Evening star., 1932-05-01
POTOMAC AND BAY
SWARM WITH FISH
White Perch Run Largest in
IS Years-Herring, Shad,
Rock Abound.
BY PERRY MILLER.

n YOT for many years have the
N waters of Chesapeake Bay
Y and its tributaries been so
alive with fish. The run
OF shad and herring is unusually
heavy; the run of white perch in
the swift waters of the Potomac
at Chain Bridge is the largest in
at least Is years, and the stream
at this point is swarming with
herring. Herring not only are
being caught upstream, they are
being snagged in the Washington
Channel in goodly numbers.
In the last week many pan rock have
been caught in the Potomac, and one
man using a net on the Virginia SIDE
OF the Potomac to catch shad landed
large number of rock, one tipping
the scales at pounds. The rocktisn
are almost a month ahead of their
scheduled appearance, and If the water
remains clear the anglers can expect
to reap a beautiful harvest of these
gamesters in the Potomac around
Washington. He says he has seen 1900
landed by anglers and brought to his
wharf.
7 EWIS RADCLIFFE, deputy commits
- sioner of the United States Bureau
of Fisheries, says the largest num-
Der of shad within his memory is being
caught in the Potomac Commercial
fishermen at Fort Humphreys are haul
ing their catches in all sorts of con-
veyance5, automobiles, wagons and
whatnot.
Hardheads have advanced to their
spawning grounds in large numbers.
Down at Hoppers Island on the Eastern
Shore of the bay opposite Solomons
Island they are being caught by the
tons in the nets. Of Chesapeake Bay
last Tuesday nine tons of these fish
were landed. So large was the catch
that they were sold In Washington for
price reported to be 212 cents a fish,
and in Baltimore they were disposed Of
at Ia cents each. Ordinarily hard
heads bring double this price pound
Another encouraging report for the
anglers is the large number of rock
being landed in the nets. Swepson
Earle, Maryland's conservation COM
missioner, tells us that his reports from
bay points indicate more and larger
rock are being caught this year, and
our correspondents from lower Potomac
River points all say this is going to be
banner year for the rock fish, many
being caught in the nets ranging from
26 to so pounds.
THE salt water fishing season has
i started. From Wachapreague, A.
H. G. Mears sends word that he
had some excellent sport the other day,
landing 19 trout ranging in size from
4 to Z pounds. Last year the trout
made their appearance in the bay as
early as June Is. This year they may
be caught as early as the latter part
of May or the first of June.
Next Friday, The Star will start pub
fishing the tides at Annapolis, Chesa-
peake Beach. Tilghman and Sharp
Islands, Solomons Island, Piney Point,
Rock Point and in the Potomac at
Washington and the latest reports from
the various fishing grounds Both the
tides and the latest reports will be
published on FRIDAY of each week.
The Coast and Geodetic Survey has
furnished the tides for every day in the
week from May l to November 80
Anglers desiring to know the tides on
any day In the week can obtain this
informs ton by telephoning the writer.
Next Thursday we will broadcast the
latest reports from our corps of OBJ
servers at the various fishing grounds
CEVERAL local anglers visiting trout
- streams in Maryland have been dis
couraged. They claim that the trout
are planted in streams so accessible
that the natives catch them all, many
before the ouening Of the trout season.
Some of the streams planted are no
more than small branches running
clos to houses, which almost can be
jumped across. These anglers say the
nativ& inform them that all the trout
have been caught, that they have taken
the majority of them. One native
Dragged about the fact that he had
caught &C.
These anglers have a just complaint.
Each spent $3.50 for a Maryland
license.
Louisville, center of the base ball bat
iVNI n IL, he