Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03
TARPON, MACKEREL,
SHARK ARE CAUGHT
Extraordinary SaIinity Of
Water on Eastern Shore
Thought Magnet.
BY PERRY MILLER.

A NGLERS visiting the waters
~ of Chesapeake Bay this
~ Summer and Fall may be
surprised by the size of the
fish they catch, for during the last
week or 10 days all kinds OF big
fish have been landed-channel
bass, silver tarpon, Spanish
mackerel, drum, a shark and the
usual trout, rockfish, taylors, etc.
The largest of the channel bass
tipped the scales at II pounds,
the tarpon weighed 40 pounds,
the mackerel AZ pounds, the drums
from 40 to 80 pounds and the
shark, landed in the Wicomico at
Rock Point, ATS pounds.
What is the reason for these big
fish advancing so far up the bay and
Potomac this year? Perhaps the prin-
cipal reason Is given in report last
week from the United States Geological
Survey According to the report the
been more salty than that on the west
side in the same latitude.
Salinity Is Graduated.
The report states that although this
condition has been ascribed to the
bay on the west side, the rotation Of
the earth may also be q factor.
Another explanation was that the
salinity of the water in the bay gen
orally increases with depth.
"1n other words" the report explains,
"there must be q slower movement
of the denSer water from the ocean
up the bay in the deepest channels,
while the lighter water flows out over
the heavier"
The report also gives the area of
the bay as $3.50 square miles, and the
inflow comes from drainage basin OF
81, 1875 square miles. According to the
report the salinity Of the water In
creases from the head of the bay 70
its mouth at any given point. It Is APP
proximately six parts per thousand In
the latitude of Baltimore, 10 of Bloody
Point, IL of Cove Point, Is at Old
Point Comfort. That of average sea
water is about 80 per cent, the report
explains.
Rod and Stream has long called at
tention to the fact that larger t1sh
are caught on the eastern side OF the
bay, but attributed it to the deeper
water to be found over there. Fish
which make their homes in salt water
like salt water, and the fact that the
water on the eastern side OF the bay
Is more salty than on our Sloe I'm.
doubtedly is the answer to the ques-
ton. The salt water this Summer, on
account Of lack of rain, has backed
up much farther than usual, which Is
also an added factor in the catch OF
larger fish.
Fight Purse Meters.
If the Maryland Legislature will only
pass O law this Fall prohibiting the
purse meters from operating on Chesa-
peake Bay, that body of water IN a
short time will be comparable to waters
of the coast of Florida, and the
revenue derived from visiting anglers
will bring many thousands Of dollars
into the State which will go else
where If this body of water Is not
protected by law from this most
destructive method of catching hsh.
! The State of Maryland receives only
S25 as a license fee from the purse
METERS for each net operated. The
writer has visited many fishing grounds
this year and finds that the sentiment
against the purse meters is growing
more bitter.
Boatmen on both sides Of the bay
catering to the wants OF anglers have
promised to 60 to Annapolis this Fan
to present their protest. and If suf-
ficient number keep their promise, 1t
win mean the end Of the purse METERS.