v-l^' ^j^ V' ^^■ -r^. ^^ ^'^. ^^^x BOOK BLACK BASS COMPRISING ITS COMPLETE SCIENTIFIC AND LIFE HISTORY TOGETHER WITH A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON ANGLING AND FLY FISHING AND A FULL l^T^SCRIPTION OF TOOLS, TACKLE AND IMPLEMENTS BY JAMES A: HEXSHALL, M.D " I a>/i, Sir, a brotlier of the Angle." — Izaak Walton 1[nn^ |!i«$trafctt CINCINNATI EGBERT CLARKE & CO . 1881 O^rioAj iL ^i^ Copyright, 1881, J. A. HENSHALU By Hmtim U. S. Soldiers Home Lih, JUL 14 1936 TO THE CUYIEPv CLUB OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, FOR ITS PRAISEWORTHY EFFORTS IN BEHALF OF THE PRESERVATION OF FISH AND game; AND FOR THE GREAT BENEFITS IT HAS BE- STOWED UPON THE ANGLER, THE SPORTSMAN, AND THE NATURALIST, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. iV^SS?^* PEEFACE. This book owes its origin to a long-cherished desire on the part of the author, to give to tlie Bhick Bass its proper place among game fishes, and to create among anglers, and the public generally, an interest in a fish that has never been so fully ap- preciated as its merits deserve, because of the want of suitable tackle for its capture, on the one hand, and a lack of information regarding its habits and economic value on the other. The Book of the Black Bass is of an entirely practical nature, both as regards its subject-matter and its illustrations. It has been written more with a view to instruct, than to amuse or entertain the reader; he will, therefore, look in vain, between its covers, for those rhetorical flights, poetic descriptions or en- tertaining accounts and pleasing illustrations of the pleasures and vicissitudes of angling, which are usually found in works of this character. Nor is it to be regarded, on the other hand, as a book of a purely scientific nature — far from it — for the author has written as an angler rather than as a naturalist. With these apologies, I trust the reader will not be disappointed in its perusal. Some of its chapters are based on articles heretofore con- tributed by the author to Forest and Stream, the Chicago Field, and other journals, which have since been re-written, enlarged and elaborated. The full-page illustrations of the two species of Black Bass were drawn from life by Dr. E. R. Copeland, and are faith- ful representations in every particular. It was the original in- tention of the author to have had these illustrations lithographed (V) VI PEEFACE. in colors; but the fact that the species vary so greatly in color- ation in different sections, rendered this inexpedient, and the design was abandoned*. In the technical portion of the book the author has availed himself of all published information on the subject of the Miero- pteri, for which he has given due credit in the proper places. But I desire particularly to express my profound obligation to Prof. Theo. Gill, for permission to use his valuable writings, and like- wise to him, Profs. Spencer F. Baird and G. Brown Goode, for information freely given, and for excerpts from rare books in the library of the Smithsonian Institution. I also tender my sincere thanks and grateful acknowledgments to Prof David S. Jordan, for his uniform kindness, encouragement and advice, for the loan of books, and for the cordial, kindly and courteous interest he has manifested in me and my book. I am aware that the change made in the scientific names of the Black Bass species, will be looked upon by many, at first, as unw'ise and injudicious; but, under the circumstances, I could not have done otherwise than to restore the names rightfully be- longing to them, inasmuch as by so doing it clears up the former confusion attending tlie nomenclature of the species, and renders plain the causes of the same. Moreover, as the names 3Iicropterus for the genus, and dolomieu and sabnoides for the species, are the first ever bestowed, in each instance., their adoption will be not only an act of justice, but of expediency, for as we can not go back of them, it sets the matter at rest, forever. JAMES A. HENSHALL. Cincinnati, July, 1881. TABLE OF COI^TEE^TS. PART FIRST. TERMINOLOGY, MORPHOLOGY, AND PHYSIOLOGY. CHAPTER I. — Scientific History of the Black Bass — Views of La c6pede, Rafinesque, LeSueur, Cuvier, DeKay, Agassiz, Gill, Cope, Jordan, et al., . . . . . . . IL CHAPTER II. — Nomenclature and Morphology — Generic and specific descriptions of all authors, . . . . .65. CHAPTER III. — General and Special Features of the Black Bass, 135. CHAPTER IV.— Coloration of the Black Bass, . . . 145. CHAPTER V. — Geographical Distribution,. . . . 154. CHAPTER VI. — Habits of the Black Bass — Spawning and Hatching, Food and Growth, Hibernation, etc., .... 162. CHAPTER VII. — Intelligence and Special Senses. Seeing, Hear- ing, etc., . . . . . , . . 175. CHAPTER VIII. — On Stocking Inland Waters avith Black Bass, 185. PART SECOND. TOOLS, TACKLE AND IMPLEMENTS. CHAPTER TX.— Fishing Rods— Natural Rods— Wooden Rods— Origin of Split Bamboo Rod — Bait Rods — Minnow Rods— Henshall Rod — Cuvier Club Rod— Welles Rod— Home-made Rods— How to make Split Bamboo Rods— Fly-Rods, etc, .... 195. CHAPTER X.— Fishing Reels— Click Reels— IMultiplj'ing Reels, 237. CHAPTER XL— Fishing Line.s— How Lines are made— Reel Lines for Bait Fishing — Reel Lines for Fly-Fishing — Hand Lines, etc., 252. CHAPTER XII.— Silkworm Gut— How Silkworm Gut is made — Leaders or Casting Lines — Snells or Snoods — Knots, . . . 270. CHAPTER XIII. —Fish Hooks— How Hooks are made— Various kinds of Hooks— Barbless Hooks, ..... 283. CHAPTER XIV.— Artificial Flies —Various Kinds of Bass Flies- Hackles — Winged Flies, etc., ..... 294. • (vii) Vlll TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XV.— Aktificial Baits— Trolling Baits— Spoon Baits— Arti- ficial Minnows — Artificial Insects — The Bob, etc., . . 307. CHAPTER XVI.— N.\TURAL Baits— Minnows — Craw-fish — Helgram- inite — Grasshoppers — Crickets — Shrimps — Frogs, etc., . 318. CHAPTER XVII. — Miscellaneous Implements — Fly-Books — Creels — Landing Nets — Minnow Seines and Nets — Floats — Sinkers — Swav- els — Clearing Ring.s — Disgorgors — Minnow Buckets — Wading Pants and Stockings — Rod and Reel Cases, etc., . . . 327. PART THIRD. ANGLING AND FLY-FI.SHING. CHAPTER XVIII.— The Philosophy of Angling— A.s an Art, 349. CHAPTER XIX. — Conditions Governing the Biting of Fish — Influ- ences of Wind, Weather and Water — Rain and Sunshine— Thunder and Lightning— Changes of tlie Moon — Signs of the Zodiac — Day and Season, etc., ....... 3o6. CHAPTER XX.— The Black Bass as a Game Fish— The Coming Game Fish of America — The Extinction of the Brook Trout, . 377. CHAPTER XXL— Fly Fishing — Tackle— Rigging the Cast— Casting- How to Strike — Playing — Landing — How, when and where to Fish with the Artificial Fly — General Instructions and Advice, . 387. CHAPTER XXII.— Bait Fishing— Casting the Minnow— Tackle— Rig- ging the Cast— How to Cast— Striking— Playing— Landing— Advi- sory Hints and Remarks, etc., ..... 409= CHAPTER XXIII.— Still Fishing— Tackle and Implements— Bait and Baiting— On Lake and River— General Instructions— Management of the Fish under various exigencies, etc., . . . 428. CHAPTER XXIV.— Trolling— Trolling with the Rod— With Flics— With the Tklinnow- With the Fly Spoon— With the Hand Line— With the Spoon Bait— With the Artificial IMinnow, etc. 433. CHAPTER XXV.— Skittering and Bobbing— Tackle and Implements— Where to "Skitter"— How to "Bob," etc., . . . 440. CHAPTER XXVI.— Concluding Remarks — Parting Advice— Care of Rods and Tackle, etc., -W-l. PART FIRST. TERMINOLOGY, MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY. BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. CHAPTER I. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. (MiCROPTERUS.) " For my name and memoiy, I leave it to men's charitable speeches, to> foreign natious, and to the next ages." — Bacon. The scientific history of the Black Bass is a most unsat- isfactory one. This is owing to a train of accidental cir- cumstances, and to the neglect of thorough investigation of its earliest history, as recorded by Lacepede, the re- nowned French naturalist, in his great work, "Histoire Naturelle des Poissons."* It will be well, perhaps, before entering upon the minu- tiae of the subject, to present a brief synopsis of the scien- "•■■ "The great work on the natnral history of fish, by the Count Lace- pede, was the next publication after that of Bloch upon general Ichthy- ology. . . . It is not, like others in different branches of Zoology, a servile copy of the LInnsean divisions, but numerous others are defined for the first time: and when we look back to what systematic ichthyology was before, and what it became by the labors of Lacept-de, no one can in fairness deny but that a great and important advance in this science had been effected. No naturalist can hope to achieve more than this, however great may be his abilities ; and we do not, therefore, understand upon what ground so much censure has recently been cast upon the works of this distinguished Frenclnnan by some of his own country- men."— SwAlNSON, Nat. Hist, and Qass. of Fishes, I., 58, 1838. (11) 12 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. tific history of the Black Bass, as heretofore understood and accepted in this country, from its first description by Lacepede down to the present time. This representative American fish was first brought to the light of science in a foreign land, and under the most unfavorable auspices. Its scientific birth was, like Mac- ' duff's, untimely; it was, unhappily, born a monstrosity; its baptismal names were, consequently, incongruous, and its sponsors were, most unfortunately, foreign naturalists. It* has been, heretofore, considered by American natural- ists that the first scientific description of a Black Bass was that published by Lacepede, about the year 1800, in the work just referred to. This description was founded upon a drawing of a Black Bass, and accompanying manuscript notes sent to him by M. Bosc, from the vicinity of Charles- ton, South Carolina, with the local name of "trout," or "trout-perch." This figure, and its accompanying de- scription, were said to be so uncertain and inaccurate, that it has been considered very doubtful which species of Black Bass w^as intended to be represented. However, Lacepede named it Labrus salmoides (Labre salmo'ide) — the "trout-like" Lahrus (wrasse') — in accordance with its general appearance and vernacular name. It has been held by American ichthyologists that it was after this, in 1801-2, that Lacepede received his first ex- ample of a Black Bass. This was a fine adult specimen of the small-mouthed species, but, unfortunately, it was an abnormal specimen, with a deformed dorsal fin, the last rays having been bitten off and torn loose from the others when the fish was young. In conformity with this acci- dental peculiarity, Lacepede named it Micropterus dolo- mieu — Dolomieu's "small-fin" — he supposing that the little SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 13 fin was a permanent and distinctive feature, and of generic value ; he accordingly created the new genus Micropterus, and named the type in honor of his friend Dolomieu. In 1817, Rafinesque,* another French naturalist, then living in America, j)rocured specimens of the small-mouthed Bass in the region of Lake Champlain, which he named Bodi- anus achigan, from the Canadian vulgar name of Vachiyan. He either failed to recognize, or repudiated, Lacepede's former descriptions of Labrus salmoides and Mioropterus dolomieu. During the next few years, from 1818 to 1820, while fishing in the Ohio Eiver and its tributaries, in Kentucky, Rafinesque took and described specimens of the small-mouthed Black Bass, at different stages of its growth, as Calliunis punctuldtus, Lepomis trifasciata, Lepo- mis jlexuolaris, Lepomis .salmonea, Lepomis notata, and Etheostoma calliara, and specimens of the large-mouthed Bass he described as Lepomis pallida. In 1822, Le Sueur, also a French naturalist, while in this country described and named specimens, of various ages, of the small-mouthed Black Bass, as Cichla variabilis, (this name was never published by Le Sueur, but specimens sent by him and thus labeled, are still preserved in the Museum D'Historie Naturelle at Paris,) Cichla fasci((fa, * "If I have dwelt too long upon this subject, I hope the benevolent and candid reader will excuse me; it has originated in my desire to do adequate, though tardy, justice to one whose whole life has been devoted to science, and who has been singularly unfortunate in his worldly concerns; who, notwithstanding his eccentricities, has a kind and benevolent heart; and whose labors have never been appreciated as I think they deserve. But for this, M. Rafinesque would not, in advancing life, have to contend with pecuniary difficulties, from which a small pension from the Ameri- ican Government, proverbially generous to her scientific sons, would set him free." — Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class, of Fishes, I., 62, 1838. 14 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Cichla ohiensis and Cichla minima, and the large-mouthed Bass from Florida as Cichla floridana, thus dissenting from, or entirely ignoring, Rafinesque. In 1828, the great Cuvier and his coadjutor, Valenci- ennes, received from Lake Huron a specimen of the large- mouthed Black Bass, and which, as in the case of the first small-mouthed Bass sent to France, was an abnormal or monstrous specimen, having likewise a deformed dorsal fin. In this instance, the last three or four rays of the spinous dorsal fin were torn off, thus leaving, apparently, two sep- arate and distinct dorsal fins, the first composed of six spines, and the second of two spines and twelve or thirteen soft rays. This specimen was sent to them under the local name of " Black Bass," or " Black Perch ; " and not sus- pecting the mutilation of .the specimen, they named it Huro nigricans — the " Black Huron." In the following year, 1829, Cuvier and Valenciennes obtained two specimens (the largest of which, at least, was a large-mouthed Bass) from New York, under the name of " Growler," and four specimens of the small-mouthed Bass from the Wabash River, in Indiana, all of wdiich they identified with Lacepede's Labrus salmoides, and Le Sueur's Cichla variabilis, and which they named Grystes salmoides; subsequently Cuvier and Valenciennes announced that Lacepede's Micropterus dolomieu was also identical with their Gri/stes salmoides. In 1842, Dr. DeKay, in his " Fishes of New York," after reproducing Cuvier and Valenciennes' figures and descrip- tions of Huro nigriccms and Grystes salmoides, described specimens of the small-mouthed Black Bass under two ad- ditional names : Centrarchus fasciatus and Centrarchus ob- scurus, claiming the latter as a new species. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 15 In the same year, Dr. Kirtland adopted Centrarchus fasciatus as .synonymous with Le Sueur's and Rafinesque's numerous descriptions of the small- mouthed species. In 1850, Prof. Agassiz recognized the generic identity of the former descriptions of the Black Bass by Le Sueur, Cuvier and Valenciennes, and DeKay, and retained the name Grysten for the same. In 1854, Prof. Agassiz obtained specimens of the large- mouthed Bass from the Tennessee River, near Huntsville, Ala., which he named, provisionally, Grijdes nobilis. In the same year, Messrs. Baird and Girard described speci- mens of the same species from Texas, as GrysteH miecensis. In 1857, Dr. Garlick described the small-mouthed Black Bass as Grystes nigricans, and the large-mouthed species as Grystes mer/astoma. In 1858, Girard described the large-mouthed Bass as Dioplifes nuecensis. In 1860, Prof. Theo. Gill restored Rafinesque's earliest name for the small-mouthed form of the Black Bass, call- ing it Lepomis achigan; which, however, he changed in 1866 to MicropteruH achigan; and still later, in 1873, he adopted Lacepede's name, Microptcrus salmoides, for the same species. In 1866, Prof. Gill named the large-mouthed Bass, Micropterus nigricans, which name was also adopted by Prof. E. D. Cope about the same time. In 1874, when, apparently, the oldest generic and specific names had been restored ; after Prof. Gill's masterly review of the species in the previous year (when the tangled web had been, seemingly, straightened), when dry land was thought to have been reached at last; — then came the French naturalists, again. MM. Vaillant and Bocourt, 16 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. of PariS; instead of profiting by the experience of their predecessors in this matter, tried to show that we had four species of Black Bass, where but two really existed, and this in spite of the fact that the Gallic misnomer of the type species still existed as a terrible warning to them, of the folly of indulging their national love of novelty where so grave a matter as science was concerned. They proposed the title Dioplitcs variabilis for the small-mouthed form, and Dioplites treculii, Diop)lites nueccnsis and Dio- -pUtcs salmoidcs, for the large-mouthed form, under several unimportant varietal, or individual, diiferences. In 1876, Professor G. Brown Goode restored Le Sueur's name, and called the large-mouthed Black Bass Micropterus floridanus. In 1877, Professor David S. Jordan restored the still older name of Rafinesque for this species, and with the full concurrence of Professor Theo. Gill, designated it Ilicropterus jiallidus. In 1878, Professor Jordan divided the small-mouthed species into two geographical varieties, distinguishing the Northern form as M. sabaoides var. achigan, and the Southern form as M. salmoides var. salmoides. Finally, MM. Yaillant and Bocourt (Miss. Sci. au Mexique : ined.) adopted the generic title Micropterus, but recognized four provisional species: M. dolomieu and M. variabilis for the small-mouthed form and 31. salmoides and 31. nuecensis for the large-mouthed form, under cer- tain, evidently, unimportant variations. As they have not yet published these names, they may conclude to suppress or cliange some or all of them. Thus, it will be seen that, from the first, the nomen- clature of the Black Bass species had been involved in SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 17 great doubt, uncertainty, nnd confusion ; and while much of the complexity had been, apparently, dissipated, there still existed among ichthyologists some difference of opinion as to tlie proper differentiation of the species. Even the generally accepted nomenclature of the past i'ew years — unfortunately and unavoidably established, as it was, on an insecure basis — was liable, at any time, to fall to the ground, while the said differences among the authorities existed. It was the earnest hope of the writer, however, that the generic and specific names and distinctions as proposed by Professors Gill and Jordan would be found correct, and their position prove impregnable ; and that, in good time, all naturalists, to avoid further confusion, Avould finally agree to accept and adopt the same, and so set the yexed question at rest forever; for these eminent ichthyologists had really investigated the matter more thoroughly and intelligently, and had had larger opportunities and greater facilities for doing so than all other ichthyologists com- bined. They labored faithfully and well, with strict fair- ness, and, with the light afforded them, in perfect accord- ance with the established principles of nomenclature, and had, at least, placed the anglers of America under a lasting debt of gratitude. But these very differences among the authorities showed that the end was not yet ; that the problem had not been solved ; that there was still something hidden that should be brought to the light; some flaw in the chain that would eventually destroy it; some stone in the foundation that would yet crumble and work the destruction of the superimposing pile. And, now, with