Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-28

with grass shrimp. Both in
volve the use Of very light spin
ming tackle.
A pan-size rockfish-say q
2-pounder-can put up fight
enough on a fresh water spin
ming outfit to please anyone
but why not go a step further
and try a ny rod? When the
rainbow and brook trout are
sulking in the midsummer
heat, it would be a thrilling
substitute.
Visit st. Marys River
Wyatt Dawson of Arlington
introduced me to the grass bed
fishing in a little branch of the
st. Marys River known as st
Inigoes Creek. 1t is some 70
miles from Washington by way
Of Waldorf and Route S.
The st. Marys River is a river
by name only, being only a
tidal stream ebbing and flowing
into the Potomac near its juno
ton with the bay. $
Hard oyster beds, favorite
feeding grounds for fish. patch
the rivers bottom and dark
fareas in the shadows mark
marine vegetation that offers
hiding place.
1t was past 1890 Of an al
ready-steaming morning when
we set out in q rowboat with
Dawson's little outboard motor
to push us.
Andy Gresko, o habitual pes
simist, apparently. when it
comes to fishing. had rented us
the boat with the observation
that he didn'tisee how we could
catch fish in the mid day heat,
This section Of the st. Mary's
is beautiful, with trees and
farms coming close to the quiet
waters edge. s.
Fishes by Chart and Tide
Dawson fishes by chart and
1.-THE tide. He carries a Coast.
and Geodetic Survey chart
which shows the shadows and
bars on which fish are likely
to be found. He makes certain
to fish an incoming tide.
1 First we tried trolling the
grassy edges with white buck
tails, but the rockf1sh were
cooperative and we turned
to spinning gear
| Anchoring 100 feet OF some
rocks just above the the naval
air installations pier, we cut a
peeler crab into quarters, put
them on 30 hooks and cast
over the grass beds. No sinkers
were used and the bait was al
lowed to drift with the tide.
Wyatt drew first blood, q husky
14-inch striper that fought
gamely.
I lost my first--he threw the
hook close to the boat - but
boated my second. From then
until 2 or $3.50 we had a busy
time, catching about 20 rock
fish Of keeper size and several
we returned to the water. Wyatt
also landed a large trout and
we both hooked spot and
toadf1sh.
For a time I was toadfish
champion, but finally relin-
pushed the title. Be wary
when removing the hook from
a toadfish. They usually swal-
low it deeply and their pow
erful Jaws can break a finger
if thrust carelessly into their
outlets.
Use a pair of pliers, or bet
ter yet. a fish holder to hold
open the jaws while the hook
is removed. Toadfish, as
scavengers, do I'LL a useful
role in removing wastes from
the rivers and bay.
Try Other Spots
When the fishing slackened
we tried other spots, Priests
Point and the cove known as
Langley Hollow, but they failed
to produce a rockf1sh either
trolling or casting crab.
On the whole, we did not
catch any great number of fish
as compared to- similar excur-
sionS that Dawson had made,
but 1t was an interesting day.
The cumming expedition
was quite different. My host
was Waldo ]. Tastet, president
Of Fries Beall a. Sharp. We
boated out Of Deale on Roxie
Nieman's Suzette, q 45-foot
bay fishing craft built in the
old tradition.
1t was 2:30 of a sultry after
noon with the wind in the
wrong place, the southwest,
when We left. Whitecaps dot
ted the bay but the Suzette,
long and narrow of beam, took
them without culver.
Troll With Bucktail
Using wire lines and heavy
gear We started trolling small
white bucktails with narrow
strips of pork rind on lodges
near the red nun buoy of Pop
lar Island. There was no action
at first and we continued north.
Nieman got the first fish, a