Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-12


tasted the now famous Chesapeake
Bay oysters brought to him by the
Indians. The Indians feaSted on both the
oysters and fish they caught in the waters OF
the bay. Today hundreds of thousands of sport
fishermen from all sections of the country visit
its waters each year in quest Of their favorite
fish.
The sport fishing season in Chesapeake Bay
extends from May to the last of October. If
weather conditions good the game rockfish
Is caught, principally by trolling until the
weather gets too cold for comfort. The fish
most sought by anglers in the bay and its
tributaries are the croakerS, commonly called
hardheads: trout (gray and spotted sea trout
bluefSh taylorS, rockfiSh, drum, channel
bass, cabio black bonito, spot. founders, hog
FISH, King William perch and the white perch.
John c. Pearson, assistant aquatic biologist
Of the United States Bureau Of Fisheries, in his
report on sport Fishing in Chesapeake Bay"
says that interest and participation in sport fish,
ing in the bay as we'll throughout the United
States of much greater extent today than
ever before. Facilities for reaching fishing
grounds are nearly perfect as they can
be- The possibility that four-foot shark or a
50-pound channel bass may suddenly grab the
hook while one is awaiting a gentle nibble from
a spot or croaker gives saltwater angling in
Chesapeake Bay thrill all its own and repays
for the extra trouble and expense in reaching
the fishing grounds.
There is hardly a wharf bridge or jetty
throughout tidewater Maryland or Virginia that
does not offer the angler opportunity to Try
his luck and skill However, the best sport fish,
ing in the bay is had some distance from land
or from the nearest town. In some sections Of
the bay the most popular and productive fishing
grounds lie several miles off shore, and can only
be reached by power boat, but there many
other fine fishing grounds where only rowboat
Is required.
los of he Leg
! passed bill prohibiting the purse meters
from operating after November l Of this year
in Chesapeake Bay. This ended struggle by
sport fishermen after fight lasting over 20
years. Just as regularly the purse net bill
was introduced in the Maryland Legislature,
Just as regularly it defeated. The purse
nets were slowly but surely robbing the bay of
its game fish. Hauls of as many as 10 and IL
tons of rockfish, trout and blues were taken from
the waters at one time, and the boats making
these big catches were not properly equipped to
handle many fish, and the ice houses not
able to pack them on ice. The consequence was
that thousands of these fine game fish were
thrown away to be used as fertilizer. These
methods soon made known to the Mary
land Conservation Department and the Izaak
Walton League of America, and its many chap
tiers in Maryland together with the many.
sportsmens organizations, put up a strenuous
fight which only ended in victory this year.
This year Commissioner Swepson Earle of
the Maryland Conservation Department says
that reports have reached his Office of large
schools of rockfish, trout and blues being sighted
in the bay This argues well for the anglers
during July, August, September and October
this year, with brighter prospects next year.
The purse meters are being legislated out of ex-
tStence this year.
CPORT fishing throughout Chesapeake Bay is
- conducted by means of hook and line, rod
and reel or trolling. The striped bass or crock
fish, and the bluefiSh are often taken by TROLL
ing but all other game fishes in the bay taken
with baited hook. Rod and reel provides the
best all-around tackle. light rod with reel
to carry about 200 yards of line Is suitable for
sea trout and the smaller species, while for
channel bass heavier rod and reel with a good
strong line is necessary. The sizes and types
of hooks to be used depend largely on the fish
desired and must be determined by the indi-
Vidual angler.
The best fishing is obtained during the Sum-
mer and Fall months, although many species
may be more plentiful at certain times than at
others during the season. The croaker is more
abundant in the Spring of the year than in the
Fall, while bluefish found to be more
merous during the late Summer and Fall
months. The rockfish are to be found through
out the year, but more plantiful during the
late Summer and Fall months.
Anglers visiting salt water fishing grounds
frequently ask what is the best bait to use. In
one or more of the following bats: Soft crabs,
peelers bloodworms shrimp and small eels
The small cells particularly attractive to