much hesitation, and I hope with be- 18 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. coming modesty (for T do not wish to be thought presump- tuous), and with feelings akin to regret — much like that of tearing down an old homestead endeared by many tender associations and fond remembrances, to make room for a more substantial structure — but at the same time feeling that I am doing an act that is simply right and just, I feel constrained to make a radical change in the nomen- clature of the Black Bass as it is at present understood in America. But in order to arrive at a clear understanding of the subject, I propose, in the first place, to present to the angler, as well as to the student of ichthyology, all that is really worth knowing of the scientific literature of the Bkck Bass; in doing which it becomes a matter of neces- sity, as well as of choice, to draw liberally upon the writings of Professors Gill and Jordan. The following disquisitional resume is from Professor Gill's admirable monograph, entitled, "On the Species of the Genus Micropterus (Lac.) or Grystes (Auct.),'"^ and is the most able, concise and original paper ever written upon the subject; and, so far as it goes, presents the whole matter clearly and succinctly, and according to the views of most of our best naturalists. The nomenclature of the species has become involved in much doubt, and, if we may judge from the literature and the distinctions insisted on by Prof. Agassiz and others,f at least four or five species ■•■■On the Species of the Genus Micropterus (Lac.) or Grystes (Auct.). By Theodore Gill, of "Washington, D. C. < Proceedings of the American Association for tlie Advancement of Science, XXII, 1873, pp. B. 55-72. tin the nominal (1) "Gr^/s^es /asoiaats Aa;ass.," it is said, "the scates cn-e a, little smaller, but of the same form as in (2) G. salmoides ; the radiating striae are perhaps less marked. They cover the opercular apparatus and the cheeks, SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 19 are sui^posed to exist in our waters ; but it is evident from a perusal of tlie descriptions that tlie distinctions hitherto made are of very doubtful value. Having been requested ])y the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisiieries (Prof S. F. Baird) to determine the number of species represented in the fresh waters of the United States, and the earliest names respectively assigned to them, all the specimens in tlie collections of the Smithsonian Institution were examined, as well as a large series from many other localities kindly transmitted for that purpose by the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Prof. Agassiz, Director). Study and comparison of those specimens clearly demon- but at this latter place their [the scales''] smaller size is quite remaykable ; this latter character is very striking when we compare hoth .species." — Agass., Lake Superior, p. 296. — The italicized portion (not italicized in original) indicates that the O. salmovles Agass. was a large-mouthed form. (3) ^'■Iluro nigricans Cuv. is another species of the lower Canadian lakes, which occurs also in Lake Champlain .... I shall, therefore, call it in future Orystcs nigricans .... Dr. DeKay describes it as Ccvtrarclnis fasciatus. although he copies also Cuvier's description and figure of Huro nigricans, but without perceiving their identity." Agass., Lake Superior, p. •l^l.—Huro nigricans Cuv. and Val. and Centrarchus faneialus DeKay are unriuestionably distinct, the former being the large-mouthed species, and the latter the sniall- moutlied one. It is probable, liowever (thus giving him the benefit of the doubt), that Prof. Agassiz based his idea of the species on the large-mouthed form. "The species of this group [Grystcs Cuv.] are indeed very difficult to char- acterize. Tliey differ chiefly in the relative size of tlieir scales, the presence or absence of teeth on the tongue, .... etc. There are, besides, marked differences between the young and adults. These circumstances render it impossible to characterize any one species without comparative descriptions and figures. (4) The species from Huntsville [Ala..] . . . differs equally from {G. fasciatus Agass. and G. " salmoneus " Agass. J. I call this species pro- visionally Grystes liobilis Agass."— Am. Jour. Sci. and Arts (2), xvii, p. 297, 298, 1854. Prof. Agassiz thus recognized four species (besides indeterminate ones), viz :— 1. G. fasciatus Agass. = M. salmoides. 2. G. salmoides Agass. (not Cuv. and Val. nor G. salmoneus Aga^s., 1S54) = M. nigricans. 3. G. nigricans Agass. = 3/. nigricans ? 4. G. nobilis Agass. = M. nigricans. Judging by the comparisons, Prof. Agassiz had in view, in 18.54, in the "G. salmoneus," the true M. salmoidcu. Baird and Girard added to these species, also, in 1854,(5) their G. nuece7isis = {M. nigricans). 20 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. strated that two perfectly distinct types of tlie genus Avere repre- sented in most of the waters of the cismontnne (east of the Eocky Mountain) slope of the United States, except those of the New England States and the Atlantic seaboard of the Middle States. In limitation of this general statement it need only at present be re- marked that but one of those types, the small-mouthed, appears to have been an original inhabitant of the hydrographic basin of the Ohio River. In order to obtain as clear and unprejudiced ideas as possible respecting the species, the specimens from all the localities were in the first place examined without reference to their names but only with the view to ascertain their I'elations to each other. This ex- amination confirmed the previous experiencfe of the author for a more limited range, and led to the combination of all into the two groups just referred to : between these many difl'erences existed, but none were discovered which permitted further definite sub- division. The differences thus ascertained may be tabulated as follows : Contrasted Differential Characteristics, Small-Mouthed. Lakge-Mouthed. Scales of tnmic Small (e. g. led. line, 72-75; be- Moderate {e. g. lat. line, 65-70; tween lateral line, and back, 11 between lateral line and back, rows). 7. J or 8 rows). Scales on nape and breast Much smaller than those of Scarcely (on nape), or not sides. much (on breast) smaller than those of sides. Scales of (heeks INIinute {e. g., between orbit Moderately small (p., r/., between and preoperculum, about 17 rows orbit and preoperculum, about 10 in an oblique line and about 9 rows in an oblique line and about in a horizontal one). 5-6 in a horizontal one). SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 21 Scales of inferopercidum uniserial Covering only about half the Covering the entire Avidth of the bone. Scales of preopercular limb Developed in an imperfect row (e. (J., 3-5 in number). Scales on dorsal width of tlie bone. None. Developed as a deep sheatli (in- volving last spine) of small scales differentiated from those on the back, and with series advancing high up the membrane behind each ray (except last two or three). Developed as a low (obsolete) shallow sheath, and with series ascending comparatively little on membrane behind the rays (none behind the last five or six). Scales on ancd Ascending high behind each None (or very few). ray. Moidh IModerate. Large. Snpramaxdlary Ending considerably in front of Extending considerably behind hinder margin of orbit (about the posterior margin of orbit, under hinder border of pupil). Bays Dorsal, articulated, 13. Anal III, 10-11. Pectoral, M6-1-17. Dorsal, articulated, 12 (I. 11). Anal III, 10. Pectoral, M4 (M3). Dorsal fin in front of soft p)ortion Little depressed, the ninth spine Much depressed, the ninth spine being only about a half shorter being only about a fourth as long than the longest (8, 4, 5) and a as the longest and half as long fourth shorter than the tenth. . as the tenth. 22 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Thus numerous and well marked are the differences between the two groups; within the limits of neither of these groups were found differences in the slightest degree comparable with them, or that suggested the differentiation of the forms into distinctly marked subordinate types: in other words, no differences were found of specific value, and, although a renewed examination may possibly result in the discovery of some, their value must be very slight in comparison with those distinguishing the two groups indicated: these groups may therefore be considered as specific. The question now arises. What are the names to which they are respectively en- titled? In order to ascertain this, it is advisible to enter quite fully into the very complicated history of the genus. Bearing strictly in mind the differential features of the two species, we may now proceed to an analysis of the successive descriptions of forms of the genus and endeavor to refer them to their respective types. The first scientific allusions to any species of the genus are found in the great work on fishes by Comte de Lacepede.* In 1800, in the third volume (pp. 716, 717), Lacepede introduced into his system, under the name Labrus salmoides, a species based on a description and figure sent him by Bosc from South Carolina, which, according to Cuvier and Valenciennes, relate to the small- mouthed type. In 1801, in the fourth volume (p. 325), Lacepede described, as a new generic type, named Micropterus Doloiineu,\ a fish concerning which no particulars were given as to habitat or station, and which could not have been positively identified from the description : the original specimen having been preserved, however, Cuvier and Val- enciennes ascertained that it belonged to the genus Grystes, and was, =" Lac:6pede (Bernard Germain Etienne de la "Ville-sur-Illon, Comte de). Histoire Naturelle des Poissous, . . . Paris, . . . [179S-1803, 4to, 5 v]. t" 121e genre. Les Microptfires. " Un ou plusieurs aiguillons, et point de dentelure aux opercules ; un bar- billon, ou point de barbillon aux machoires ; deux nageoires dorsales; la seconde tres-basse, tres-eourte, et comprenant au plus cinq rayous. " Espece. Le Mlcropteie Dolomieu. " Caracl?res. Dix rayons aiguillonnC'S et sept rayons articul^s a la premifere nageoire du dos; quatre rayons a la seconde; deux rayons aiguillonnes et onze rayons articules a la nageoire de I'anus ; la caudale en croissant ; un ou deux aiguillons a ia seconde piece do chaquo opercule." [Br. 5; p. 16 ; v. i, 5; C. 17J. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 23 in fact, identical with the species described by Lacepede from the notes and figures of Bosc as Labrus salmoides. In 1817, C. S. Rafinesque* described a form of the same genus under the name Bodianvs achigan which evidently belonged to the small-mouthed type : while most of the characters noted are common to all the species (or erroneous), the number of rays (D. IX I, 14 f ; A. Ill, 11 J) and the absence of scales on the preoperculum (gill covers "all scaly except the second") indicate the pertinence of the species to the group in question : the number of rays (15) attributed to the pectoral does not confirm this identification, but the number (admitting even the accuracy — very doubtful — in the case of the very careless observer) is within the range of variation of the type. The exact locality from which Rafinesque derived his types was not specified, but they were probably observed by him at Lake Cham- plain, Avhere he had shortly before collected (See Am. Month. Mag. and Crit. Rev., ii. p. 202, Jan., 1818). In 1820, the same naturalist described, in his Avay, various speci- mens which appear, almost without doubt, to be referrible to the same type. These descriptions appeared originally in the "Western Review and Miscellaneous Magazine," published at Lexington, Ken- tucky, and were reprinted (from the same types) for the " Ichthyo- logia Ohiensis." § No less than six generic and subgeneric names appear to have been based primarily on a species of this type and as many as seven nominal species, viz.: *Rafinesqtje-Schmaltz (Constantine Sfimucl). Museum of Natural Sciences. By C. S. Rafinesque, Esq. First Decade of New North American Fishes. < The American Monthly Magazine and Critical Review. Vol. ii, New York, . . . 1817 (pp. 120, 121). t"The dorsal depressed in the middle and with twenty-five rays, whereof ten are vspinescent." It is assumed that the last or double branched ray is counted as two. X " Anal fin with fifteen rays whereof three are spinescent and short." The last ray was also in this case probably counted as two. g Ichthyologia Oliiensis, or Natural History of the Fishes inhabiting the River Ohio and its tributary streams. . . . Lexington, Kentucky ; printed for the author by W. G. Hunt. (Price one dollar.) 1S20. (Pp. 26-36). Reprinted (with separate pagination and adjustment for form) from the Western Re- view and Miscellaneous Magazine, Lexington, Ky. Vols, i, ii and iii (Dec. 1819 to Nov., 1820). 24 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Gexera and Subgenera. 1. Calliurus (n. g\). 2. Lepomis (n. g.). Aplites (n. s. g.). Nemocampsis (u. s. g. prov.). Dioplites (n. s. g.). 3. [Etheostoma]. Aplesion (n. s. g.). Species. 1. Calliurus punctulatus. 2. Lepomis jiallida (s. g. Aplites). 3. Lepomis trifasciata (s. g. Aplites). 4. Lepomis flexuolaris (s. g. Aplites, or n. s. g. Nemocampsis). 5. Lepomis salmonea (s. g. Dioplites). 6. Lepomis iiotata (s. g. Dioplites). 7. Etlieostoma calliura (s. g. Aplesion). Of these, it need here only be in general remarked that the differ- ential characters employed result (1) partly from erroneous observa- tion, and (2) partly from erroneous assumptions : that is, because the author had not signalized certain characters in specimens previously examined, but which were noticed in others examined later, he as- sumed that they did not exist in the former, and therefore the two differed. Inasmuch, however, (1) as all the descriptions cited, best (and decidedly so) agree with species of the genus Min'0})terus, and (2) as, in those respects in which they differ, they equally deviate from all known forms in the waters from which they were obtained, and (3) as it is in the highest degree improbable that forms better agreeing with them have been overlooked, the names in question are all relegated to the synonymy of Mleropterus. Within that genus in almost every case some specification (chiefly as to the number of rays) indicates that the several descriptions were based on individ- uals of the small-mouthed type. This probability is greatly en- hanced by the fact that (so far as known or recorded) the small- mouthed species was the only one known from the localities where Rafinesque observed. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 25 The description of CdUiurus jmnctidatus, however, it has been thought by Prof. Agassiz, was based on a form of the sunfish type with hirge mouth. But such coukl not have been the case, as is quite evident from the armature of the operculum ("opcrcule with an acute and membranaceous appendage, before whicli stands a flat spine'"), the contour of the dorsal {"depressed in the middle"), and above all the number of the rays of tluit fin ("dorsal fin yellow with twentrj-four rays, of which ten are spiny"); in all these respects (as well as others), the description is inapplicable to a Pomotid and only aj^plicable to a Mlcropterus. A couple of years later (in 1822), a much more reliable natural- ist* published descriptions of five supposed new species of the genus Cichla of Bloch (as supposed to have been adopted by Cuvier). All except one (C. ccnea =^ AmblopUtes riipestris) really belong to the genus Microptenis, and all the northern forms {C.fasciafa, C. ohiensis, C. minima), as is evident from the allusions to the number of rays, squamation, or size of mouth, belong to the small-mouthed type, Avhile the description of the Floridian species (C.floridana) is as aj)- plicable to the same as to the large-mouthed type. The descriptions are not sufficiently contrasted, and are too general and therefore vague; nor, on comparison with specimens, are the differences sug- gested by the mention of characters in one case and their neglect in another apparent. As no reference was made to the forms of the same type previously described, although the author was doubtless acquainted with Rafinesque's memoir, it is presumable that the neg- lect was intentional (and doubtless provoked by the character of that author's work) and not without strong suspicion that the species named had already, perhaps, received designations, but with unrec- ognizable descriptions. In the great " Histoire Naturelle des Poissons,"f Cuvier and Valenciennes described the two species of the genus, but, deceived by the state of their specimens — in one case at lenst {Huro nigricans). *Le Stteur (Charles A. . . ). Descriptions of the [sic] five new species of the genus Cichla of Cuvier. By C. A. Le Sueur. Read June 11, 1822. ed by Cuvier and Valen- ciennes: 1. "Nous avons regu, par M. Milbcrt, un individu de huit a neuf ponces et un de six a sept. C'est ce dernier qui a six rayons a la membrane des ouies et quatorze rayons mouse a la dorsale." From one of these specimens the figure in the Histoire Naturelle des Poissons (pi. 46) was taken. f This specimen is unquestionably a large-mouthed Black Bass. 2. "Plu.s tard, M. Lesucur nous en a envoye de la riviere Wabash un individu long de seize pouces, et trois autres qui n'en ont guere que cinq. Les jeunes sont d'un vert plus pale, et ont sur chaque fl;inc vingt-cinq a trente lignes longitudinales et paralleles brunes, qui paraissent s'eflfacer avec I'age." -The very sm ill piecaiuUvl scales are doubtless here included. ^Fide V.iillaiit. 44 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. These specimens are still preserved, bearing the MSS. name of Cichla variahilu Le Sueur, and belong to the sniall-inouthed species. This name, which, so far as I know, was never published by Le Sueur, is thus noticed by Cuvier and Valeneienne.s: " M. Lesueur, croyant I'espece nouvelle, en a publie une descrip- tion dans le Journal des sciences a Phihidelphie, sous le nom de cichla variabilis; mais nous avons tout lieu de croire que c'est'ce poisson qui est represente et dtcrit par M. de Lacepede (t. iv, p. 716 et 717, et. pi. 5, fig. 2), sous le nom de labre salmoide, d'apres des notes et une figure fournies par M. Bo.sc qui le nommait perca trutte. La figure en est un pen rude, mais la description s'accorde avec ce que nous avons vu, sauf quelques details, qui tiennent peut-etre moins au poisson meme qu'a la maniere dont il a ete observe." Later (vol. v, p. v), the type of Microptems dolomieu was re- examined and fully identified by Cuvier as a Grystes sahnoides. It is thus evident that Cuvier and Valenciennes completely con- founded the two species under the name Gtydes salmoides, and that the uncertain salmoides of Lacepede became in their hands a com- plex species. We may perhaps say that their salmoides must be the fish described by them, and that the figure is to be taken into consid- eration only when other evidence is wanting. M. Vaillant, how- ever, maintains that the large-mouthed species should be considered as the salmoides of Cuvier and Valenciennes, inasmuch as one of that species served as the type of their published figure. The next writers who use tlie name salmoides (De Kay, Storer, etc.), have merely copied or echoed the description of Cuvier and Valenciennes, and have in no way given precision to the name. Later Agassiz uses the name '^ salmonens" (slip of the pen for salmoides^' f) apparently referring to the large-mouthed species. The description given by Dr. Giinther of Grystes salmoides in the Catalogue of the Fishes of the British Museum, I, 252, adds nothing to the precision of our knowledge of the species, the characters given being either taken from Cuvier and Valenciennes, or else common to both species. Next a description is given of Grystes salmoides by Holbrook (Ich. S. Car., p. 28, pi. 4, f. 2), accompanied by an excellenffigure, which leaves no possible doubt of the species intended. This is the large- mouthed Bass. