Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27

A Virginian asked II game warden
could not be stationed along the Poto-
mac between Occoquan Bay and Neab-
SEQ Creek, to prevent q repetition of
the wholesale slaughter of bass such
as took place recently. He said he
did not know that such a move on the
part of the illegal catchers of bass was
contemplated, but said he thought an
ounce Of prevention was worth pound
of cure.
Following his suggestion we got in
touch with Judge Snow Of Alexandria,
member of the Bureau of Game and
Inland Fisheries of Virginia, and laid
the matter before him. He promised to
see that a warden was dispatched to
that vicinity at the earliest moment
and that he would notify Chief Game
Warden Fletcher of Warrenton to
take such action as he thought neces-
sary to prevent such an occurance.
Last year over 700 bass were con-
fiscated by Virginia authorities, but
the men arrested and charged with the
ohense were acquitted on account of
lack OF sufficient evidence. In other
words, the game wardenacted too
quickly In making the arrests before
the offenders actually had the fish
in their possession. There is no doubt
OF their guilt, but the law says that
the fish must be in possession of the
accused In this instance the three
men were arrested when walking toward
the barrels of fish hidden in a dense
underground.
1t is almost time to get report that
the big catfish are attacking the lures
offered them by anglers. Usually this
takes place. a little later in the year,
when the ice commences to break up
and the river is discolored This year,
owing to the fact that there has been
little or no ice in the river and the
water is clear, river men are of the
opinion that the big "cats" should COM
mence their activities at an earlier
date. The river is just little discolored
and the water is just right for this par
ticular kind of fishing.
The Conservation Department of
Maryland reports that it planted 502,-
100000 yellow perch during the year
1928. But just how many of them will
survive the battle of the deep" is
question, because many, many Of these
little yellow perch have been gobbled
up by their larger brothers, for all fish
are canabalistic, feeding on the young
of their own breed and others.
Swepson Earle. fish commissioner of
Maryland. is very much encouraged
over the report of his bureau. He said
| that in addition to the yellow perch
planted, white perch numbering 101,-
100000 were turned loose also l4,840,-
600 shad and 100000 herring were
| liberated in the commercial division.
In the fresh water or game division
other thousands of brook, rainbow and
brown trout were planted Many of
| these trout had reached inches in
| length before they were released
| Many large and small mouth black
| bass fry were also liberated by the de-
| partment, 10000 small mouth bass hav-
ing been set free in the Susquehanna
| River alone.
This Spring we are going to try to
secure shipment Of small mouth bass
| from the Maryland department to be
| planted IN the Potomac River between
the Little and Big Falls. There is no
| prettier body of water for bass than
| this stretch and the angler in hts boat
! or canoe can be just as Isolated as
though he were many miles from ciyili-
zation