The Washington times., 1938-06-22

knowing the
BOD wilson st ndard of
repute from whence the news
originates, why. we'll stake our
last sou as to their correctness.
The fish as a whole are not the
ordinary run-of-the-mine 2 and
3-pounders. but tide-runners, go
ing better than 8 pounds.
We believe that the abundant
return of trout this year is due,
in a large measure, to the grad
ual rebuilding or regrowth OF
eelgrass that so mySterlouSIy
rotted away in 1882. This plant
plays an important part in the
life of migratory trout, as 1t
affords them protection during
their spawning period. This year
NAV be termed a banner trout
season. as it is the best we've
had since the biological phe-
nomena in 1882.
Let us quote what Jim Jar
man, of Ocean City. Md, has to
say in reference to the troutlng
condition at his fine resort:
Fright now the sensation OF
fishing is the large weakfiSh.
The party boats are landing
them tn the tune of 20 to $50
per craft. The fish are running
from 2 to 10 pounds and are
being taken off the Wrecks"
Joe Wilkinson. standout
Washington angler. with Capt.
Jim Whaley, Capt. Bill Burbage
and Charles Bradford, took the
seasons record catch last week
when they boated, both drifting
and trolling, 218 trout, bluefish
and bonitos. Their count for the
most part was tide-running trout
up to 10 pounds"
Here's an interesting story of
the champion trout fisherman of
Ocean City, and his speciality is
in the taking of tide-runners or
Jumbo Weakfkish. Three years
ago, Ken Reid came to Ocean
City from Chincoteague, Va,
and proved to the fishermen of
that port, Ocean City. that he
knew the very life history of
saltwater trout or weakfiSh. The
lone eagle took as his spoil the
first year in his new port, 400
pounds of giant trout on hook
and line.
Several of the boatmen be-
came suspicious and they had
the Coast Guard search Ken'S
boat for dynamite, but all they
found was rods, reels, hooks
and lines, with special home
made lures. The Ocean City
Chamber of Commerce went so
far as to write the War Depart
ment to have the Coast Guard
make an examination Of the
Wrecks" to see if dynamiting
was going on, but nothing was
found to cause alarm.
Let's quote the Mayor and
have him tell, in his own words,
just how Captain Reid lures the
big ones to boat:
LURE PREPARATION
ken is as particular about
his bait as a mother with her
first-born. He got Is pounds of
fresh squid from me today. He
put a layer of crushed ice, three
layers of old newspaper and
then a layer of squid, until all
the squid was fixed.
He then goes out alone in one
Of the fastest little skiffs in
Ocean City. He leaves late,
around 10 o'clock. He likes to
fish when there is no one
around, as he charms the fish
to the top of the water.
Ken bats four lines, throws
them overheard to the bottom
of the Wrecks and he gives
the lines just a little snatch
after he has located a school of
weakkfiSh, and keeps on giving
the lines a little snatch, not
letting them bite until they get
to the top of the water. He has
a feel just as fine as Jimmy
Valentine has with a safe. He
has the touch of a musician and
he can charm those fish to the
top of the water just as we'll as
a Hindu can snake, or a snake
q bird.
FISHERMAN JUGGLER
"He gets the whole school OF
weakfiSh to the top of the water
to within about five feet of his
boat. and he goes to work with
those four lines, and he is JUS
like a juggler. keeping a fish il
the air all the time"
Most all of the people tha
have been out with Ken Reic
have a story to tell about him
, Capt. Sid Bunting, who is M
mean fisherman himself, states
II was out with him and triet
to find out his method. 1 nc
ticed that he was using some
thing on his line, right at tn
end of the wire leader, tina
looked like little pearl. 1t wa
about 11a inches long, and
tried to get close to it for IL
snectinn. It seemed to be mad