Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-21
The River
Where Big Fish
Go To Rest

n
J sometimes provides strange help for her creatures
49, who most do want TO keep living the
stranEest veritabe fresh hospital injured
and aiftng salt water fish.
This is at Homosassa Springs Florida where fish of a
dozen varieties ranging from few to poundage
strain stout fishing tackle come from the Gulf
Of Mexico nine miles up Smoking River and
recuperate with their fresh cousins
This fHny outpaten department is natural basin of
crystal water set in the midst OF virtually untouched
Jungle Of towering trees 1t is $50 feet wide and 100 feet
deep Every day of the year alive fish, most
of them seemingly sound but many obviously difficulties
count made early in November showed approximately
1900 fish mostly of salt water varieties at the surface
Several layers be underneath below
other depth of the spring According to the
special guardian of the pool certain Arthur Vance
the Brooklyn Dodgers former crack pitcher DazZy" this
is the usual oseason picture But when the Gulf water
coos TO uncomfortable degree in midwinter fish
seek the is never under 70 degrees higher
than y in countless thousands. How many thousands?
Well" remarks Dazzy-who takes Nature in these
wdsh surroundings seriously he did baseball
the bottom of the spring anywhere If you could count
them you'd get anything up to a million"
This great open bowl. lacking privacy when
visitors peer into II goldfish bowl is twofold empta
ton all outdoor people out Of METER could
dip fortune 1t is completely protected, with fishing
or swimming permitted until you are well down river
Vance who 10 Homosassa Springs originally to take
charge Of fishing and hunting facilities for sporsmen has
become leading citizen With others he has taken steps
that the spring will always be preserved together
with the beauty almost primeval surroundings
Residents Of ilomosassa Springs who have checked
the of fish declare that 2S varieties
regularly there without any reference the big
turtles and blue crabs that also in from the Gulf
TO freshen up.
a-water fish seen on a recent checkup showed robao
locally called shook crevale red fish sheepshead
grove snappers silver muet bull mullet, black muet
trout tweakfsh needle fish sailors choice and school
snappers specs" painted their eyes
on weary 25-pound robalo with head like a great
northern pike and body like paddock
little pilot fish hitch mixers Dazzy calls them-whose
parasitic grip the fish tried for days to shake off
Mingling with the Gulf visitors variety Of fresh
water natives from parrish size to large mouthed black
bass that would run mp to hycasers dream Included
bull Dream stump Knockers ring perch silver
suckers and the inevitable catfish
AS u that they all temporary friends together
in convaeSccnt home the varieties ntermingle
surprising harmony though keeping rough pattern
Of the schools IN which they entered the springs According
Vance and others nobody has recorded any melee
Veterans Of the Homosassa have generally
satisfactory answer to the attraction the spring holds for
the FISH They point that many eastern fish such
the shad the herring and the behring's big cousin the
pamty tarron head inland up braclsh fresh at
spawning time but that fish enter the Homosassa spring
Al any m' ana that egg deposits would be washed away
w tho springs NoW devoured food But they point
- also hat many Of FISH oftener than sup
posed enter the lower reaches of fresh water TO answer
some inst nctlyey felt need
"lts lst like yog or me" explains native we feel
h1r-1T T-1fy and We gct change OF air up
n The Carolina mountains or somewhere. But with the
hsh IT'S change % water. After stay at the spring
they tell even The htlcst snapper VIII head
the Gulf and spit barracuda's eye"
b that j. may u well known that fish have their
al,ts and become infested with barnaclcs underwater
'ooo'Iea and other parasites And hoatmen who have
taken their craft up river for a days watched
harra'les seagrass and other growth die and fall
oe thc ul declare there's Why the FISH should
M also the cleauery The spring that respect
s.,9.s be a clinic for skin diseases
But FISH injured Otherwise weakened is another
matter In open waters be Isl easy any larger
-sor i is natural for him say West Coast fishermen
so IS Hshore waters and heaTroceed as FAR from danger
bee. get
W., Their 'taFng ne bashs" Homosassa Springs
really the hsh patients has not been determined
III $50 IN fbp
INTO dacle temporary pets ready culp bread
orlmb or Investigate Cuuouay any dropped the