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 45 Omitting papers of lesser importance, we come finally to the very able discussion of these questions by Professor Gill (Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sci., 1873, p. 55-72), in which the whole subject is exhaustively treated, and the name Micropterus sabnoldes is definitely adopted ibr the small-mouthed Black Bass. This arrangement has been followed by most recent ichthyologists. In an important paper just now pass- ing througii the press (Mission Scientifique an IMexique), however, Messrs. Vaillant and Bocourt have adojUed the name Il'crojjtcnis sal- vioides for the large-mouthed species, for the reasons indicated above. This question resolves itself into two. Is the specific name sal- moides available for either species? and if so, for which? Between the publication of the works of Lacepede and Cuvier both species had been more than once described under different names by Rafinesque and Le Sueur. Of these names, Lepomis pal- lida Raf. for the large-mouthed Black Bass, ]\['rrriptenis doloniieu Lac. for the southern, and Bodianus achi(/an Raf. for the northern variety of the small-mouth have priority over the others. All these, there- fore, antedate any precise definition of the name sahnoides. The question as to whether a specific name, at first loosely applied and afterwards precisely fixed, shall claim priority I'rom its first use or not, has been differently answered by different writers, and has perhaps never been settled by general usage. I suppose that the amount of doubt or confusion arising from its use or rejection enters with most writers as an element. The name salmnidc!^, left unsettled by Lacepode, has been generally received by writers, in conseqtience of the supposed precision given to it by Cuvier. We have seen, however, that both species were included by Cuvier under one name, and. that we must look farther for real restriction of the species. The first distinct use of the name salmoides for any partictilar species is by Hoi brook, for the large-mouthed form. (Jn the basis of the first unquestionable restriction, the name, if tTsed at all, must be applied to that species. Forty years previotts to this restriction, however, the specific mime 2Mllid us was conferred on the same fish by Rafinesque. In the writings of nearly all the older naturalists, as well as in many of the later ones, we find descriptions of species which are really generic in their value, and which, as our knowledge of species becomes greater, can not be disposed of with certainty or even with 48 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. any high degree of probability, for absolute certainty rarely accom- panies any identification. In the absence or impossibility of any general rule regarding such cases, the following supposed examples will illustrate what seems to the present writer a fair method of treating them. Let us suppose that the genus M'cropferus contains two well- marked species; that to one of these the name salmoiilcs was early ai)plied ; that next the names dolomiel and pallidus Avere applied to the two respectively, and that suhsequcntbj the name sulmoldcs was restricted to the one called palUdus. Now if (1) the original salmoides were definitely a complex species, distinctly including both, we may hold its author to be a " conserva- tive" writer, and that the subsequent restriction, like the restriction of a genus, is a change of view or the elimination of an error. In this case, the name salmoides should be retained, dating its priority from its original use, and applying to the f^-pecies pcdlldus. If (2) the original scdmmdcs be not complex, but simply uncertain, the probabilities being undeniably in favor of its identity with pcdlidus rather than with doloiuicl, it should be adopted instead of pialUdus. Absolute certainty of identification can not be expected of many names older than the present generation, and each writer must judge for himself of the degrees of probability. If we may express it numerically, a probability of 75 per cent, should perhaps be sulRcient, and this probability should be unquestionable — that is, not merely subjective and varying with the mental differences of the different writers. If (3) the original salmoides be evidently a ^licrnpterus, but hope- lessly uncertain as to the species intended, it should claim priority from its first use for a definite species of Micropferiis. If the name pallidas intervene between its first use and its final precise use, sal- moides should become a synonym of pallidus, and should not be available for the other species. This rule is followed more or less consistently by most writers, and it seems to me a fair one. The revival of hopelessly uncertain ancient specific names in place of well-defined modern ones is productive only of confusion, and is open to gross abuse. The revival even of well-defined but forgotten names is confusing enough, and it has been strongly objected to by many writers. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE ELACK BASS. 47 If (4) the name salmoklcs, left hopelessly uncertain by its author, should have been definitely used for some species to which it might not improbably have referred be/ore the use of the name palUdits for the same species, it should be retained, dating its acceptance from its second use, antl the name pallulus should be considered as a synonym of salmoidcs. If (5) the name salmoides should have been adopted by the second author supposed in (4) for some species not a Mlcroptervs, or for some species -which could not reasonably be identical with the original salmoidci<, the identification shoidd be taken as an erroneous one, and should not be considered in our nomenclature. The actual state of the name salmoides is that supposed under (3) above. I do not consider the name salmoides as rightfully entitled to priority over either jjalUdus or dolomiei as the specific name of a species of Black Bass. If it must be used, however, I think it wisest to retain it, with Professor Gill, for the small-mouthed species. For this purpose, we must consider the salmoides of LacepSde as complex, including both species. The case would then be that supposed by (1) above. We must hold further that Cuvier and Valenciennes restricted the name to the small-mouthed form. No jjossible settle- ment of the case can be free from question or objection. I propose to adopt the following view of the case, proposed by Dr. (tIU (in lit.), to whom I have submitted the evidence above given. Dr. Gill remarks : '• I think we can retain our old names (t. c, Mieropterus salmoides and Microptents jmllidiis) on the following grounds: "(1) Let us admit that Jyibrus salmoides Lac. mcty be the small- mouthed. "(2) The name salmoides, it may be considered, was re-established by Cuvier and Valenciennes for the largest specimen (the small- mouthed, according to your observations). The description was evidently based on that, as appears from the number of scales, the absence of any on the preopercular limb (' le limbe de son preoper- cule [etc.] en manquent'), and the form of the dorsal. Even if it is certain that the figure was taken from a large-mouthed specimen, this would not affect the question, inasmuch as we must accept the description when that is definitive, and such is the case here. " (3) It may be held that the name is further specialized by Cuvier 48 BOOK OF TPIE BLACK BASS. and Valenciennes by its u?e to supersede the name of Le Sueur (p. 55), and as a substitute for M. Doloniieu (vol. v, p. 5). "(4) The majority of the C. & V.'s specimens belonged to the small-mouthed Bass. " (5) The figure was based on a large-mouth simply through acci- dence of size and condition, not selected on account of exhibition of characters. In the same way, W3 might maintain that the type of Pomotis vulgaris C. & V. (although the description plainly points to EupomoUs aureus) was Lepomis palUdus [rather auritus'], for the figure apparently represents such." 3. MiCROPTERUS VARIABILIS Vaillant & Bocourt. CicJiln vnruibilis Le Sueur, MSS. Micropterus vuriabilis Vaillant & Bocourt, MSS., Mission Scientiflque au JNIexique. This is the ordinary Northern small-mouthed Black Bass, Micro- pferus acJngan, or var. achigan of authors, Micropterus salmoides achlgan of the present writer. The conclusions of Professor Gill at the close of the paper just quoted, are based, apparently, on his faith in Cuvier and Valenciennes, superinduced, perhaps, by a reluctance to re-open the question, and a desire to retain our present nomenclature of the Black Bass species, for the sake of peace and harmony. If Dr. Gill's conclusions could be sustained, and our nomenclature of the species become universally adopted, no one would be more gratified than the writer; but we can not expect peace or security until the matter is definitely, positively, and indisputably settled, or, at least, so far as this can be done, consistently, with the facts. After a careful reading of the foregoing review, it would seem that the estimate of the Block Bass species, as enter- tained by Dr. Vaillant, should have great weight, and meet with profound consideration; and it might be ques- SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 49 tioned whether Microptcrus dulomicu for the small-mouthed Bass, and Ilicroptcrus salnioidcs for the large-mouthed Bass, are not more in accordance with the evidence set forth in Professor Jordan's clear and exhaustive paper, than our own view of the matter, based, as the latter is, upon the conflicting testimony of Cuvier and Valenciennes, Avho embraced every thing known of the Black Bass, in their day, in their Grystes salnioidcs, except Huro nigricans; and had it not been for the gap in its dorsal fin, the inference is, they would have included that also. I do not make this statement unguardedly, or disrespectfully; for while I venerate the name of Cuvier, I am convinced that he failed to discriminate between the two species of Black Bass.* I incline to the belief that Professor Jordan, Mith his usual acumen, is disposed to take some such view as this, for he says : — " As shown below, there is little doubt that the specific name dohmieu, is the first ever distinctly applied to our small-mouthed Black Bass, as the name llicropterus is its earliest generic appellation. Unless we adopt the earlier salmoides, its name should, therefore, be Microptevus dohmieu.^' But why adopt salmoides for the small-mouthed Black Bass at all ? It is only synonymous with dohmieu on the authoritv of Cuvier and Valenciennes. Does not the ■-■■"We are again obliged to advert to the partial and often the super- ficial examination with which nearly allied species have too often been regarded by the authors of the Hist. Nat. des Poissons; an imperfection which we can only account for by nearly all their descriptions having been made from preserved specimens ; and by supposing that these eminent writers, not unfrequently, have been absolutely overwhelmed with their materials." — Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class, of Fishes, II, 407, 1839. 5 50 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. weight of evidence favor the adoption of salmoidcs for the larffe-raouthed Bkick Bass? We certainly must take this view of it if we set aside Cuvier and Valenciennes' de- scription of Grystes salmokhs, whether we retain their figure (which was taken from a large-mouthed Bass) or not, and we would he justified in excluding their descrip- tion, for, as Professor Jordan truly says : — " It is thus evident that Cuvier and Valenciennes com- pletely confounded the two species under the name Grystes salmoides, and that the untiertain salmoides of Lacepede became in their hands a complex species." Now, if we discard both the description and figure of Cuvier and Valenciennes' Grystes salmoides, we have left (ignoring for the time both Rafinesque and Le Sueur), only Lacepede's Labrus salmoides and 3Hcropterus dolomieu. Then, let us take Boso's figure of Labrus scdmoides, first. Of this. Professor Jordan says : — " In the figure the mouth is drawn large, and if we must choose, the large-mouth is best represented.'"' Now, if we conclude from this that Labrus salmoides is the large-mouthed Black Bass, then the small-mouthed Black Bass claims its birthright of 3Iicropterus dolomieu, which unquestionably belongs to it. This, in short, seems to be the view of Dr. Vaillant, and it seems to me to be the correct one, though he takes the figure of Grystes sedmoides as additional evidence. There is but one contingency that could prove the right of the sraall-mouthed Bass to the name Ilicropterus dolomieu in a stronger, or absolute manner, and it would be stronger, because incontrovertible, namely: the priority of Lacepede's description of Mieropterus dolomieu to his description of Labrus salmoidcs. SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS, 51 Now, the writer proposes to show that this is the actual state of the case, and that Lacepede really described and named Mlcropteras doloniieu, from the specimen which is still preserved in the Museum D'Histoire Naturelle at Paris (and which Professor Jordan examined and declared to be a small-mouthed Black Bass), before he described and named Labras salmoides from M. Bosc's drawing and de- scription of the Carolina " Trout," After reading Professor Jordan's paper, so often referred to here, and from my personal knowledge of the Carolina Black Bass or "' Trout," I became convinced, in my own mind, that the name Micropterus dohmlcH should be re- stored to the small-mouthed Bass, and that the name Labrus sahnoides should be restricted to the large-mouthed Bass ; and entertaining these heretical views, I scanned closely the literature relating to the early history of the species. In collating the bibliography of the Black Bass for the present work, I discovered an apparent discrepancy, which, if it really existed, had an important and significant bear- ing on the proper nomenclature of the s|)ecies, I noticed that most American authors, in referring to Lacepede's de- scription of Labrus sahnoides, gave the reference as " La- cepede, Hist. Nat. des Poiss, Vol, III, p, 716, 1800?", and that of Micropterus dolomieu as " Lacepede, Hist. Nat. des Poiss, Vol. YV , p. 325, 1800?"; thus, of course, giving the priority to Labrus sahnoides, as we have always un- derstood and accepted it. On the other hand, I noticed that Cuvier and Valen- ciennes* gave the reference to Labrus sahnoides in La- c6i)ede's work as "Vol. IV. p. 716, 717," and that of * Cuv. & VaL Hist. Nat. des Poiss. Vol. Ill, p. 55, 1829, and Vol. V, p. V, 1830. 52 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. MicropteruH dolomieu as " Vol. IV. p. 325." I noticed further that all references to the figure of Lacepede's Mi- ci'opterus dohmieu were given as " Vol. IV, pi. 3, fig. 3," and that of Labrus salmoides as "Vol. IV, pi. 5, fig. 2." I was at once struck with this discrepancy, for if Cuvier and Valenciennes' reference of Labrw^ salmoidcs Lacepede (Vol. IV. p. 716, 717) was correct, it would give the pri- ority of descriptioa to Micropterns doloiiilcii Lacepede (Vol. IV. p. -325). The numerical sequence of the plates also gave it priority. While revising this chapter of the present book for the press, I learned from Professor Jordan that he had just received from France, a copy of Lacepede's original edition of his o;reat work. I at once wrote to him to ascertain which reference to Labviis sahnoides was the correct one. His characteristic reply Mas: — "In answering your questions I have struck a mare's nest; 31. dolomieu, Vol. IV, 325, 1802; L. scdmoidcs,\o\. IV, 716, 1802; the latter being in a supplement, which, in some of the reprints, is restored to its proper place in the o-enus Labrus in Vol. III. From this von will see that dolomieu has priority over salmoidcs. I still believe that salmoides was intended for the large-mouthed Bass, but don't know that I can j)rove it." Thus, after the lapse of four-fifths of a century, the small-mouthed Black Bass has recovered the name to which it is clearly entitled, Microptcrus dolomieu; truth and justice have prevailed; Lacep&de and his illustrious friend Dolomieu have been vindicated. And now let us inquire as to Labrus salmoides.* This, Certain it is, however, that Lacepede's Ichtlujolor/i/ will always be a SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 53 as we know, was the name applied by Lacepede to Bosc's drawing and description of the Carolina " Trout." It has never been definitely settled whieh species of Black Bass was best represented by the drawing or its de- scription ; but I think this vagueness existed more in the imagination than in realty, and that " the wish was father to that thought ; " or, in other words, that we were willfully blind in deference to authority ; for, as Cuvier had identi- fied it with his Grystes salnioides (which we have supposed to be the small-mouthed Bass, inasmuch as lie included, also, Cichia variabilis Le Sueur, and Micropterus doloiiiieu as synonyms), Labrus salmoides must, therefore, either be pronounced a small-mouthed Bass, or be invested with suf- ficient ambiguity to admit of its becoming synonymous with Grystes salmoides. On the other hand. Dr. Vaillant, as we have seen, main- tains that Cuvier and Valenciennes' Grystes salmoides is the large-mouthed Bass, and therefore truly synonymous with Labrus salmoides, he claiming the latter to be the large-mouthed Black Bass. Viewed in either light, Grystes salmoides Cuv. and Val. is a crux criticorum; but fortu- nately it is not essential to us now. Let us take Lacepede's figure and description of Labrus salmoides, just as they are, on their own merits, without any reference to Cuvier's valuation of them ; and to render standard authority, even for his supposed errors ; and it will be found by those who have occasion to consult them, that he is by no means charge- able with several that have been of late attributed to him. The figures, on the other hand, although well engraved, ai-e, in general, very deficient in accuracy ; the major part being either copies, or drawn by artists who were totally ignorant of the scientific details of their subject-." — SwAiN- SON^, Nat. Hid. arul Class, of FisJceS, I, 59, 1838. 54 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. the matter plain, I have reproduced, at the close of this chapter, fac-.