Evening star., 1933-10-22
!, COMMISSIONER FRANK T.
BELL of the United States Bu-
4 reau of Fisheries has taken up

BELL OF the OIilt6o otdIcS 6u-
reau OF Fisheries has taken up
the anglers battle against the
closing of Reaches Run to fishing.
When approached by this column last
week on the matter. he declared he was
for the anglers and Immediately
would see If the order closing this pond
to fishermen could not he rescinded.
When Commissioner Bell assumed
the duties of his Office last March he
said he was going to provide better and
larger fish for anglers. and that Oh
many trees and stumps along streams
! in his native State could be found lures
that beloneed.to him. This column Is
sure Commissioner Bells interest in the
matter will 90 long ways In having
the order rescinded.
Letters are coming in from Washing
ton. Maryland and Virginia about the
closing of this pond. E. I. Ellis senos
a COPY of his letter to Arno Cammerer,
director National Parks. Buildings and
Reservations, who said, II write to ak
respectfully that reconsideration be
given to the order prohibiting fishing
in Reaches Run and submit the follow
ing reasons: -.
Reaches Run affords an opportunity
for many local fishermen whose time is
restricted as mine is. to enjoy little
wholesome and harmless recreation.
The birds are not molested by the
fishermen. AS matter Of fact. they
have come to realize that they Will no.
be harmed, and as result have become
comparatively tame. so that tney may
be observed and studied from close
quarters. They do not even nina tna
rapidly moving automobiles On tne
boulevard. which would appear much
more likely to disturb them than wou-o
an occasional fisherman.
The inference to be drawn from MI
Miller's item is that the so-calied cranes
feed on wild celery. 1t is not bellevco
that the birds referred to are in TACT
cranes. but are herons. whose exclusive
diet is small aquatic animals
IVY yITH respect to the ducks
/ w which will arrive the latter
part Of next month differ
ent situation. CT course. is presented.
They are much more timid than the
heron ano! they do feed on wild ce.ery
1 am in thorough sympathy with any
regulation to protect them.
I'm view of the above I ask that
considela alton be given to amending the
no fishing order SO as to permit hsn-
| ing until, say, the first of December
at which time the fishermen shoulo oe
willing to abdicate in favor OF the
ducks"
Another letter from James E Walter
of Falls Church, Va, said:
please lend us fishermen hand
in this matter of fishing in Reaches
Run. As stated in The Star. it is an
ideal place for those who haye no car
or other means of transportation. IL
can be reatched from Washington and
nearby Virginia on public conveyanceS
and at a nominal expense. giving real
bass fishing. which is something almost
impossible to find near Washington:
/ las to refuge for wild fowl, this
pond and stream has width OF say
cne-third of a mile and perhaps two
thirds of a mile long. bounded on the
north and west by railroad. the only
one out of Washington, and trains are
almost constantly passing. On the
east and south sides by the new
Memorial Highway and there is con-
! slant stream of autos passing. From
| the Hoover Airport every half hour
or so aircraft pass low Now Just what
kind of wild life could stand such a
jot of traffic? Birds that could stand
! it would have TO be deaf, dumb and
blind"
And the battle RACES on, but We hope
for the best.
A H G. MEARS at Wachapreague
! ~ reports: Fishing conditions good.
Writer anj guide landed 20 trout
and 81 croakers, mostly large ones.
Eight channel bass landed since the
fifteenth. largest 40 pounds. Expect
best fishing balance of the month,
weather being favorable. About time
for blues to pass, but no one fishing
for them
Our old friend Ed Fuller of Hyatts-
vile sends us an account of a recent
fishing trip He said: "A party of en-
thusiastic fishermen from Hyattsville
went to Point No Point. eight miles
up the bay from Point Lookout. We
had wonderful time. and incidentally,
brought back over $50 fish. The catch
afforded great sport. 1t included two
3l2-pound trout landed by Messrs
Gasch and Rennoe. The editor of the
Hyattsville independent. E. A. Fuller.
managed to land several small trout
and number of black sea bass, to say
nothing to toads
taken from the bay. The party was
entertained in fine shape by Capt.
c. F. Willoughby. who left nothing to
| be desired. Besides the large trout
landed, it might be noted that Fred A
Holman. popular Hyattsville auto
mobile dealer. landed trout In a most
peculiar manner. A toad was brought
to the surface, and on the same line
4 fine trout was caught by the tail
In the party were Messrs. Kidwell.
Hartman. Hofmann, Gasch, Rennoe
and Fuller"
John H. T. Briscoe of Leonardtown,
Md, writes:
Il noticed in your column of last
Tuesday that you had gotten a report
from one of the Washington fishermen
relative to god hue f1~hir- on ="
/ Southwest Middle Grounds I can be-.