The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-04

many Of the deep, cool holes where
bass used to gather in the heat Of
/ summer. The banks in most places
have been denuded Of trees. There
are fewer roots and logs to serve as
cover for fish and breeding spots for
/ the water insects that provide hsh
fare.
In short, it's the old story. Man,
in his hurry to garner another dol
4 lar or two, has upset the fine bal
ance of nature to the destriment
Of the game fish. Probably one bass
/ swirns in the Salamonie now for a
dozen that lived there fly years ago.
That is true in greater or less de-
gree of every Indiana steram.
It's not the fault Of the fisher
men. It's not the fault Of the con-
servation department. A closed
season for five years or the lberat-
ing of any number of fngerlings in
the stream would not restore those
happy days of long ago when
Micropterus dolmieu swarmed in
every rifle and urked under every
log
The fault is in physical makeup
of the stream. The cover isn't
there, the hiding places have been
washed out by the spring freshets,
the deep holes have filled, the
shade trees have been cut from the
banks.
VOUVE heard Of artificial i'm
4 provement of trout streams.
New York, Michigan and other
states have worked out methods of
providing natural stream bed con-
ditions and anglers have watched
their sport improve MANIFOLD.
That is what is planned for a fiji
/ teen-mile stretch of the Salamonie
up and down from Warren in Hunt
ington county. The Salamonie Rod
and Gun Camp Club, an active
group of Sportsmen, is promoting
the idea The fact that this partic-
ular thing has never been done be-
fore fails to discourage these ar
dent conservationists.
The hell with precedent" they
say. We'll make our own rules
Let's get this job done"
Be assured that the state con-
servation department will help in
every way. When Kenneth Kunkel
heard of the idea he sent delega-
ton from his Office at once. They
met last week with club members
and looked over the water. They
are enthusiastic.
Here's what they hope to do
Build small dams at certain spots to
give depth to fiat, shallow stretches
Place defector dams, both single
and V-type, to shrunt the current
into shady holes underw banks and
provide eddies and backWaters
Wire logs and brush in the pools
and runs. In every way possible
furnish cover, depth and feeding
grounds such as delighted flnny
hearts many years ago.
THEIR ambitions go even fur
Il ther. They hope in time to edu-
cate landowners on the tributary
streams that form the Salamonle to
the Importance of planting trees
and bushes on the sides of gulleys
and washouts. In a way this is the
most important move of all, for it
is the only method to halt erosion at
the source. Many farmers along
the fifteen-mile stretch already
have promised to help.
This work will take time and
money. All the details have not
been worked out. 1t is hoped that
the government will see fit to pro-
vide CCC labor for much of the
dam and deflector building.
At any rate the idea is a dandy
and the ball has started rolling
Let's hope that nothing will stand
in the way of the success of the
project. Indiana could have the
finest bass fishing in the country il
possibilities were fully developed.
If every one of the hundreds oil
sportsmen'S clubs nthe state woulc
undertake a similar move on only
two or three miles Of stream, what
a nice place this would be.
My, my, my! can taste it!