-^hnile representations of Lacepede's plates of both Labrus salmoides and Micropferus dolomieu, with his de- scriptions, from the original edition of his " Histoire Nat- urelle des Poissons." In the first place, as Professor Jordan says of the figure of Labrus salmoides : " if we must choose, the large-mouth is best represented." This is reasonably correct, for no one could mistake this figure for a small-mouthed Black Bass. Then, Lacepede's description says the opening of the mouth is veri/ larr/e (" I'ouverture de la bouche fort large "). The radial formula of the dorsal fin is given as nine spinous rays and thirteen soft rays ('* neuf rayons aiguillones et treize rayons articules a la nageoire du dos "). This number of dorsal spines will hold good in seventy-five per cent, of cases, in the large-mouthed Bass of the South ; sometimes there will be found but eight. The rest of the description will apply to either species. Then, again, Lacepede, on the authority of M. Bosc, says the species is veri/ abundant in the rivers of Carolina, where they are called '' Trout," and are caught with the hook baited with a minnow (" On trouve un-tres-grande nombre d'indivdus de cette espece dans toutes les rivieres de la Caroline ; on leur donne le nom de traut ou truite. On les prend a I'hamegon ; on les attire par le moyen de morceaux de cyprln'^). Now, if we had not been trying to reconcile Labrus sabaoldes with the small-mouthed Bass, contrary to the evidence of our own senses, so as to accord with Cuvier's creation of the complex Grystes sahnoides — becoming blind to the points of difference and enlarging upon the vague- ness and inaccuracy of the drawing and its description — we' SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS 55 might have discovered that this figure had, as Lacepede says, a " very large mouth ; " and that while the large- mouthed Black Bass, or "Trout" is "very abundant^' in Carolina waters, the small-mouthed Black Bass is appar- ently unknown, at least in the vicinity of Charleston, where Bosc collected. As an angler, I have fished for the Black Bass in all the South Atlantic States, from Maryland to Florida ; and while I have found the large-mouthed Bass " very abun- dant " in all parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, I never took a single small-mouthed Bass in either of these latter states within a hundred miles of the coast. I have taken it in the hill-country of each of these states, about the head-waters of the rivers flowing into the At- lantic, but I doubt very much if it is found anywhere in the lowland region of that section of country. Professor E. D. Cope, who fished the streams of North Carolina, iu the autumn of 1869, from the Cumberland Mountains to the sea, found the large-mouthed Bass, "abundant in all the rivers of the state," but failed to find the small-mouthed Bass, except in the Alleghany region of the extreme western part of the state ; and says that it is "apparently not found east of the great Water-shed."* If the small-mouthed Black Bass inhabits the Atlantic slopes of North Carolina, South Carolina, or Georgia, Dr. Holbrook would have known it; for there has been no ichthyologist before or since his time, who understood the structure and habits of the "Carolina Trout" so well, or caught more of them. The best description, and the best ■•■■ A Partial Synopsis of the Fresh Water Fishes of North Carolina. By E. D. Cope, A.M. ut scales. Six branchial rays. Thoracic fins with six rays, one of which is spiny. No appendage. One dorsal fin more or less divided in two parts, the anterior one with entirely spiny rays. Vent medial or rather anterior. A singular new genus, of which I have already detected five species, so different from each other that they might form as many subgenera. Yet they agi'ee in the above characters, and differ from the genus Sciena by the shape of the body and Biouth, and the divided dorsal fin. The name means different mouths. I divide it into two subgenera. They are all very small fishes, hardly noticed, and only employed for bait; yet they are good to eat, fried, and inay often be taken with NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 71 baskets at the falls and mill races. They feed on worms and spawn." — (Rafinesque, Ich. Ohi. 35, 1820.) Aplesiox Rafinesque, 1820. — (As subgenus of Etheostoma.) " Dors:il fin single, split in the middle. Meaning nearly simple."— (Rafinesque, Ich. Ohi. 36, 1820.) HuRO Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1828. — "Nous croyons pou- voir donner ce nom a un poisson que M, Richardson a pris re- cemment dans le lac Huron, et qui aurait tons les caracteres de Ja perche, s'il ne manquait diB dentelures aux os de la tete et de I'epaule, et specialenient au preopercule, qui n'en manque presque dans aucune espece de eette famille. " Less Anglais des environs de ce lac Fappellent blach-bass ou 'perche noire, parce qu'il ressemble en effet assez pour le port et pour les teiutes a un autre poisson qui porte le meme nom aux Etats-Unis, et que nous decrirons plus loin dans notre genre ceiitropride, auquel il appartient." — (Cuvier and Valen- ciennes, Hist. Nat. des Poiss. II, 124, 1828.) Grystes Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829. — " Comme il y a des poissons qui, avec tons les caracteres des serrans, manquent de dentelures au i^reopercule, il y en a aussi qui joignent cette integrite de preopercule a tons les caracteres des centropristes. lis sont a ces derniers ce que les bodians de Bloch etaient a ses holocentres ; et si nous ne reunissons pas les Grystes et les cen- tropristes en uu seul genre, comme nous avons reuni les bodians et les holocentres dans notre genre serran, c'est que nous ne trouvons pas entre eux les memes passages insensibles." — (Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. des Poiss. Ill, 54, 1829.) HuRO Swainson, 1839. — " Preoperculum entire; body fusi- form, but broad in the middle ; head large ; mouth oblique, sub- vertical, large; lower jaw longest; chin projecting; dorsal fin, distinct, the first smallest; caudal cmarginate." — (Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fishes, II, 200, 1839.] Grystes Swainson, 1839.-^" Dorsal fin almost divided into 72 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. two, the anterior or spinous division shortest, the posterior lobed ; preopercuhnn smooth ; mouth large, sub-vertical ; lower jaw largest ; caudal emarginate ; sides of the head scaled ; pec- toral and ventrals small ; anal fin shorter than the hind part of the dorsal. Representing Huro in the circle of Percinie." — (SwAiNSON, Nat Hist, awl Cl«xss. Fishes, II, 202, 1839.) Gkystes Agassiz, 1.854. — "I have already shown in my 'Lake Superior' that the genera Grystes and Hum of Ouvier do not differ essentially one from the other, and must therefore^ be united into one natural group ; moreover, when the fishes of Kentucky shall be better known, it may become necessary to substitute for either of them the name of Lepomis, introduced in ichthyology by Rafinesque, as early as the year 1820, for the western species of this genus. If I hesitate to make the change now, it is simply because I have not the means of deciding upon the value of his many species. The species of this group are indeed very difficult to characterize. They differ chiefly in the relative size of their scales, the presence or absence of teeth upon the tongue, though Cuvier denies the presence of teeth on the tongue of any of them, etc. There are, besides, marked differences between the young and the adults. These circum- stances render it impossible to characterize any one species without comparative descriptions and figures." — (Agassiz, Am. Jour. Sci. and Arts, (2), XVII, 297, 1854.) Grystes Holbrook, 1855. — " Dorsal fin single, though deeply notched ; intermaxillary, maxillary, vomerine and palatine teeth small and thickly set, or card-like ; preopercle not ser- rated ; branchiostegal rays, seven." * — (Holbrook, Ichthy. Sou. Car. 25, 1855.) DiOPLiTES Girard, 1858. — " Body elongated, sub-fusiform in profile, compressed. Head well developed. Preopercle smooth and entire. Mouth large ; lower jaw longest. Velvet-like teeth " Sometimes there are only six rays." — Holbrook. I NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 73 on the jaws, front of vomer, and palatine bones. Tongue smooth. Cheeks and opercular apparatus scaly. Branchial apertures continuous under the throat. Two dorsal fins contig- uous upon their base. Three small anal spines. Insertion of ventrals on a line immediately behind the base of pectorals. Caudal fin posteriorly sub-cresentic. Scales well developed and posteriorly ciliated."— (Girard, U. S. Fac. R. R. Surv. X, Fishes, 4, 1858.) Grystes Giinther, 1859. — " Six or seven branchiostegals. All the teeth villifbrm without canines ; teeth on the palatine bones ; tongue smooth. One dorsal, with ten spines, the anal fin with three. Operculum with two points, prseoperculum with a single smooth-edged ridge. Scales moderate. The number of the pyloric appendages increased. Air-bladder simple, slightly notched behind." — (Giinther, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mas. I, 252, 1859.) HuRO Giinther, 1859. — " Six branchiostegals. All the teeth villiform, without canines; palatine bones ?; tongue ? Two dorsals, the first with six, the anal fin with three spines. No denticulations on the bones of the head; operculum with two flat obtuse points. Scales moderate."— (Gunther, Gut. Fishes Brit. Mus. I, 252, 1859.) MiCROPTERUs Gill, 1873. — " Body ovate-fusiform, compressed, deepest behind the ventrals, with the caudal peduncle elongated, scarcely contracted towards the base of the fin. "Scales small or moderate; quadrate, rather higher than long, with the exposed portion densely muricated, rounded behind and about twice as high as long ; with the fan with few (4-9) folds ; extending to the nape and throat. "Lateral line regularly parallel with the back, in scales nearly like but smaller than the adjoining ones. "Head compressed and oblong conic, with the lower jaw prominent and the profile rectilinear ; with scales (more or less smaller than those of the trunkj on the cheeks, operculum, sub- 7 <4 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. cperciilum and interoperculum ( (1) none or (2) few on the pie operculum); operculum ending in a flattened point (spine) and with the border above it emarginated; suboperculum with a pointed membrane extending beyond (behind and above) the opercular spine ; preoperculum entire. Eyes moderate, about equidistant from the snout and preoperculum ; notrils normal ; anterior with a posterior lid ; posterior patulous. "Mouth, with the cleft moderately oblique, large (the supra- maxillary (1) nearly to or (2) beyond the vertical of the pos- terior border of the eye). Supramaxillary with the accessory ossicle well developed. Lips : upj^er, little developed ; lower, moderate on the sides, but separated by a very wide isthmus. " Tongue moderate and free. "Teeth on the jaws in a broad band, acute, curved back- wards, and increasing in size towards inner rows ; on the vomer, palatines and pterygoids, villiform. " Branchiostegal rays six (exceptionally seven) on each side. "Dorsal Avith its origin behind the axil of the ventral; (1) its spinous portion longer but much lower than the soft portion, with ten spines more or less graduated before as well as behind, and the ninth much shorter than the tenth ; (2) the soft portion well developed. "Anal with its base shorter than the soft portion of the dorsal, nearly coterminal with it, with three spines, of which the third is much the longest. "Caudal emarginated and with obtuse lobes. " Pectorals and ventrals normal. "This enumeration of the characters common to the known forms of the genus has been drawn up with a view to exhibit the features differentiating the genus from the other representa- tives of the family Pomotidse. The difference indicated by the general expression is coordinated with the greater distance of the eye from the preoperculum, the armature of the operculum, *He peculiar form of the dorsal and the relatively small size of NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 75 the anal fin. The elucidation of the anatomical characters of the genus and comparison thereof with those of other genera are reserved for a future occasion when the distinctive features can be illustrated." — (Gill, Proc. Am. Asso. Adv. ScL XXII, B. 55, 1873.) Phalanx Grysteini (=^Microj)terime Gill.) Bleeker, 1875. — " Percse formes corpore oblongo vel subelongato, capita superne squamato vel leevi ; dentibus maxillis ; vomerinis et palntinis parvis ; pneoperculo edentulo inermi ; squamis trunco parvis vel mediociibus sessilibus ; anali spini 3." (Bleeker, Systema Percarum Revisum <^Extrait des Archives Neeiiandaises, XI, 15, 1875.) HuRO Bleeker, 1875. — " Corpus oblongum. Caput vertice, regione temporali, geuis ossibusque opercularibus tantum squama- tum. Squamoe trunco cycloidese? 65 circ. in serie longitudinali. Pinnte dorsales non continuse, anterior radiosa brevior spinis 6." — (Bleeker, Syst. Perc. Revis. <^Ext. des Archiv. Neerland. XI, 15, 1875.) MicROPTERUS Bleeker, 1875. — "Corpus oblongum. Caput genis ossibusque opercularibus tantum squamatum. Squamse trunco ctenoidese 90 circ. in serie longitudinali. Pinna dorsalis parte spinosa et parte radiosa continuis subsequilongis, spinis 9 vel 10." — (Bleeker, Syst. Perc. Revis. <^Ext. des Archiv. Neerland. XI, 15, 1875.) Micropterus Jordan, 1878, — "Body elongate, not greatly compressed ; spines little developed, those of the anal fin, three in number, small and weak ; those of the dorsal, ten, low, the eighth and ninth quite short, so that there is a deep notch be- tween the spinous and soft parts of the dorsal, almost breaking the continuity of the fin ; caudal emarginate ; operculum emar- ginate behind, ending in two flat points ; mouth very large, the lower jaw longest; palatine teeth well developed; tongue and pterygoids toothless ; gill-rakers long and stout, armed with teeth ; supplemental maxillary bone well developed." — (Jordan, Man. Vert. E. U. S., 2d ed., 233, 1878.) 76 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. MiCROPTERUS Vaillant" & Bocourt : ined. "Perco'ides a ventrales thoraciques ; six ou sept rayons, brauchiosteges, une seule dorsale, occupant la plus grande partie de la longueur du dos, avee la portion epineuse niunie normale- meut de dix epines ; anales presentant trois epines croisant en longeur de la premieje a la troisieme et a peu pres d'egal ibrce ; toutes les dents en velours; preopercule a bord lisse, angle operculaire en pointe arroudie ne forraant jms une veritable epine. Ecailles mediocrement nombreuses, ctenoides, polys- tiques. "Ce genre, ainsi delimite, ne comprend qu'un petit nombre d'especes propres aux cours d'eau de I'Amerique septentrionale. "Les ecailles sont cteno'ides, mais en general les spinules sont ou rudimentaires ou incompletement developpes ; les variations, que nous avons pu saisir, sont les suivantes. Tantot les spinu- les ne sont nettement calcifiees que sur une zone plus ou moins etroite, bordant la portion libre de I'ecaille et Ic reste-de I'aire 3pinigere n'est qu' indistinctement hispide. Cette zone pent se reduire sur ses parties laterales et n'occuper que I'extremite de Tecaille. D'autre fois le bord libre est sans spinules et celle ei ne ce rencontrent que vers le foyer dans un espace triangu- laire formant la partie centripete d'un secteur; c'est sur le Microptcrus variablUs, Le Sueur, que nous avons particulierement observe cette disposition. Enfin, les spinules peuvent etre si peine perceptibles et il faut y regarder de bien pres pour ne pas croii'e les ecailles de la ligne laterale sont toujours depourvues !,le spinules, leur canal est a deux ouvertures comme chez les f^.entropomes. Ces variations, auxquelles on serait tente d'attribuer une j^.ertaine valeur dans la distinction des especes, ne nous ont inal- heureusement pas presenti une assez grande Constance pour jpouvoir etre mises uu usage, les observations devraient porter NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 77 sur un plus grand nombre de sujets que ceux que nous avons eus a iiotre disposition. La denomination de Micropterus parait devoir etre adoptee preferableinent a cell de Grystes, etablie par Cuvier daus son Rerjne animal ou a eelle de Dioplites Ilafinesque, reprise par M. Girard. C'est sans doute une application en quelque sorte exagiree du droit de priorite, car les caracteres du genre sont tres-iniparfaitement donnes par Lacepede el la denomination meme est fondee sur une anomalie evidente, cependant, I'individu type etant parfaitment connu, 11 peut y avoir avantage a re- prendre ce nom, comme I'ont dega fait plusieurs auteurs con- temporains. S'il est ainsi possible de limiter le genre, il n'est pas aussi ais^ d'en distinguer les differentes especes, lesquelles, aujourd'hui comme a I'epoque ou I'ecrivit L. Agassiz, sont excessivement difficiles a earacteriser. Au premier abord, on reconnait sans peine j)lusieurs types, en ayant egardaux proportions du corps, au nombre des ecailles et a diverses autrcs particularites, mais si on examine un certain nombre d'individus, les differences s'at- tenuent par des transitions graduelles. D'une maniere generale, le Micropterus variabilis Le Sueur, a le corps le plus elevo et le Micropterus sabno'ides Lacep., le plus bas, les Micropterus nuecensis Grd., et Micropterus dolomieu Lacep., etant intermediaires sous ce rapport. L'epaisseur donne des differences peu sensibles ; on salt d'ailleurs que ces varia- tions, pouvant dependre de la saison et du sexe, leur importance est moindre dans des especes aussi voisines. La longueur de la tete rapportee a la longueur totale donne les nombres extremes 29 et 25, peu differents Fun de I'autre et qui de plus se ren- contrent tons deux sur une des especes, la mieux caracterisee peut-etre, lo Micropterus nuecensis Grd., Le museau et la largeur de I'espcce interorbitaire varient dans une assez grande mesure, 35 et 26 pour I'un, 29 et 20 pour I'autre; mais il y a 78 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. melange eiitre les difFerentes especes, que nous croyons pouvoir distinguer, en sorte qu'il est assez difficile d'en faire emploi. L'ecart considerable que presente la formula de la ligiie later- ale est un des fait les jilus importants, comme indiquant la dis- tinction necessaire de plusieurs types, puisque cette formule pent varier de GO a 86. II existe, il est vrai, un grand nombre d'intermediaire.^, dont le tableau pent faire juger au premier coupd'oeil. La formule de la ligne transversale suit une marche analogue, puisqu'au dessus de ligne laterale les chifTres varient de 7 a 11 et au-dessous, de 15 a 30. II est aussi important de remarquer que la progression dans les deux formules est la meme, e'est-a-dire que les ecailles sont beaucoup plus petites pour les especes eitees les premieres dans le tableau que pour les suivantes. Quant aux formules des nageoires, la seule exception con- statee pour les epines de la dorsale sur le premier exemplaire doit etreconsideree comme une anomalie. Les rayons nious ne nous donnent que des differences pen significatives. Enfin les dent linguales, par leiir presenc3 on leur absence, four nissent un caractere specifique de premier ordre, d'autant, comme le moutre le tableau, qu'il a pu etre abserve sur des in- dividus de failles tres-variees et paraitrait par consequent ne pas subir de modifications avec I'age. En ayant egard a la combinaison de ces caracteres on pent, croyons-nous, d'apres les exemplaires de la collection de museum, distinguer quatre especes, que ne sont toutefois proposees qu'a titre provisoire, vu I'insuffisance des materiaux dont nous avons pu disposer. Le tableau dichotomique suivaut donnera une idee de leur comprehension : " r 7 A 8 ) l^igne laterale; ^ Des dents linguales - - MT. nuecensia Grd. Ligne transversale I , r, Ji 20 5 60 k 70 geailles. ( Pas de dents linguales - M. salmoides Lacgp. ayant ' pour formule. 9kU ) ( 69 h 75 ecailles M. variabilis Le S. I 25 k m S ^^'""^ laterale: | g^ k 8fi ecailles M. rlolomieu Lacep. (Vaillant & BocouRT, Mission Scientijique au Mexique, IV, Zool.: ined.) NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOL(>GY. 81 CHRONOLOGICAL CATALOGUE Of the Nominal Species of Mlcropteriis as noticed by various Authors, tvith Identifications. NOMINAL SPECIES. IDENTIFICATIONS. Micropterus dolomieu Lacepede Labrus salmoidcs Lacepede Bodianu.s achigan Eafinesque Calliurus punctulatiis Ralinesque , Lepomis pallida Kafincsque Lepoinis trifasciata Rafinesque Lepomis flexuolaris Eafinesque Lepomis salmonea Rafinesque Lepoinis notata Rafinesque Etlii'ostoma calliura Rafinesque Cichla variabilis Le Sueur, MSS Ciclila fasc'iata Le Sueur , Cichla ohiensis Le Sueur , Cichla minima Le Sueur Cichla floridana Le Sueur Huro nigricans Cuvier & Valenciennes , Grystes salmoides Cuvier & Valenciennes. Centrarchus obscurus DeKay Centrarchus fasciatus Kirtland Grystes nigricans Agassiz Grytes fasciatus Agassiz Grystes noliilis Agassiz Grystes nuecensis Baird & Girard Grystes salmoides Holbrook Grystes mcgastoma Garlick Grystes nigricans Garlick Dioplites nuecensis Girard Grystes salmonoides Giintlier Grystes nigricans Herbert Lepomis achigan Gill Micropterus nigricans Cope 1802 1802 1817 1819 1820 1820 1820 1820 1820 1820 1822 1822 M 1822 M 1822jM 1822 M Mic 1828 1829 1842 1842 1850 1850 1854 1854 1855|M 1857IM 1857iM 1858'm 18.j9 M 1859M 1800|M 1865|M: cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cro}] terns cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus crojiterus cropterus cropterus cropterus cropterus dfdomieu. salmoides. dolomieu. dolomieu. salmoides. