Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-06
IT'S RELAXATION, WRITERS SAY
What Makes Angler Happy?
Biologists Try to Find Out
BY CHARLES COVELL
outdoor Editor

BY CHARLES COVELL
outdoor Editor
What makes a fisherman
happy? What makes him crawl
out Of the blankets at ungodly
hours in any kind of weather
to visit his favorite grounds?
Easy question to answer? Not
at all. 1t seems that very few
fishermen agree on a subject
that is getting scientific atten-
ton. 1t was tried on the Chesa-
peake Bay outdoor Writer'S
Association at their recent
meeting at Harper's Ferry,
wv. Va.
Z The questioners were Harold
J. -Elser. chief fresh water fish
biologist Of the Maryland De-
partment of Research and Edu-
cations marine laboratory at
-Solomons, Md. He was aided by
Edwin M. Barry. chief Of inland
fish management Of the Mary
land Game and Inland Fish
Commission.
Fill Out Ballot
The writers were polled in a
ballot similar to the one on this
page that The Stars readers
are invited to I'LL out and return
TO the outdoor editor.
At first the writer's were in
credulous, then amused. II just
like to FISH," said one. But when
Elser explained that the data
obtained would help to guide
fish management officials in
providing better fishing. they
grew serious.
Not too surprisingly. relaxa-
ton was the primary reason
given by the writers for going
fishing. Pleasant surroundings
A.. and companionship also were
high on their list.
But No. 2 choice was fire.
quency Of catch, which to this
writer was a bit strange con-
sidering the expert anglers who
were voting at this meeting.
Certainly fight per pound or
size Of fish. which got only one
vote each, would seem more
important than number Of fish
caught.
Balk at Bad Weather
A couple of our expert fish,
ermen obviously didn't like to
60 out in bad weather because
weather conditions figured in
two votes. Other categories get
ting one vote each we're kind
of gear. frequency Of bites,
knowledge of fishing location
and friendly competition.
The writer's apparently didn't
care about the cost of a trip or
the number of fish taken home
because neither got a vote.
Elser plans to try the same
test on other groups Of fisher
men. both experts and novices.
to try to learn more about their
interests.
There's no real agreement
on Just what makes a happy
fisherman" he said. I'VE don't
know what makes a good fish,
ing trip. II we're going to
provide good fishing and q good
time for everyone. we've got
TO know how to do it,"
Creel Census Made
All this is only part Of Elser's
Job. The Solomons laboratory
has Just released a report based
on a creel census Of the
Magothy River near Annapolis
last spring and early summer.
With the aid Of the Magothy
River Association. a local group.
an inventory was made Of the
number and kind Of fish caught,
the fishing pressure and meth
DDS Of fishing.
DR.. L. Eugene Cronin. labora-
tory director. calls it "the first
thorough and reliable census
ever made in the Chesapeake
area Of saltwater fishing. The
surge Of sports fishing around
the Chesapeake makes such
information significant in our
attemts to provide the best
possible yield"
The association provided
funds to hire a man. furnish
him with a boat and motor and
pay his expenses. Elser designed
the field schedule Of interviews
and counts. made the analyses
and wrote the summary.
Few Fish Migratory
I'VE were impressed most, u
DR.. Cronin said, by the fact
that 70 per cent Of the catch
was composed Of species which
spend their entire lives in the
Magothy or nearby waters.
I'VE believe that 1t will event.
ually be quite practical to pro-
vide reasonable and intelligent
management for the white
perch. yellow perch. pumpkin
seed. bullhead. pickerel. striped
bass and other local FISH," he
added. I'VE continue to hope
that we can also learn how TO
get the best out Of our migra-
tory species even II we. cannot
control their numbers"
Elser noted that white perch
dominated the catch with spot
a poor second. Far down the
list were large mouth bass and
rockfish. He also found that
Grabbing WAS almost as innuor.