The Republican., 1933-04-13
THE FRESH WATER FISHERMAN,
AIDED BY CONSERVATION, FACES SPORT
By PETER C. CHA LISS,
In the Baltimore Sunday Sun, April 2, 1888.

Maryiand's fresh-water trout fish
erman came into their own again two
weeks ago with the opening Of the '33
season. They'll remain in that bliss
full state until June 50, when the rain
bow and brook trout will have protec-
ton for another year.
Aiding the ambition of the States
anglers is the Maryland Conserva-
ton Commission Department, which
has followed out the policy adopted by
Swepson Earle, commissioner, and A.
NJ. Powell, superintendent Of hatcher
les, of planting in Maryland's streams
only adult or legal size trout of seven
7nches in length or more.
This policy and that Of following it
up with additionalpiantings instreams
chat are most heavily fished as the
season progresses guarantees trout
fishermen lusty specimens.
@tE
Maryland's present method OF full
filling the wants of the fresh-water
angler goes back to the very source
of the problem-the stream itself
Nothing is taken for granted and be-
fore trout that have been hand
spawned, hand hatched, and hand
reared are planted, streams to re-
ceive them must be certified of pur-
ity and temperature to sustain trout
life and contain food clements so nee
essary for the growth of the species.
In years gone by the planting OF
trout may have been more or less OF
a hit-or-miss proposition with millions
of trout fry simply dumped into the|
streams. But that day has gone for
ever and it is safe to say that few Of
those millions ever survived and grew
to proportions sufficient to take the
anglers hook.
Nowadays the very first move in
the scheme of stocking a stream,
whether it be with fresh water trout,
bass, crappie or whatnot is to first
learn through a thorough survey of
the waters whether it is suitable for
+he planting of the fish.
##*
Of the fish found in Maryland wat
ers the brook trout is by far the most
fastidious as to his environment,
thriving best in mountain or spring
streams that seldom attain temper
ature higher than 66 degrees, and con-
tanning a minimum OF pollution; while
xhe brown trout can stand water
Temperature at least fifteen degrees
higher and will thrive in waters lack
ing the purity essential to the we'll
being of the brook trout. Between
the two extremes is the RAINBOW
which, however, leans little closer to
rhe characteristics of the brook trout.
The term "hand reared" denoting
care in rearing never applied to any
thing more aptly than it does to the
production of hatchery-bred fresh
water trout. Even before the egg
stage in their life history the great
est amount of scientific knowledge
and application is expended on these
7rout.
Superintendent Powell, who with
his assistants has played nurse to mil
lions of trout, estimates that brook
trout from the egg stage to the ten
or twelve inch size represents an out
lay of probably so cents. What the
angler spends for each trout he lands
is another story, but it is almost safe
TO say that the total will stand up
against what the average QUICKER
spends to bag each duck-which is
plenty!
First on the program of trout de-
velopment in Maryland hatcheries is
the selection of TIE parent fish, and
none but the healthiest, strongest and
most perfectly formed are kept as
brood stock. Brook trout usually
spawn when they are two years old,
and the period of their greatest pro-
eiuctivity extends from that age until
they reach five years. Upon attain
ing the latter age. Superintendent
Powell feels, their best days as brood
fish are over and they are released
IN suitable streams of the State.
Birth control is great factor in
the production of fish on large scale.
This is not the birth control as we
know it; in fact, it is the exact oppo-
site, the idea being to control upward
instead of limiting the amount of the
progeny.
In December brook trout reach the
spawning stage under propitious cir
cumstances. And it is then that ma
ture is halted in her stride and man
takes a hand in the baby trout busi-
ness. From that time onward neither
Papa Trout nor Mamma Trout has
one thing to do in the rearing of
what might have been their brood.
Left to carry out their scheme of
life in a natural way, Mamma Trout