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. dolomieu. salmoides. salmoides. dolomieu? dolomieu. dolomieu. salmoides. dolomieu. salmoides. salmoides. salmoides. salmoides. dolomieu. salmoides. dolomieu. salmoides dolomieu. salmoides. 82 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. NOMINAL SPECIES. Micropterus fasciatus Cope Micropterus achigan Gill Micropterus salnioides Gill Dioplites treculii Vaillant & Bocourt Dioplites nuecensis Vaillant & Bocourt Dioplites variabilis Vaillant & Bocourt Dioplites salmoides Vaillant & Bocourt Micropterus floridanus Goode Micropterus pallidus Gill & Jordan Micropterus salmoides vw: salmoides Jordan. Micropterus salmoides ^-w. acliigan Jordan. Micropterus salmoides Vaillant & Bocourt... Micropterus nuecensis Vaillant & Bocourt... Micropterus variabilis Vaillant & Bocourt.. Micropterus dolomieu Vaillant & Bocourt... IDENTIFICATIONS. 1865 1866' 1873 1 1874; 1874: 18741 1874, 1876 1877 1878 1878 ined. ined. ined- ined. Micropterus dolomieu. Micropterus dolomieu. Micropterus dolomieu. Micropterus salmoides. Micropterus salmoides. M. dolo. rar. achigan. Micropterus salmoides. Micropterus salmoides. Micropterus salmoides. M. dolomieu vai: dolo. M. dolo. xar, achigan. Micropterus salmoides. Micropterus salmoides. M. dolo. var. achigan. M, dolomieu var. dolo. SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES OF JIICEOPTEPvUS. Common Characters. — Body elongated, ovate-fusiform; slightly compressed ; arched and thick along the back, thinner and straight along the belly ; lower jaw longest ; both jaws armed with broad bands of small, pointed, re- curved, card-like teeth of uniform size ; villiform teeth on vomer, palatine and i)haryngeal bones ; teeth on gill-rakers; spinous and soft portions of dorsal fin partly divided by a notch; anal fin with three spines; caudal fin emarginate; opercule emarginate behind, ending in two flat points; supplemental maxillary bone well developed. * Mouth large; angle of mouth anterior to the posterior border of the eye. f Third dorsal spine only one-half higher than the first. a. Notch between spinous and soft rays of dorsal comparatively shallow. NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 83 b. Scales small on body, much smaller on breast and back of neck, and quite small on cheeks; eleven rows of scales between lateral line and dorsal fin ; 70 to 80 scales along the lateral line (exclusive of small pre-caudal scales). c. No scales on preoperculrtr limb. d. Anal fin almost without scales. (?) e. Head moderate in size; slightly convex between the orbits. /. Color, slaty or dusky green on back and sides, shading to white on belly and lower jaw; young brighter green, and more or less spotted and marked with vertical bars; tail in young (in some localities), yellow at base, middle black, tip white ; opercle with several oblique olivaceous streaks; D. X, 13; A. Ill, 11, DOLOMIEU. ** Mouth very large ; angle of mouth extends beyond the pos- terior border of the eye. ft Third dorsal spine twice (at least) as high as the first. aa. Dorsal notch deep, almost dividing the fin into two. 66. Scales moderate ; not much smaller on cheeks, nape or breast ; eight rows of scales between lateral line and dorsal fin ; 65 to 70 scales along lateral line (exclusive of small pre-caudal scales). cc. A single row of scales on preopercular limb. dd. Anal fin somewhat scaly. (?) ee. Head large ; flat between the orbits. ff. Color, olive green, darker on back and shading to Avhite on belly and under side of lower jaw ; more or less spotted when young ; not barred, though sometimes an irreg- ular dark lateral band; three oblique streaks on cheeks ; these markings grow obscure with age ; D. X, 12; A. ni, 10 SALMOIDES. 84 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. MICROPTERUS DOLOMIEU LAC^pi^DE, THE SMALL-MOUTHED BLACK BASS. SYNONOMY. 1802 — Mlcrojjterus dolomieu Lacepede, Hist. Nat. des Poiss., IV, 325. Microptenis dolomieu Yaillant & Bocourt, Miss. Sci. jiu Mex., Zool.: ined. 1817 — Bodianus achigan Rafinesque, Am. Mo. Mag. and Crit. Rev. II, 120. Lepomis achigan Gill, Pro. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliil. 20, 1860. Microptenis achigan Gill, Rept. Com. Agri. 407, 1866. Microptenis achigan GooDE & Bean, Bull. Essex lust. XI, 19, 1879.* 1820 — Galliums puncliilatus Rafinesque, Icli. Ohiensis, 26. 1820 — Lepomis trifasciata Rafinesque, Ich. Ohiensis, 31. 1820 — Lepomis flexuolaris Rafinesque, Ich. Ohiensis, 31. 1820 — Lepomis salmonea Rafinesque, Ich. Ohiensis, 32. 1820 — Lepomis notata Rafinesque, Ich. Ohiensis, 32. 1820 — Etheostoma calliiira Rafinesque, Ich. Ohiensis, 36. 1822 — Cichla variabilis Le Sueur, MSS., in Museum d'Hist. Nat. Paris. Dioplites variabilis Vaillant & Bocourt, MSS. Miss. Sci. au Mexique, 1874. Microptenis variabilis Vaillant & Bocourt, Miss. Sci. au Mexique: ined. 1822— Cichla fasciataljE Sueur, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. II, 216. Cichla fasciata Kirtland, Zoology Ohio (2d An. Rept. Geol. Surv. Ohio), 191, 1838. Centrarchis fasciatus Kirtland, Best. Jour. Nat. Hist. V, 28, 1842. * Used on the supposition that the name " Labre salmoTde" as used by Laoeptde was vernacular (French), unaccompanied by a classical form, and therefore not available. NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 85 Centrarchus fasciatas DeKay, Fishes N. Y. 28, 1842. Centrarchus fasciatus Storer, Syn. Fishes N. A. 38, 1846. Grystes fasciatas Agassiz, Lake Superior, 295, 1850. Centrarchus fasciatus Thompson, Hist. Vt. 131, 1853. Gri/des fasciatus Eoff, Smithsouian Report, 289, 1854. Grystes fasciatus Gill, Smithsonian Report, 257, 1856. CentrarcJms fasciatus Gunther, Cut. Fishes Brit. Mus. I, 258, 1859. Grystes fasciatus Gunther, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mus. I. 252, 1859. (Name only.) Centrarchus fasciatus Roosevelt, Game Fish of North, 217, 1862. Micropterus fasciatus Cope, Pro. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 83, 1865. (Name only.) Grystes fasciatus Putnam, Storer's Fish Mass. 278, 1867. Micropterus fasciatus Cope, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. VI, 216, 1868. Micropterus fasciatus Cope, Pro. Am. Phil. Soc. 450, 1870. 1822 — Cichla ohiensis Le Sueur, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. II, 218. Cichla ohiensis Kirtland, Rept. Zool. Ohio : 2d Geol. Rept. Ohio, 191, 1838. 1822— Cic/i^a7amimaLE Sueur, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 11,220. Cichla minima Kirtland, Rept. Zool. Ohio: 2d Geol. Rept. Ohio, 191, 1838. 1829 — f Grystes salmoides Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. des Poiss. HI, 54. Grystes salmoides Jardine, Nat. Lib. I, Perches, 158, 1835. Grystes salmoides DeKay, Fishes N. Y. 26, 1842. Grystes salmoides Storer, Synopsis Fishes N. A. 36, 1846. Gristes salmoeides Herbert, Fish and Fishing, 197, 1859. Grystes salmonoides Gunther, Cut. Fishes Brit. Mus. I, 252, 1859. 86 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Micropteriis salmoides Gill, Pro. Am. Asso. Adv. Sci. B 55, 1873. Mlcropterus salmoides Jordan, Ind. Geol. Surv. 214, 1874. Micropterus salmoides Jordan, Man. Vert. E. U. S. 230, 1876. Mlcropterus salmoides Uhler & Lugger, Fishes of Md. Ill, 1876. Micropterus salmoides Jordan, Ann. N. Y. Lye. Nat. Hist. XI, 314, 1877. Micropterus salmoides Jordan, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. IX, and X, 1877. Micropterus salmoides Hallock, Sportsman's Gazetteer, 373, 1877. (In part.) Micropterus salmoides Jordan, Man. Vert. E. U. S. 2d ed., 236, 1878. Micropterus salmoides Jordan, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. XII, 30, 1878. Micropteriis salmoides Henshall, Rej^t. Ohio Fish Com. 31, 1879. Micropterus salmoides Jordan, Pro. U. S. Nat. Mus., II, 218, 1880. 1842 — Centrarchus obscurus DeKay, Fishes New York, 30. Centrarchus obscurus Stori^r, Syn. Fishes N. A. 40, 1846. Centrarchus obscurus Gunther, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mus. I, 258, 1859. 1857 — Grijstes nicjricaus Garlick, Treat. Art. Prop. Fish, 105. Grystes nigricans Norris, Am. Anglers' Book, 103, 1864. Etymology: Dolomieu, proper name '^in honor of M. Dolomieu). Habitat: Canada to Alabama; along the Appalachian Chain and west- ward ; introduced eastward. Specific Descriptions. Micropterus dolomieu Lacepede, 1802. — " Dix rayons aiguillones et sept rayons articules a la premiere nageoire du dos ; NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 87 quatre rayons a la seconde; deux rayons aigulllones et onze rayons articules a la iiageolre de ranus ; Ja caiulale en crois>aiit ; un oil deux aiguillons a la secoiide piece de cliaque opercule." — [Br. 5; P. 16; V. I, 5; C. 17].— (Lacepede, Hist. Nat. des Poiss., IV, 325, 1801). BoDiANUS ACHIGAN Rafinesque, 1817. — "Lower jaw much longer, gill-covers WMth two flat and short thorns, lateral line nearly straight, base ascending diagonal ; blackish witli round scattered fulvous spots, belly gray, fins brown, the dorsal de- pressed in the middle and with twenty-five rays, whereof ten are spinescent, tail lunulated, with a gray edge. — Obs.- vulgar names in the United States Black Bass, Lake Bass, Big Bass, Oswego Bass, Spotted Bass, etc., and in Canada Achigan or Achigan verd or Achigan noir; but many species are probably blended under those names, this is probably the Achigan of Charlevoix. It is a fine fish, from one to tliree feet long, and weighing sometimes eight to twelve pounds, affording a good food, etc. It is found in all the large lakes of New York and Canada. It hns many rows of small teeth, and is voracious; eyes blue, iris gilt-brown; anal fin with fifteen rays, whereof tliree are spine.scent and short, pectoral fins fulvous dotted of brown at the base, and with fif- teen rays, thoracic fins with six rays, whereof the first is spines- cent, caudal fins with twenty rays. This species and the forego- ing have six branchial rays, and the gill-covers are composed of four pieces, all scaly except the second. Body more cylindrical than in the foregoing." — (Rafinesque, Amer. Mon. Mag. and Grit. Rev. II, 120, 1817.) Calliurus punctulatus Rafinesque, 1820. — "Lower jaw longer; body olivaceous, crowded with blackish dots; head brownish, flattened above; lateral line hardly curved upward at the base; tail unequally bilobed, lower lobe larger, base yel- low, middle blackish, tip white; dorsal fin yellow, with 24 rays, of which ten are spiny. An uncommon fish from four to twelve inches long. I ob- served it at the Falls; rare in the Ohio, more common in some 88 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. small streams. Vulgar names, Painted Tail or Bridge Perch ; tail with two lobes, slightly unequal, base flexuose ; belly and lower fins pale, anal fin with 13 rays, the three anterior spiny and shorter, behind rounded and far from the tail, although nearer than the doi'sal fin ; thoracic fin with five rays, none of which appear spiny, and no appendage; pectoral fins short, trapezoidal, with 15 rays; branchial rays concealed." — (Rafinesque, Ich. Old. 26, 1820.) Lepomis trifasciata Rafinesque, 1820. — "Whitish, crowded with unequal and irregular specks of gilt olive color, none on the belly ; gill covers with three large oblique streaks of the same color; opercule without appendage, spine acute, a faint brown spot below the lateral line; lower jaw longer ; dorsal fin streaked behind ; tail forked, yellow at the base, brown in the middle, tip pale. "Found in the Ohio and many other streams; reaches over a foot in lengtli sometimes ; vulgar names, Yellow Bass, Gold Bass, Yellow Perch, Streaked Head, etc. Fins olivaceous; dorsal hardly depressed in the middle with 24 rays whereof 10 are spiny, hind part with three brownish and longitudinal streaks; anal fin rounded with 13 rays, 3 of which are spiny, 2 short and a long one; pectoral fins nearly triangular and acute, 16 rays; thoracics 6, tail 2, very broad, forks divaricate nearly lunulate ; eyes small black, iris brown ; lateral line following the back ; diameter less than one-fourth of the length." — (Rafinesque, Ich. Old. 31, 1820.) Lepomis flexuolaris Rafinesque, 1820. — "Olivaceous brown above, sides with some transversal and flexuose olive lines, belly Avhite; lateral line nearly straight flexuose ; spine broad acute, behind the base of the opercule, no appendage nor spot, pre- optTCule forked downwards; upper jaw slightly longer; tail bi- lobed, base olive, middle brown, tip white. "A fine species, reaching the length of two feet, and affording an excellent food. Common all over the Ohio and tributf^y NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 89 streams ; vulgar names, Black Bass, Brown Bass, Black Perch, etc.; fins olivaceous, doisal with 23 rays, whereof 9 are spiny and rather shorter ; anal Avith 12 rays, whereof 2 are spiny ; pectorals trapezoidal, 16 rays; brancliial rays uncovered; iris brown. This fish might perhaps form another subgenus, by the large mouth, head without upper sutures, spine hardlv decur- rent, nearly equal jaws, gill covers, lateral line, etc. Its tail and preopercule are somewhat like CaUiurus. It might be called Nemocampsis, meaning flexuose line. Diameter one-tburth of the length."— (Rafinesque, Icli. Old. 31, 1820.) Lepomis salmonea Rafinesque, 1820. — "Olivaceous brown above, sides pale with some round yellowish spots, beneath white ; preopercule simple, head without sutures, lower jaw hardly longer, spines flat, short, acute, and decurrent above and beneath, opercule acute beneath the spines; tail lunulate, tip blackish ; vent posterior. " Length from 6 to 24 inches. Vulgar names White Trout, Brown Trout, Trout Pearch, Trout Bass, Brown Bass, Black Bass, Black Peai'ch, etc. Common in the Kentucky, Ohio, Green and Licking rivers, etc. It offers a delicate white flesh, similar to the Perca salmonea. It is a voracious fish, with many rows of sharp teeth on the jaws and in the throat. It bites easily at the hook, and eats suckers, minnows and chubs. Diameter one-fifth of the length. Fins olivaceous brown ; dorsal Avith 25 rays, whereof 10 are spiny, slightly depressed between them; anal rounded small, 3 and 11 rays. Pectoral acute trap- ezoidal 18 rays. Thoracic 1 and 5, spiny ray half the length. Tail with 24 rays. Iris silvery." — (Rafinesque, Ich. Old. 32, 1820.) Lepomis notata Rafinesque, 1820. — "This species differs merely from the foregoing \_Lepomis salmonea'] by having a black spot on the margin of the opercule, two diagonal brown stripes on each side of the head below the eyes, and all the fins yellow, except the tail, which is black at the end, with a narrow white 90 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. tip. It is also smaller, from 3 to 8 inches long. It bears the same vulgar names, and is found along with it, of which some fishermen deem that it is the young. But I have seen so many false assertions of the kind elsewhere that I am inclined to doubt this fact, as it would be very strange that the gradual changes should be so great. Yet this ought to be inquired into, since many vulgar opinions are often found to be correct." — (Rafin- ESQUE, Ich. Old. 32, 1820.) Etheostoma calliura Rafiiiesque, 1820. — "Body slightly fusiform and compressed, silvery, olivaceous above, some flexuose transversal brownish lines on the sides; lower jaw longer, preop- ercule double, opercule with an angular appendage and an obtuse spine beiiind it ; scales smooth, lateral line flexuose ; tail forked, tricolored, and with a brown spot at the base. " The largest species of the genus from 3 to 9 inches long. It has some similarity with the Lepomis flexuolaris, and some other river Bass, wherefore it is called Minny Bass, Little Bass, Hog Ba.ss, etc. Common in the Ohio, Salt River, etc. It has sharp teeth. The head is large, rugose above ; iris large, gilt brown ; branchial rays uncovered. Diameter one-seventh of the length. Lateral line curved upwards at its base. Fins olivaceous. Dorsal with 9 and 14 rays, beginning behind the pectorals and ending fir from the tail, like the anal, which has 12 rays, whereof one is spiny. Pectoral fins short, trapezoidal, 16 rays. Tail 24, fine, base with a yellow curved ring, followed by a forked band of a pale violaceous color, tip hyalin. Mouth straight."— (Rafinesque, Ich. Ohi. 36, 1820.) CiCHLA FASCiATA Le Sucur, 1822. — "Fourteen or fifteen transverse brown bands on each side of the body, and two or three oblique ones on the opercula, scaly margined with black ; spinous and soft parts of the dorsal fin equal in length, the fin less arquated upward than the posterior one. "Body elongated, compressed, tapering at the two extremi- ties, three and one-half times the length of head, by one length NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 91 in depth ; head of moderate size, narrow, destitute of scales be- tween the eyes, and upon the snout, which is short; mouth ex- tending beneath the eye ; jaw large, truncated posteriorly, inter- maxillary long and narrow ; teeth very small, numerous pointed, curved and serrated in the manner of a card on the jaws, palate and extremity of the vomer ; inferior jaw hardly longer than the superior jaw, mandible strong, enlarged, spoou-sliaped ; eye small and round ; iris white, broAvn and red ; pupil small and of a deep color; dorsal fin high, rounded behind, arquated before, and very low at its junction with the soft part, the spinous rays imbricated and reclined into the longitudinal cavity of the back; anal rounded, shorter than the soft part of the dorsal, with three spinous rays anteriorly ; pectorals moderate, rounded ; thoiacics truncated, hardly longer than the pectorals, distant from the anal, and armed with a strong spinous ray; caudal slightly emarginate, lobes rounded with 17 principal rays, including the lateral flat ones, beyond which nre 8 small ones; scales rounded, not denticulated, sub-irregularly' 2:»laced, large on the sides, smaller on the back, small upon the back of the neck, very small under the belly, throat and cheek, and a little larger on the preoperculum and suboperculum ; there are also very small ones between the I'ays of the annl and caudal fins; general color brownish-olivaceous, deep and fuhginous upon the back, lighter on- the sides, the middle of the scales browned with a black margin ; anal fin greenish ; posterior part of the dorsal and the caudal violaceous, abdomen and throat bluish and violaceous, the 13, 14 and sometimes 15 bands with which this species is ornamented are a little deeper than the general tint ; they are more perceptible in the fresh state of the fish, when but recently taken out of the water; tlie opercnla are also traversed with many olivaceous bands, the lateral line is undulated oblique: the color changes in the dying fish, it is then sometimes all blue or bluish, or entirely black, and the transverse bands disappear. Length 18 or 20 inches. \JZ BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. "This is one of the best fish of Lake Erie for the table, and with that which the fishermen call Herring Salmon {Coregonus Artedl Le Sueur, Vol. I, par. II, p. 231), it is salted to preserve it till sold. They are taken at all seasons of the year by the seine, and hook and line. We observed them at Erie in the month of July, 1816, and at Buffalo, at which latter place we captured' many with the seine. A variety occurred in Lake George, of which the specimens appeared to us to have the lowpr jaw more advanced. The fishermen name them Black Bass. B. 6; P. 18 to 20; T. 5; D. 10, 15; A. 3, 12; C. 17f."