Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-02
TAKE YOUR CHOICE
Winter Halt to Fishing? Not Yet
BY CHARLES COVELL
outdoor Editor


outdoor Editor
Winter usually is q dreary
time for desk or shop-bound
fishermen. Spring seems an
eternity away.
This winter, though, has
been unusual. Unless it tight
ems down as 1t showed signs
of doing this week. fishing will
go on In several quarters.
The Goldfish boats have been
going out every week end from
Ocean City. Md, and weekdays,
too, when they have had chart
ers, trolling for rockfish con-
tinues in the lower Potomac
and even the fresh water fish
erman has been finding some
sport. through the ice or in
waters not frozen.
Over at Ocean City, Capt.
Ed Brex, one of the party boat
shippers going out after cod,
tautog and even an occasional
pollock, says he plans to con-
tinue operating until March.
COdfishing Inconsistent
Winter codfishing started
about three years ago but with
heavy inroads by the CONNER
cial boats, it has been declin-
ing steadily, Capt. Brex says.
One day they do we'll, with
fish up to Is pounds or so, on
other days very little.
Cod, of course, are cold water
fish and it is only at this time
Of year that they are found
off Ocean City. Only summer
fishing is off the New England
coast where the cod mix with
haddock. hake and pollock, all
members Of the same family.
AS for the trolling for rock,
that also is admittedly spotty
but when the charter boats out
of Smiths Greek get into the
fish, they are big ones, up to,
and over, the 15-pound limit
that Maryland will let an an
gler keep.
Week End Fish
"They seem to be weekend
fish," Capt. Louis Bean said.
Fishing was good Saturday
and Sunday until it started to
snow, but I sent a boat up
there Tuesday and they didn't !.
do a thing. -.s
"As for continuing, so long
as the fishermen want to go,
we'll take 'em. l can't promise
fish, though, because after a
freeze they generally move off
and have to be located again."
Up to 80 boats trolled for
the big rock last week end.
They were in no more than 10
to IA feet of water near shore
just south of Breton Bay. {
High boat out of Beans center ]
got 10 Saturday and returned I
Sunday to take three more be- =
fore the snnw..SSsm that missed r
Washnisaon ended the fishing.
Some Perch Caught S
Although the big runs of vel o
low perch at such places as AL :
lens Fresh and Queen Anne's
bridge aren't expected for an
other month, some perch were
being caught up to mid-week. >
The cold snap had put a thin =
sheet of ice along the South =
River Shoreline yesterday :
morning, but until then pier .
fishermen and those casting =
from shore had been getting :,
perch.
Most boats have been taken =
out of the water, but those s
who can find one or trailer :
it there will catch perch and
very probably some pickerel, or
pike as they are locally called.
This calls for spinning or
casting rods and minnows,
which still are available both
at the Riva bridge and the
Route 2 bridge over South Riv-
err. You can fish the minnow I
with a bobber, hooking it just
under the dorsal, or use a spin {
ner hook and cast it. When
casting, hook the minnow l
through the lips.
Pickerel also should be bit
ing in those ponds you can {