breaking water
just off the lighthouse at that place
OUT III the FOCOEldC River. Anglers I1SD-
ing nearby saw them and started TROLL
ing, but did not get strike. They then
resorted to still fishing and only sue
coded in landing several of the smaller
rock. The opinion of this column is
that the water is still too warm to cause
them to strike in their usual vigorous
manner
Quite a number of WashingtOnians
are visiting Wachapreague. Va. Reports
from that place state that great many
founders weighing from 4 to pounds
are being caught. Last Monday all
anglers caught 100 or more founders
and A. H. G.. Mears, proprietor of the
hotel at that place, caught long string
Of trout. kingfiSh and hardheads.
Battalion Chief A. H. Wolter Of the
District of Columbia Fire Department
and son caught 40 black sea bass, the
largest weighing 8 pounds.
DIR. and Mrs. Stewart and Prof. and
Mrs. j.. Labat and son we're among
other anglers who are having a great
time at this wonderful fishing ground
DR.. Stewart carried off the honors by
landing a channel bass weighing Is
pounds.
William H. Alexander of this city,
with E. G. Ivey and Jack Alexander
of Lynchburg, Va, made a big catch
OF kingflsh, hardheads and trout.