— (Le Sueur, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sei Phil. II, 216, 1822.) CiCHLA OHiENSis Le Sucur, 1822. — "Extremity of the anal fin sensibly more remote from the head than that of the dorsal ; scales more regular than in the preceding species. "The larger of the two individuals, which were brought from the Ohio River by Mr. Thomas Say, and deposited in the cabinet of the Academy, is 22 inches long by 5 deep, and about 3 in thickness ; the skin of these two specimens is stronger in its texture than in specimens from Lake Erie ; the scales are more uniformly disposed and equal; tlie anterior por- tion of the dorsal fin is not so much elevated, less arquated, but also furnished with 10 spinous rays; the soft part is equally long with the first, but is more elevated, rounded and composed of 14 branched rays; the anal fin is rounded, short with 14 rays, of which the 3 anterior ones are spinous; the extremity of this fin extends beyond that of the dorsal, in these individuals, further than in the species of Lake Erie. If this character is constant, we must regard it as belonging to a distinct species," but I think it is proper to wait for further observations for con- firmation. "The scales are in the same progression; large, rounded on the sides, moderate on the back towards the spinous portion of the dorsal fin, small upon the neck; upon the middle of the abdomen they are a little more elongated ; very small between NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 93 the thoracic and pectoral fins, on the throat, the cheek, and larger on the preoperculuni and suboperculuni ; the teeth also differ little from the preceding species; the pectoral and thoracic fins are equal and similarly situate; lateral line near the back, a little undulated, originating from the angle of the opening of the operculum, passing on the middle of the tail ; color in the dried specimens, yellowish brown; the scales did not appear to me to be margined with black as in the preceding species. B. 6; P. 18; T. 5 ; D. 10, 14; A. 3, 11; C. 16f."—(LE Sueur, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 11, 218, 1822.) CiCHLA MINIMA Le Sueur, 1822. — " Dorsal long, spinous and soft parts of equal length, the former straight and very low; anal long, equal to the soft part of the dorsal ; eye large. "Body very long and subcomj)ressed, more elevated towards the dorsal anteriorly ; head arquated ; eye veiy large ; pupil and iris very large; dorsal fin long, divided into two equal parts, the anterior part of 9 spinous rays, and much lower than the soft part, which is rounded, with 14 divided rays; anal equal to the posterior part of the dorsal and of 13 rays, of which 3 are spinous, caudal of 15 to 18 rays; pectorals laige, placed very low near the operculum ; thoracic fin much smaller than the pectoral, nnd placed exactly beneath them; anal large; scales very small ; color deep gray, tinted with bluish on the bnck, with metallic reflections on the sides and abdomen and back, and a spot upon the neck, lateral line straight, on the middle of the body; caudal fin subtruncated of 17 or 18 rays; teeth very small, in many ranges on the jaws and palate; mouth deeply divided. "Lives in the small lagoons of tranquil water, which dis- charge by narrow channels into Lake Erie. Length is 9 lines." — (Le Sueur, Jour. Ac. Kat. Sci. Phil. II, 220, 1822.) Grvstes salmoides Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829. — "Tel est le growler de New York, dont nous devons la connaissance a M. Milbert, mais qui n'a point ete decrit par M. Mitchill. 94 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. " Ce nom de groider, qui signife grogneur, vient peut-etre de quelque bruit qu'il tliit entendre coumie Its scieiies ou les trigles, mais nous n'avons a cat egard aucun renseigiiement positif. Grystes en est I'equivaleut grec. " M. Le Sueur, croyaiit I'espece nouvelle, en a public une description dans le Journal des sciences de Philadelphie, sous le nom de cichlu variabilis; mais nous avous tout lieu de croire que c'est ce poisson qui est represente et decrit par M. de Lacepede (t. IV, p. 716 et 717, et pi. 5, fig. 2) sous le nom de labre scd- ino'ide, d'apres des notes et une figure fournies par M. Bosc, qui le nommait perca tnitta. La figure en est un ])eu rude, mais la description s'accorde avec ce que nous avons vu, sauf quelques details, qui tienuent peut-etre moins au poisson meme qu'a la maniere dont il a ete observe. " Ce pretcndu labre, au rapport de M. Bosc, est tres-commun dans les rivieres de la Caroline, ou on lui a transporte le nom de trout (c'est a-d ire truite). 11 atteiut deux pieds de longueur. C'est un excellent manger; sa chair est ferme et savoureuse. On le prend uisement a I'hamegon, surtout en mettaut un mor- ceau, de cyprin pour ap])at. " Le growler a a peu pres la forme d'un serran. Sa plus grande hauteur, qui est vers le milieu, ne fait pas tout-a-fait le quart de sa longueur, et son epaisseur ne fait pas moitie de sa hauteur. La longueur de sa tete n'est que trois fois et .demie'danis sa longueur totale. Son profil descend tres-peu, Sa machoire inferieure est un peu plus longue que I'autre, et a quatre ou cinq pores sous chacune de ses branches. De larges bandes de deuts en velours les garnissent toutes les deux, ainsi que le devant de son vomer et ses palatins. Le bord de son preopercule est par- faitement entier, et a Tangle un peu arrondi. L'opereule osseux se termine par deux pointes peu aigues, dont la superienre est la plus courte. La membrane branchiale a six et quelquefois sept rayons, variati(m qui est assez singuliere, mais que nous avons constatee. Les os de I'epaule sont lisses, mais entiers, NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 95 comme le preopercule. Le sous-orbitaire a quelqups rides. Les ^cailles sont mediocres : il y en a qiiatre-vingt-dix sur une ligne longitudinale, et trente-six on quarante sur une verticale. Son front, son museau, ses muchoires, le linibe de son preopercule, la membrane des ou'ies en manquent ; mais il y en a sur sa joue et ses pieces opereulaires. II en porte de petites sur les parties molles de sa dorsale et de son an:de, et sur la caudale. Toutes sont finemeut ciliees et pointillees a leur p:irtie visible, et ont huit cienelures a leur base. La ligne laterale, un pen arquee vers le bas, a son origine, suit du reste a pen jires la courbure du dos. La dorsale ne commence que sur le milieu des pector- ales. Les epines sont faibles ; la plus haute, qui est la quatrieme, n'a })as le tiers de la hauteur du tronc sous elle. L'ecliancrure entre la penultieme et la derniere est prononcee ; I'anale ne commence que sous sa partie molle. Les deux nageoires finis- sent vis-a-vis I'une de I'autre, et laissent entre elles et la caudale un espace qui fait pi'esque le quart de la longueur totale. La caudale se termine un peu en croissant ; les pectorales et les ventrales sont petites ou mediocres. D. 10, 13 ou 14; A. 3, 11 ou 12; C. 17; P. 16; V. 1, 5. " Tout ce poisson, devenu adulte, est d'un brun-verdtltre fonce, avec une tache d'un uoir bleuatre a la pointe de Topercule. "Nous avons reyu, par M. Milbert, un individu de huit a neuf pouces et un de six a sept. Cest ce dernier qui a six rayons a la membrane des ouies et quatorze rayons mous a la dorsale. "Plus tard, M. Le Sueur nous en a envoye de la riviere Wa- bash un individu long de seize pouces, et trois autres qui n'en out guere que cinq. Les jeunes sont d'un vert plus pale, et ont sur chaque flanc vingt-cinq a trente lignes longitudinales et paralleles brunes, qui paraissent s'effiicer avec I'age. j " Le foie du growler est tres-petit, presque entierement place dans le cote gauche ; I'oesophage, tres-court, se dilate en un esto- mac ovale assez grand, a parois minces et sans plis. Le pylore. 96 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. pres du cardia, est large et entoure de qiiatorze appendices ccecales, dout dix a gauche et quatre a droite, assez grasses et assez longues. L'iiitestiu reiiionte jusque sous le diaphragme, descend jusqu'aupres de I'anus, puis retourne jusqu'aupres du pylore, d'ou il va droit a I'anus. Son dernier repli a deux etranglemens assez marques. La rate est petite, au milieu de I'abdomen, pres de la pointe de I'estomac. La vessie natatoire, tres-grande, mince, peu argentee, s'etend depuis le diaphragme jusqu'aupres de I'anus. Tout le peritoinea un bel eclat d'argent. L'estomac etait rempli d'une grande quantite de fourmis ailees, de tipules de cousins et autres petits insectes volans, communs sur les eaux donees." — (Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hid. Nat. des Poiss. Ill, 54, 1829.) Grystes salmoides Jardine, 1835. — " D. 10, 13 or 14; A. 3, 11 or 12; C. 17; P. 16; V. 1, 5. " Growler is the provincial American name for this fish, which Cuvier thinks has been given from some noise or croaking sound uttered by it. Two fish only have yet been discovered which will rank under its character ; the present a native of N-orth America and another produced from the New Holland seas. In form of the body they somewhat resemble the last, but are at once distinguislied from them and the preceding forms, by the smoothness and the want of any covering on the head ; the opercle and preopercle having neither spines nor teeth on their margins. The present species, a native of the North American waters, and abundant in the neighborhood of New York, has been named Sahtoides, from its reserablence to the salmon or trout, being in some pai-ts termed ' Trout.' It reaches a length of two feet, is of excellent flavor, and is much esteemed as an article of food ; and it aflfords sport to the angler, taking the hook readily. The general colors, an unobtrusive tint of olive, lightening towards the under parts where it becomes grayish white. The first dorsal fin is weaker in proportion than most of the forms we have already seen, but the last rises high behind NOMENCLATURE AND MORPHOLOGY. 97 and assumes a shape somewhat like that of some of the Grey- liiigs. The tail is shaped a good deal like the Salmoi(I;ht. HABITS OF THE BLACK BASS. 167 "The largest small-mouthed Bass ever caught in this region, was a five pound fish from the Hudson River, taken by Colonel Jeptha Garrard, of Cincinnati, with a fly, while fishing with me. Two years later, I caught one of equal weight, near the same place." The following very interesting account of the food and growth of the Black Bass, and which, at the same time, exhibits its voracity and pugnacity, was contributed to the columns of Fo7'est and Stream, by William A. Mynster, of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Mynster is an exceptionally close observer, and takes especial delight in watching and tending his "finny pets:" I had a dam constructed in my spring branch, immediately below my fish ponds, in such a manner as to form a small body of pure, clear water. In this I placed some seven or eight hundred native fish of different varieties, embracing the blact bass, sheeps- heads, buffaloes, and pickerel. From the banks of this body of clear water I was enabled to see every movement of my finny pets, and many moments of leisure have I spent in watching their habits. The Black Bass {M'cropterus palliJus) would usually swim into the current, where he would sport about on the gravelly bottom, while the buffalo would retire into stiller water and browse in the grass and water-cress growing on the bottom. Thus I ascertained their habits of feeding, and was enabled to determine what growtii they would make in a given time without beinc^ fed artificially. Hence I seldom, if ever gave them any food. The Buffalo {Bubalirlithys bubaltis), in a few weeks became attenuated, and began dying. This I attributed to their being in cold spring water with a current too rapid, and their not being able to procui'e sufficient food. The Black Bass, on the other hand, thrived amaz- ingly well, and were making a most marvelous growth. This I attributed to the fact that they were in pure water of a uniform temperature. The Bass, although found in all kinds of water, un- doubtedly thrive best in clear, pure, spring brooks with gravelly bottom. The size of these Basa when I first put them in this place 168 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. was from four to six inclies in length, and in less than three weeks had grown upwards of an inch. This, I mast confess, notwithstanding I had implicit confidence in their making a rapid growth, astonished me much. I had always been a believer in heavy feeding, and felt satisfied that the amount of growth that would be derived in a certain time depended mainly upon the quantity of feed tliat had been consumed. This led me to speculate where these Bass obtained their food, confined as they were in a very small body of water containing some eight hundred fish, and immediately below my ponds containing some 40,000 sal- mon, young and older. For the purpose of ascertaining this, I made my Bass frequent visits, and by remaining quietly secreted on the banks, soon discovered the source of their food supply. One day as I was thus occupied, in company with my eldest boy, he called my attention to the fact that a snake ( Tropidonotus grahami) was leisurely swimming through their midst. At first I felt inclined to pursue the snake, fearing that he might in some manner injure, if not destroy, a large portion of my native stock. My fears were, however, speedily terminated by one of my larger Bass making a rapid dart at the snake with open mouth, and nearly severing its head quite close to tlie body. The scene that then ensued beggared description. Never shall I forget it — such a floundering and splash- ing! The surface of the water for an instant seemed literally cov- ered with perpendicular tails enveloped in foam. So great was the commotion that we were compelled to retire to a greater distance in order to avoid being tlioroughly drenched. After the disturbed waters had become somewhat calmed, we resumed our former position in order to make further observations, and found our large Bass hero, with one end of the snake in its mouth, rapidly making away with it, and a smaller, but not less pretentious brother, at the other end, endeavoring with all his might and main to eat even with him. Thus these gamey lads continued for some time, swimming up and down the stream, like two boys running with a rope. Tlie distance between them, however, rapidly diminished. This had continued for some time, when we saw emerging from under a log at the edge of tlie banks one of my pike {Esox lucius). At first he came slowly but steadily, when he made a rapid dart, HABITS OF THE BLACK BASS. 169 with open mouth, at my smaller Bass, and, at a single gulp, placed liimself outside of it! Then he came face to face with our hero. It was an awful moment of susjjense ibr some time. Our finny gladiators remained motionless, eyeing each other, measuring the dimensions of each otiier's mouth, as it were. The crisis at length came. The Bass, by force of digestion, had made way Avilh his part of the snake rope, and making one mighty effort, stretching maxillary and dental to their utmost capacity, soon enveloped the pike to a point just below the operculum. At this point we de- parted, feeling perfectly satisfied that our hero would take care of himself. I presume it is unnecessary to say that J no longer entertain any doubts as to the ability of the Bass to take care of himself, and that heavy feeding is indispensable to a rapid growth. The above may, perhaps, seem somewhat fishy to a great many, but when we consider the structure of the Bass, our doubts will be, in a great measure, abated. The variety above-mentioned has a .very large mouth — in fact, they seem all mouth, thus enabling them to envelop any thing not exceeding their own circumference, with ample room for respiration through the gills. The ojsophagus is very large (about the size of the stomach) and short. This enables them to take into the stomach all that may be embraced by the mouth. In the warm waters of the extreme South, which pre- serve a more equable temperature than those of the North- ern States, the Black Bass grow to an immense size, their maximum weight, in Florida, being from twelve to four- teen pounds; but while I have seen them of these weiglits, I never took one, there, weighing more than nine pounds, with the artificial fly, but, doubtless, T could have done so with live bait or the trolling spoon. In Northern waters they do not grow nearly so large, six to eight pounds being the limit. Under conditions and circumstances favorable to their growth they will in- crease in weight, as before stated, about a pound a year ; 15 170 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. but under adverse circumstances or unfavorable condi- tions their growth is much sh)wer; therefore, no rule of general application can be established from any single instance, or as the result of any exclusively local test or experiment. The growth of Black Bass is affected not only by the supply of food and temperature of water, but also by the extent of range. Bass in small ponds do not thrive so well, nor grow so fast; the smaller the extent of their range, the slower will be their growth, and, indeed, this is true of any other fish ; for it is well known that fish confined in aquaria, in springs or wells, grow so very slowly, that their increase in size is hardly appre- ciable from year to year, even though their supply of food be abundant. An equally well-attested fact is, that the largest Bass are found in the largest bodies of water, or where the range is extensive ; extreme depth of water seeming to be more favorable to their growth than mere extent of sur- face. For example, I know of several shallow lakes in Wisconsin, where the Bass seldom grow to exceed two pounds, while in deeper lakes in the same vicinity they attain the usual maximum weight of four or five pounds; and in Green Lake, a large and deep lake near Ripon, in the same State, I once caught a string of thirty Black Bass, mostly of the large-mouthed species, weighing from four to eight pounds each, and fully averaging six pounds. Hibernation. Black Bass undoubtedly hil)ernate, except in the ex- treme Southern and South-western States; but in the HABITS OF THE BLACK BASS. 171 colder oliiiiate of tlie North and West, it has been proven in numerous instances, that they bury themselves in the mud, in the crevices of rocks, under masses of weeds, or sunken logs, in the deepest water, and remain dormant until spring'. This habit has been doubted by some, inasmuch as an occasional Bass has been caught throutly to the sounds of the voice, a bell, or a whistle. I have observed in- stances of this kind, myself, and under such circumstances as rendered it impossible for the fish to see the person producing the sounds mentioned. I have frequently observed fish exhibit symptoms of great fright or alarm at the report of fire-arms, or other loud noises, and to be scared and dart away at the sound of the human voice, or the barking of a dog, when the fish could not see the orio-inators of the noises. CHAPTER VIII. ' ON STOCKING INLAND WATERS WITH BLACK BASS. "And it is observed, that in some ponds Carps -will not breed, especially in cold ponds; but wliere they will breed, they breed innumerably."