NATIONAL ASPECTS OF ANGLING AND THE PROTECTION 
OF GAME FISHES. 
ad 
By H. WHEELER PERCE, 
President National Association of Scientific Angling Clubs. 
ed 
In view of the many mightier subjects confronting this distinguished body, 
I feel constrained to be brief, particularly as I know you will accord the official 
delegates from this association an opportunity to voice the sentiments for which 
we stand. My love of the sport of angling, however, and my regard for my 
fellow-anglers, are so great that I can not refrain from presenting a few of my 
ideas, Utopian though they may be, regarding the situation as I see it, and 
commenting also upon those points, reforms, and conditions which I know my 
fellows advocate. We are indeed gratified that angling and sport fishing con- 
stitute a portion of your programme, and I think it safe to say that many thou- 
sands of people will be more or less affected by what you may do in this one 
branch of your deliberations. 
Whatever the arguments pro and con may be concerning angling as a sport, 
the fact remains that it is contributory to the happiness and health of very many 
of our citizens. The number of people who engage in the sport either crudely 
or in the most scientific manner, ranging from the boy with the cotton string 
and penny hook to the deft master of the delicate bamboo weapon, is simply 
astounding, and can not at present be estimated. But their name is legion. 
Thousands upon thousands of dollars are invested in enterprises devoted 
solely to supplying these people with the paraphernalia appertaining to the sport. 
From one end to the other of this broad land of ours, wherever the waters 
attract, will be found buildings ranging from the rude slab cabin to the great 
caravansary, devoted to the needs of angler guests and in numberless instances 
catering only to this class. These investments aggregate millions of dollars and 
with their necesssary operatives constitute an industry in themselves. 
Land and water transportation companies reach out for the business the 
angler’s patronage means to them, in many instances even going so far as to 
expend funds in stocking the waters along their lines in order that these waters 
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