Evening star., 1934-10-07


Speedway" East Potomac Park
and Hains Point men, women and
children strung in immobile ranks, waiting
patiently for a nibble. And more often than
not Simple Simon," who went a-fishing for
to catch a whale" could land more piscatorial
monsters from 'his mothers pail" than these
Izaak Waltons yank from the Potomac
River. They will bait and cast and reel for
hours If only to be rewarded with mess OF
fish weighing pounds to the dozen. But it's
all in fun-so what's the differenceP
This jolly crowd represents all races and
positions in life. 1t assemblies mostly on Sum-
days to fish and chat, relax and breathe fresh
air It makes no difference that a Negro fishes
with branch, twine and bent pin baited with
corn meal dough. He's more likely to land his
catfish or carp than the well-dressed angler
with the expensive gear.
DIvALRY is keen, too, between the colored
~ washerwoman with buxom front draped
over the rail and the stout white lady perched
on a camp STOOL The latter grips new rod and
reel in one hand and nibbles on q sandwich
held in the other.
Good for you" beams Esmeralda each time
her mistress reels in a or inch fish. And
the lady applauds, Good fishing" whenever q
whiskered catfish bangles on the end of Es-
meralda's line.
A fisherman rushes to answer the tinkling
bell atop umbrella rib anchoring his line.
The cork float bobs up and down in the water.
Quickly the line is pulled in, hand over hand.
But the fish is only glimpSed, not hooked for
keeps
RAYMOND snaps his fingers in disgust.
Laughter and joshing result.
"Boy, what you need is a good bloodworm.
steadin' that motheaten rabbits, foot!"
And then the hunchback old darky hobbies
over questioning 'Didja get it, Son?"
T
mond. HE done got me. Cleaned my line o.
bait every time-he did. Doggone those pesky
perch They just nibble tn bait od'n my
hooks fore they touches bottom, where the big
ones loaf around"
And then. of course, the proverbial ending,
with gestures "Hones-it was THAT bigP'
Entire families motor down there for leiSurely
angling, coming from apartments and homes in
the Washington area. They find it less trouble
some to go there than to seek better fishing
along Chesapeake Bay and more distant re-
gions.
In Potomac Park or around Tidal Basin they
can park their cars near the water. And in
few minutes they can establish themselves COM
fortably on blanketed grass, ready to derive the
maximum of fishing fun with a maximum OF
convenience. Even if they don't hook any
stupid fish they can read the Sunday papers
and picnic. Not even a nibble! They they
pack the equipment into the automobile and
they're of on q ride amid the fine scenery and
roads surrounding Washington.
DUT to those regulars" who settle down for
- the day, events shape themselves slowly.
while they stare at the sun-rippled water.
They drift through lazy and drowsy hours.
stirred from lethargy only by tug on their
lines or the tinkle of warning bells.
"Hey, you got a bite there!" halls one fish,
erman, pointing to the red cork float of his
neighbor.
"Aw. let i'm catch imself," drawls the vet
eran, dangling his legs over the sea wall.
Cant you see that one is too tiny to take the
cork under?" He resumes his stolid squat. the
fishing rod projected in the air for anotner
indefinite wait.
Frequenters of these fishing grounds" range
from bootblacks and janitors to Government
employees and university professors. Conse-
quently their rods may be fashioned from tree
branches. Or they may use regulation bamboo
or steel poles. And their reels may be expen-
sive mechanisms or-just fingers. But whether
they land iridescent sun perch or an ugly
catfish half foot long they derive as much
fun as President Roosevelt battling o tarpon
or swordfish in midocean.
A sudden furry Of excitement. Eyes center
across the Basin, where q boy lowers himself
over the sea wall toward the water.