— Izaak "Walton. The Black Bass is peculiarly adapted, in every respect, for stocking inland waters. There is no fish that will give more abundant and satisfactory returns, and none in which the labor and expense attending its introduction is so very slight. As a food fish, there are very few more palatable fresh- water fishes, its flesh being firm, white, and flaky, and when cooked, nutty, tender, and juicy; it has few bones and little ofFal, and as a pan-fish is unexcelled. Its game qualities are second to none, and it will thrive and multi- ply in waters where the Siid, concave taper for a distance of two inches, to three- fourths of an inch, and thence a gradual taper to the smaller end of the butt, which must exceed the diameter of the large end of the cane about one-sixteenth of an inch ; the diameter of the large end of the cane-joint — where cnt in two — will be from half an inch to five- eitirhths of an inch. Having proceeded according to the instrnctions just given, we have a cane-joint six feet and six inches long, and a wooden butt say twenty inches long, with the grip of one and one-eighth of an inch in diameter, and the reel seat of one inch diameter. Now procure a set of reel bands one inch inside diameter; a pair of ferrules for the joint-^the inside diameter of the smaller or male ferrule being of the same diameter as the large end of the cane piece, which can readily be ascertained with a i)air of FISHING-RODS. 223 calipers ; five standing guides, graduated sizes, and a solid metal tip. These mountings should be brass or German silver. The guides should be attaehed at equal distances from the reel seat to the tip; and, having properly fitted the ferrules and reel bands, give the rod two coats of shel- lac or coach varnish. When dry, the rod is ready for use, and will be abont eight feet in length, and weighing not more than eight ounces — a single-handed rod equal to any rod made for casting, will be well-balanced and strong, but will lack the pliancy, elasticity and })erfect working of a good ash and lancewood rod, yet it will be such a great improvement on the cane-rod, as generally used, that it has only to be tried to be appreciated. A rod, similar to the above, originated, in Milwaukee, in 1874, in this way: At that time I was the only one, of a large number of anglers, who frequented the lakes in the vicinity of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, who used a short and light Black Bass minnow rod, and which was often the subject of many jokes on the part of my fellow-anglers. But, as it was not always "the longest pole that got the persimmons," some of them, at length, became convinced of the superiority of the short rod in casting and general convenience, though they were loath to alter their hand- some ten and tw^elve feet rods. I suggested to several to have short rods made of native cane, in the manner above described, and which I had formerly experimented with. I referred them to John C. Welles, of Milwaukee, as the proper person to make them. Accordingly, he got up several, and, for convenience, made them in three pieces — two cane-joints, of about three feet each, and a short wooden butt or handle. The result was, that the owners used them afterward in prefer- 224 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. ence to all other rods, and a demand at once sprang up for the " Welles' rod," and they are still made and used to some extent. Other Western manufacturers afterward adoi)ted the idea, and offered them to anglers in lengths of from seven to ten feet. But while such a rod is cheap, light, and eminently serviceable, it has, to my mind, some very serious objec- tions. In the first place, it is very homely and unsym- metrieal in form ; the short, stubby butt tapering so sud- denly and abruptly to the cane-joint, gives the rod a very awkward and unfinished appearance, and entirely destroys the balance of the rod. Now, as remarked at the begin- ning of this article, " a thing of beauty is a joy forever," and one can appreciate this quality in a fishing-rod, as well as in a horse, a yacht, or a gun. In the next place, it is too stiff and unyielding, except at the extreme tip ; the hend not being equally distributed along the entire rod, as it should be : and this fault, from the nature of the rod, can not well be obviated. This I consider an insuperable objection, for it precludes that nice discrimination in feel- ing your fish when he is taking the bait, and that delicate manipulation of him after he is hooked. The owners of this rod, however, are very enthusiastic in its praise, and it is, at least, a step in the right direction for a more perfect Black Bass rod. The Cuviee Black Bass Rod. The most complete rod of this character which I have seen, is made by Mr. George B. EUard, of Cincinnati. It is made in two pieces of choice, short-jointed Japanese bamboo, with an adjustable handle, which can be detached FISHING-RODS. 225 at pleasure. It is light, well balanced, honestly made, and can be handled all day without fatigue. The arrangement of the handle is a special feature; it can, with little trouble, be adjusted to any other rod. With it and a reel in his satchel, a dozen hooks, half a dozen guides, a solid metal tip, and a piece of wound silk thread in his pocket, an angler is never at a loss for the materials to enjoy a day's sport at any little fishing town, where he may by accident find himself, during the season, and where he can buy a bamboo or other cane for fifty cents. Mr. Ellard calls his rod the " Cuvier Bass Rod," after the well-known club of that name in Cincinnati. It has been thoroughly tested during the past season on Lake Eric, and in the smaller waters of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, and has given universal satisfaction. Its moderate price is not the least of its merits. Section Bamboo Minnow Rod. While, in my opinion, ash and lance wood, or some such suitable woods are to be preferred for a Black Bass min- now rod — the desired action of such a rod being more easily obtained from these materials — there are some an- glers who prefer a rod of split bamboo to any other ma- terial, and for any kind of rod. And while it is possible to make as good a rod for action, and a superior one for strength and beauty from this material, the cost is neces- sarily very much greater — at least three times as great — for a perfect minnow rod of split bamboo. For those who desire the best, at whatever cost, I can recommend a rod of this material wdien made by a first- 226 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. class workman. But, at the same time, I would caution the angler to take the most jealous and unceasing care of such a rod, for it is not so serviceable as a wooden rod when subject to the same conditions of usage. In order to give the reader an idea of the construction of a split bamboo rod, I can not do better than to repro- duce here the following extract from a letter, written to me on this subject by Mr. T. S. Morrell, an accomplished and finished angler, of Newark, New Jersey — relating to the construction of a split bamboo Black Bass minnow rod, as made by himself: — I have just finished a rod patterned after that described by you in " Hallock's Sportsman's Gazetteer" — a one-hand bait- rod for Bhick Bass. I will briefly describe my method of manufacture, as I learned it from Mr. E. A. Green : The rod is eight and a half feet long, in three joints, of six-strip bamboo. The ferrules, reel-bands, butt-cap, and guides, I had made to order, not being an expert in working metals. The bamboo I got from Mr. C. F. Murphy, and is as tough as bone. I first sawed the piece in two strips with a fine, sharp hand-saw; then I took a board with a perfectly straight slit sawed the length of a joint of the proposed rod. Laying the flat part of one of the strips (I had just sawn asunder) on this board over the slit, I carefully placed it so as to get the requisite taper, and then tacked it at the edge? firmly to the board. Then, with rule and pencil I drew on the bamboo a straight line, being careful to taper it right, and sawed it out — six pieces exactly alike in size and taper — for a joint. The manner of getting the size correctly, is to take the male ferrule for the thick end of the joint, and the female ferrule for the small end ; stand each on end on a 'piece of paper, and mark a circle outside; then, Avith a pair of small compasses measure the circle into six parts, and draw a line from point to point across the circle, so that all the lines meet in the center. This will show the size and taper of each piece, and the ex- act shape. FISHIXG-RODS. 227 The board on which I sawed out my strips has grooves' cut, so that I easily plane the inside of the strips for each joint; any inequality I finish off with a file. I now place my six strips together, winding twine around tightly, but some distance apart, so that I can get my thuml) and finger between, so that I can see the joints, and how they come together. If they appear loose, and I can not get them to- gether with thumb and finger, I mark the spots with a pencil, and unwinding, file away until they come well together. For the butt, I draw a plan on paper, that is, enough of it to rep- resent the hand-hold, measure with comijasses the distance across each strip, or cut a pattern of paper, lay it on the bamboo and mark it out. For the tip and middle joint, when I glue the strips to- gether, I wind hard and tight and closely with twine; now I straighten them carefully (as the hot glue has made them pliant), and lay away for twenty-four hours on a shelf. I never stand them on end, as they are likely to warp out of shape. For the butt, I have iron rings of many sizes ; when the strips are glued together, I force on these rings, driving on hard, and close to- gether. This brings the glued strips so tightly together that the joints can not be seen. Twenty-four hours after gluing, I take off the rings and wrappings of twine, and finish off with a file and sand-paper; then fit on the ferrules, which I fasten on Avith cement. Before putting on the guides and metal tip, I joint the rod to- gether, and turn it in the ferrules until I get it perfectly straight ; then mark the places for the guides and tip, so that they are all in a straight line, so that the fishing-line may have as little friction as possible. I now cement on the metal tip, and lash on the guides with a string, simply to hold them in place for the silk lashings. The rod is now ready for the silk lashings, for which I use fine red spool-silk. I wind the guides first; winding on smoothly and closely. AVlien one side of the guide is wound, I cut off the silk, leaving half a yard, which I thread in a needle, and, pushing the latter under the lashings, draw it through tightly and cut off close. Then finish the other side of the guide in the same way. I now, with a pencil, mark the places for the lashings the whole length of the joint, tiji, or butt, on which I am working. I draw off from the spool about four feet of silk, cut it off and thread the needle; this is enough for several lashings of the tip. I make not 228 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. more than a half-dozen turns on the end of the tip, and place the lashings about a half-inch apart, increasing the number of turns and the distance apart, so that at the butt of the rod the lashings are an eighth of an inch wide and one inch apart. When the lashings, guides, I'eel-bands, butt-cap, etc., are all on, I give the rod its first coat of varnish, putting it on very thin and evenly ; it is quite an art to varnish well. I give the rod at least four coats, each as thin as I can spread it, and each well dried before the next is put on. I do not use shellac, but varnish of the best gum. I have, at some length, thus described my method of making a split bamboo rod, as taught me by Mr. Green. There are several other ways of doing it, and it must be understood that this is amateur work. A circular saw is a great help, and indispensable to those who make rods to sell. Details of Split Bamboo Hod. (Conroy, Bissett & Malleson.) Cut No. 1 shows a transverse section of the cane, and the dotted lines where a piece is .split out. It is then planed down to the white line, leaving only the hard enamel. No. 2 shows the strips ready for cementing. LSSMlffllMti Split Bamboo Fly-Rod. (Conroy, Bissett & Malleson.) fishing-rods. 229 The Black Bass Fly-Rod. A few pages back, I made the statement that the Amer- ican Trout fly-rod was the very perfection of fishing-rods, and that all other rods sliould conform as nearly as possi- ble to said model or typical rod, commensurate with the manner of service required of them. Upon this princijde, an honest and well-made Trout fly-rod, about eleven feet in length, and weighing from eight to nine ounces, answers admirably for Black Bass fly-fishing ; and, fortunatelv, a suitable rod of this character can be procured from any first-class maker ; but I would caution the new hand against the many cheap rods now in the market. A good rod can only be obtained at a fair price. At the same time, I would here enter my protest against the lightesf, and " withiest," Trout fly-rods, weighing from six to seven ounces, being used or recommended for Black Bass fishing. Such rods are but toys at the best, and only admissible for fingerlings, or Trout weighing from a half- pound downwards. I know that some anglers make a boast of using such rods, but it is on a par Mith some gunners who rush to the extreme in light shot-guns, and claim that a sixteen or twenty-bore is capable of as good general execution as the larger gauges. Now these are botli palpable fallacies, as great as that of " sending a boy to mill " in the " History of the Four Kings," as many have found to their cost. I am a great stickler for extreme lightness in rods when compatible with strength and action, but there is a certain limit in weight that must be observed, so as to conform to and preserve other and equally essential qualities in a good working rod. Now, while I will guaranty, in open water, 230 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. FISIlING-r.ODS. 231 to land any Black Bass that swims with a well-made six ounce split bamboo fly-rod, I will not undertake to say how much time would be consumed in the operation; nor do I envy the general demoralization and used-up condi- tion of the flexors and extensors of my arms that would ensue at the close of the contest. With a rod of suitable weight, the largest Bass can be safely and pleasantly han- dled, and it is worse than useless to make a toil of a pleas- ure by using inadequate means. I have an H. L. Leonard split bamboo fly-rod, weigh- ing eight ounces, which I find " fills the bill " exactly in all ordinary Black Bass fly-fishing; but, two years since, in Florida, I used a twelve feet, twelve ounce ash and lancewood fly-rod, made by Abbey & Imbrie, or at least by their predecessors, Andrew Clerk & Co., ten years ago, which I found none too heavy for the large Bass of the waters of that State, and, in fact, there were times when I wished for an additional ounce or two in weight. A Trout fly-rod, then, weighing eight or nine ounces, and not more than eleven feet long, is just about right for ordinary B hick Bass fly-fishing; but where the Bass run large, averaging nearly or quite three pounds, a somewhat heavier rod, say ten ounces, will be found a more suitable and pleasanter rod to handle, though the eight ounce rod will do even here, for one who is an expert fly-fisher, and who does not mind a little extra straining of the brachial muscles. But while an ounce, more or less, hardly seems an ap- preciable quantity in the abstract, yet when added to or taken from a fly-rod, like the fraction of an inch as applied to a man's nose, it makes a very great difference in prac- tice and reality ; and in the former case, it is better to have 232 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Plpl Hill lliiiil liil '11 li 11 I iiiiiii lilUillilf III Pik!,;:,,,,,l i n iifi, & Qj lijij Ml kM Til Beel Plate, Ferrules, and Butt-Cap, (A. B. Shipley & Son.) .■Rings, Guides, and Tip. (A. B. Shipley & Son.) FISHING-RODS. 233 an ounce too much, than a half ounce too little; for, like the Winchester repeating rifle when tackling a grizzly, it gives one a confidence in his resources which adds ma- terially to the zest of his sport. In the construction of a Black Bass fly-rod various ma- terials are employed ; the best and handsomest is, of course, section bamboo, but as I have before remarked, it is im- perative to take the greatest care of such rods to preserve their usefulness. By rough usage or careless handling, the lashings are apt to become loosened, the varnish worn oif, and the strips to become eventually separated; in which event the rod is worthless, for it soon goes to pieces. With proper care, however, and a due attention to the lashings, and a frequent varnishing of the rod, it will last a prudent angler his life-time. It is a tool, believe me, only to be used by an artiste. But for every day fishing, on all sorts of waters, and under all circumstances, in the hands of a careful angler or a rough-and-tumble fisher, a good wooden rod is the best for service and wear, day in and day out ; and, if made of good stuif, its action is not excelled, even by the graceful section bamboo. My choice of materials for such a rod is ash and lance- wood, which can not, I think, be excelled for a prime rod. But others may think differently, and prefer greenheart, mahoe, or bethabara, all of which woods are said to pro- duce most satisfactory rods ; and far be it from me to dis- sent from, or acquiesce in, their opinions, without a prac- tical knowledge of the working of such rods, for, as I have before remarked, I have had no personal experience with these woods. The fly-rod has the reel-seat at the extreme end of the 20 234 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. butt, and the hand piece, or grip, of course, above it; for the click-reel, which is used for fly-fishing, is a reel that is intended to "take care of itself" in the rendering of the line, and, therefore, is very properly placed where it is out of t!ie Avay, and where it adds very mudi to the balance and general working of the rod. The reel-seat in fly-rods is often made entirely of metal and called a " reel-plate," and which, while much admired by many, only adds to the weight of the rod, without be- ing of material service. For myself, I prefer a plain reel- seat, simply a depression, or groove, cut in the butt of the rod, with reel-bands, as in the minnow rod. This answers every purpose, and to my mind there is nothing that can improve the beauty of a handsomely finished wooden butt; and on this account, I am also prejudiced against t!ie hand- piece, or grip, being wound with cord, or ratan. The self-wood, of which the butt is composed, seems to me to be the best and most appropriate finish for the grip, both as regards utility and beauty ; for the cord, or ratan, with which the grip is usually wound, in fine rods, is extremely liable to become loosened and worn ofl". The wound hand-piece and the metal reel-plate look very attractive, but are not proof against wear and tear ; and for my own use, and in accordance with my idea of the fitness of things, I think the less a rod is encumbered with fanciful and ornamental appendages, the better. We should ever bear in mind the original primitive cane fish- ing-pole, upon which niodel all rods are founded, more or less, and remember that simplicity and utility usually go hand in hand. A very good friend of mine, with whom I have spent many pleasant angling days, once owned a very handsome FISHING-KODS. 235 minnow rod, gotten up to his order in Boston, which was to eclipse all other rods for style and stunning appearance. Each piece, from butt to tip, was spirally wound with ratan strij)s and silk, while the ferrules, reel-bands, reel- plate, and guides were marvels of brightness and finish ; but in its action, the rod, of course, was a complete failure. My friend always carried with him an extra rod, to be used "in case of an accident" to his nobby rod. This extra rod was a short and common, jointed, natural cane rod, made after the plan of the " Home-made rod," described on a pr'^A'ious page. And I noticed that the emergency for using the common rod, always arose very soon after making a few casts, with a great display and flourish with the fine rod, or so soon as we were out of sight of other anglers; for, as my friend often remarked, the flashy rod was all very well for "dress-parade," but for real work it " wasn't there;" and the homely, but serviceable cane-rod, or, as he termed it, "old business/' was invariably substi- tuted. While asking the reader's pardon for this digression, which, however, was made more to point a moral than to adorn a tale, I will simply add that a fishing-rod should be made for " business," and not for display. A Black Bass fly-rod should be made in three pieces; the butt, we will say, of ash, and the second piece and tip of lancewood, or if the reader please, of grcenheart, mahoe, or bethabara. The ferrules, reel-bands and butt-cap are of the same pattern as those used in the minnow-rod, and should be either solid brass, or German silver, without plating of any kind ; let us have the real thing at all events, for I despise affectation, or deception, in any matter or thing whatever. Brass is a good, honest, and bright 236 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. metal ; will not rust or tarnish, and if it is used at all, let us use it on its merits; and for decency's sake, avoid the common practice of j)lating it with nickel, or, Avhat is worse, silver — for the plating soon wears off and exposes the cheat. Rings, instead of standing guides, are used, as they are lighter, and on the fly-rod answer just as well; they are lasiied on with spool-silk by means of small metal strips, known as "^ keepers." The rings should graduate in size from the butt to the tip, and should be of the same metal as the ferrules. The metal tip of the fly-rod is a single ring, which is preferable to a solid tip, or the three-ring style, on account of its extreme lightness, for it will be remembered that the tip, or top, of a fly-rod is of very small caliber. CHAPTER X. FISHING-EEELS. And to that end, some use a wheel about the middle of the rod, or near their hand ; whk-h is to be observed better by seeing one of tliem, than by a large demonstration of words."— Izaak Walton. A FISHING-REEL IS made in accordance Avith the special service required of it, the objects of said service being twofold. The first and most important is the proper delivery of the bait in a manner and at a distance com- mensurate with the mode of fishing ; and the second is to play and land the fish after he is hooked, or to reel the line for another cast. The reel which practically fulfills these conditions with the greatest ease and facility — in the method of fishing practiced — is the best reel to use. The two modes of angling in which the reel is em- ployed are bait-fishing and fly-fishing, and as the two methods differ so essentially, they require reels of widely different functions. Thus in bait-fishing the multiplying reel is used, while in fly-fishing the click-reel is indis- pensable. The multiplying reel must be very rapid in its action so as to deliver the bait as far as possible at a single cast, the thumb, meanwhile, controlling the rapid rendering of the line, so as to prevent back-lashing of the spool ; but in fly-fishing the line is lengthened gradually, a few feet ( 237 ) 238 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. beiug taken from the reel by the hand before each subse- quent oast, while the click offers the necessary resistance to the rendering of the line to permit this to be done without overrunning. As the multiplying reel is made wide, so as to allow for the thumbing of the spool, and as this necessity is not required in the click-reel, the latter is made quite narrow, thus permitting the line to be reeled without bunching, and, at the same time, allow of its being reeled rapidly enough for all practi(;al purposes, without a multiplying action; for the main object of a multiplying-reel, is for rapidity of action in casting, and not in retrieving the line, as is often erroneously supi)osed. After a fish is hooked, a click-reel answers the purpose of playing, and landing it, as well as the best triple or quadruple multiplier made — if not better; for often a fish is reeled in by main strength with a rapid multiplier, and an attempt made to land it before it has been killed on the rod, thus curtailing the real sport of angling, and at a great risk to the angler's tackle. I speak of this now, for I have heard anglers praising a rapid-working quadruple multiplying-reel, because they could reel in a fish " so fast," basing all of its merits upon this one quality; the desire to get possession of the fish seeming to be paramount to the real sport of hooking and playing it. The Click-Reel. The click-reel is a single-action reel, and, consequently, is the simplest fi)rm of reel, from the fact that the service required of it is simply a slow and gradual lengthening of the line with each subsequent cast ; the delivery of the fly FISHING-REELS. 239 being accomplished by pulling oif from the reel a few aduitional feet of the line after each cast, until the desired or maximum distance is reached, while the click offers just enouo'h resistance to the renderino- of the line to allow this to be done without confusion or overrunning. The han- dle, or crank, is connected directly with the axle, or shaft, and, consequently, "reeling in" the line would be slow work were it not obviated by the reel being made very narrow, so that the coil of line upon the shaft enlarges rapidly, and the reeling is thus accomplished with greater facility. The click-reel is placed at the extreme butt of the fly- rod, below the hand-grip, where it adds much to the balance and general working of the rod. As the click regulates the rendering of the line, and as the narrowness of the reel obviates the necessity for guiding the line in reeling, it is placed out of the way, at the extreme butt, and " where it will do the most good." A reel should always be placed underneath the rod, and not on top, as is often done. Click-reels are all constructed upon the same general principle, but are of various patterns and composed of various materials, being made of hard rubber, celluloid, brass, bronze, and German silver; their weight depends on the material used, and the angler has a large assortment of styles and prices to select from. Any good Trout click- reel is suitable for Black- Bass fly-fishing, and can be furnished by any of the first-class dealers. In the choice of a click-reel, the angler should select the lightest, when it is compatible with strength, and one in which there is the least probability of fouling the line on any prominent points, as projecting screws and caps, 240 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. The "Abbey" Click-Reel.— No. 4. (Abbey & Imbrie.) German Silver Click-Reel. (Conroy, Bissett & Malleton.) FISHING-REELS. 241 iinprotGcted handles, etc. Metal reels are the strongest, and not so liable to injury as rubber or celluloid, in case of accidentally dropping, or striking them against rocks, etc.; though the latter are much lighter, and with ordinary care are just as serviceable. There has been a very marked improvement in click- reels during the past few years, the manufacturers seeming to vie with each other to produce the lightest, neatest, comeliest, and most serviceable reel. Abbey & Imbrie make a superb reel, the "Abbey," composed of hard rubber, with German silver spool, rim and fittings; it is extremely light and has a protected handle to prevent fouling of the line in casting, and is first-class in every respect. Nos. 3 and 4, the latter being the smaller, are the proper sizes. The " Imbrie " reel, also made by this firm, although a multiplier — and a most excellent one, by the way — has an adjustable click W'hich allow^s of its being nsed also for fly-fishing. And the angler who is the fortunate possessor of one of these reels, Nos. 4 or 5, can nse it in Black Bass fishing for either his minnows-rod or fly-rod. Mr. C. F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vermont, has patented, and manufactures, a simple, durable, and inexpensive click-reel. It is very narrow, consequently takes up line quite rapidly, while the frame and disks of the spool are freely perforated, which renders it quite light, and assists very much in drying the line, and in keeping it free from sand and grit. Its low price, brings a good reel within the reach of the most impecunious angler. Wm. Mills & Son's (7 Warren Street, New York) reels are unexcelled, either brass, German silver or rubber; they are fitted with protecting* bands to prevent the line from 21 242 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. German Silver Click-Reel.— 40 yards. (Win. Mills & Son.) Pat. June 12, 1877. The Leonard Click-Reel. (Wm. Mills & Son.) The Orvis Click-Reel. (Charles F. Orvis.) FISHING-REELS. 243 catching on the handle. Their thirty or forty yards reels are the correct sizes for Black Bass fly-fishing. The " Leonard reel," sold by this firm, is probably the lightest metal click-reel manufactured, and holds a great deal of line for its size, being of good width. It also has a flush handle to prevent fouling of the line ; two and a half inch diameter is the preferred size for Black Bass angling. Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, of New York, A. B. Ship- ley & Son, of Philadelphia, and Bradford & Anthony, of Boston, also furnish the best reels and other tackle for fly-fishing. I think it but simple justice that all of these houses, who are by an honorable competition doing so much for the angler in the way of producing the most elegant and suitable tackle, should be brought to the notice of the angling fraternity. On this point a veteran angler, the editor of the Rich- mond (Va.) Whig, becoming " impressed with the vast amount of industry, skill, talent, enterprise and genius, and philanthropy (emphatically) devoted to this task of supplying the needs and luxuries, and augmenting the pleasures of the sporting community," further says: "We say philanthropy, with emphasis — for those who thus toil for the enjoyment and happiness of their fellow-beings can not be enemies of their kind. But admit that self enters as an element of the motive, in an enlarged sense, it may be truly affirmed that self, if not a virtue in itself, is next kin to it, and is the basis and prompter of all the virtues." Multiplying Heels. The multiplying reel is a decided improvement on the 244 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. okl single-action English reel or winch. It is made of metal or hard rubber, and of various styles or sizes, from a Striped Bass-reel to a Perch-reel. In shape and con- struction it differs necessarily from the click -reel, having a different office to j)erform, or rather the same object — the delivery of the bait — to perform in a difiPerent manner. Being intended for natural bait-fishing, it requires an easy- running and freely-rendering action in order to deliver the bait as far as possible at a single cast. As there is no click to control the running off of the line, the thumb must be used for this purpose, by effecting a gentle and uniform pressure upon the spool, and for this reason the multiplier is made much wider than the click-reel, or of the barrel or drum shape. In its construction, a small cog or spur wheel is placed at one extremity of the axis or shaft, into which a larger cog-wheel is fitted, and to the latter is attached the handle or crank. One revolution of the handle produces two or more revolutions of the central shaft. The reel most gen- erally known and used is the " New York Multiplier," which is manufactured for the trade in large quantities, with the retailer's name stamped on one end. It is called, by some, the " balance reel," from the fact, I presume, that it has a balanced handle, which, by some, is thought to add to the rapid working of the reel; but this fancied advan- tage exists in the imagination only — a simple crank handle is better. As with the click-reel, there has been great improve- ments made in the multiplying reel within a few years past. Most of the manufacturers have given special attention to reels of this character, more especially for Black Bass fishing, and the resalt has been most grati- FISHING-REELS. 245 fying to tlie angling fraternity. It is now an easy matter to procure a first-class reel at a moderate price, consider- ing the admirable manner in which they are gotten up; for, by comparison with the click-reel, the former is about double in price, and this is necessarily so, on account of the great difference in construction of the two reels. Among the many excellent multiplying reels now manu- factured, the ''Frankfort Reel" still takes the lead, and is the reel jxir excellence for Black Bass angling. It is known among expert anglers, in various portious of the country, as the "Meek," "Meek & Milam," "Frankfort," and "Kentucky" reel. It is now made exclusively by B. C. Milam, of Frankfort, Kentucky; and, as it is not so universally known as its merits deserve, I will give a brief history of it : Some thirty years ago, there being a demand among the anglers of Kentucky and Ohio for a better reel than was furnished by the trade, Mr. Meek, a watchmaker, of Frankfort, Kentucky — to whom Mr. Milam was then an apprentice — determined to produce a reel which would meet the requirements and solicitations of his fishing friends; so, after considerable study and many experi- ments, the "Frankfort Reel" was produced, as perfect then as it is to-day. Mr. Milam was soon afterward taken into partnership by Mr. INIeek, and the firm of Meek & ]\Iilam soon became famoiis throughout the West for their excellent reel. The demand continued to increase, until they found a ready sale for all they could manufacture. The reel is made by hand, from the finest materials, and as carefully and correctly in its fittings as the movement of a watch. The bearings and pivots are of the finest temper, and the entire real is as perfect in workmanship, BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. The Frankfort Eeel.— No. 3. (B. C. Milam, Fraukfort, Ky.) The "Imbrie" Black Bass Reel— No. 3. (Abbey & Imbrie.) FISHING-REELS. 247 and as finely adjusted, as is possible for skill to render it. Contrary to a current opinion, this reel is not more com- })lieated tlian the ordinary multiplying reel, and contains but the same number of ^vheels, viz: two; but, by a pe- culiar construction of the two wheels, it multiplies four times, while the ordinary reel multiplies but twice. It runs so perfectly and smoothly that a smart stroke of the finger upon the handle will cause it to make about fifty revolutions, and this without a balance handle. It is made with or without an alarm or click, and a drag or rubber; and, where one or both of these adjuncts are used, it does not at all complicate the working of the reel, as they are operated by small sliding disks on the side of the reel, and are not in the Avay in the least. The reel is, in fact, so simple and perfect in its details, that it has not been improved upon since it was first invented. They are made of German silver or brass, in six sizes. No. 6 being the largest. The best sizes for Black Bass fishing are Nos. 2 and 3. The cost of this reel is necessarily high — in comparison with ordinary reels — from its mode of construction and materials employed, but it will last a life-time with ordi- nary care. There are reels that have been in use for thirty years — among the first ones made — which are as good as new to-day. I can not express my admiration for this reel more strongly, or truly, than by affirming that its invention has been as great a boon to the angler as the split bamboo rod; in fact, they are "boon" companions. It is as great an improvement on all other multiplying reels, as they are on the old single-action English winch. With it, an angler can cast a minnow from thirty to forty yards with the greatest ease, though it is necessary that he 248 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. The " Conroy " Multiplying Beel.— No. SJ4. (Conroy, Bis-sctl & Mallc^^on.) The " Conrov " B^ack Bass Reel.— No. 3)4 Coml'ined IMulliplyiiiL; ami Click-Reel. (Conroy, BisseLt & Malleson.) FISHING-REELS. 249 should be quite dextrous in the art of using a multiplier, and au fait in the matter of controlling the rendering of the line with the thumb, otherwise the extreme rapidity of this reel's action will get him into trouble by its over- running or back-lashing, and the consequent tangling of the line upon the spool. But, in justice to the reel, I will say to those who can not cast without tangling or snarling the line, or who can not reel the line evenly upon the spool, that they must look for the fault in themselves, and not in the reel. Me judice, I consider it the best reel in the world. The "alarm" is intended lor an alarm only, and should not be used as a click to retard the rapidity of the reel's action, for this it can do to a very limited extent only, and that to the ev^entual detriment of the reel. As these reels are mostly made to order, I would advise the angler who designs procuring one to order it made with the spring of the alarm stiif enough to act as a "click," in which case the reel will answer for either bait or fly-fishing ; and, in my opinion, they should all be made so, considering their high price. The "alarm" originated in the days of heavy rods and lazy anglers, when, by stick- ing the butt of the rod in the bank (there often being a spike in it for this purpose), the angler could lie under the shade of a tree until the sino-insi: of the alarm gave notice of the biting of a Bass. It has outlived its usefulness, and should either be dispensed with entirely, or changed to a click. I would further advise the placing of the handle of the reel next to the reel-plate, instead of opi)osite to it (as Mr. Milam usually affixes it), for ol)vious reasons. Abbey & Imbrie make a remarkably fine reel especially for Black Bass angling, and which they style the " Imbrie" 250 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. reel. It is constructed with a hard rubber frame, Grerman- silver spool and fittings, steel pivot and cap, center action, and with an adjustable click. It is very light and of a graceful and practicable shape, and multiplies three times. By using the click it answers well for fly-fishing. It is a very easy-running and rapid-working reel, being second, only, in this respect to the famous Frankfort reel, though unlike the latter, is not so likely to overrun, and, on this account, is to be preferred by many anglers, who find it difficult to control, with the thumb, the very free action of that reel. Besides it is furnished at about half the price of the Frankfort reel, and is, withal, lighter. Nos. 3 and 4 are the best sizes for the Black Bass angler. No Reel. Those who, from any cause, can not manage a multiply- ing reel, might adopt the " Nottingham " style of angling, which is much in vogue in England, in which the reel is dispensed with. The line is made fast to the butt of the rod, and carried through the guides or rings. When ready for a cast, the line is pulled back through the guides, and laid in coils at the feet of the angler, leaving twelve or fifteen feet of line hanging from the tip of the rod. Our angler then grasps the line a few feet from the sinker and bait, gives it a few rapid whirls around his head, and casts it as far as he can, the rod in tlie meantime being held firmly in the left hand, and pointing toward the water. Long casts can be made in this manner, and the line re- trieved more rapidly than by the aid of any reel, but to the expert reel angler the game would not be worth the candle. fishing-reels. 251 Position of the Reel on the Rod. In order to allow the thumb to be used in controlling the cast, a multiplying reel should never be placed less than six inches from the extreme butt of the rod, and should be so placed as to be underneath when reeling up the line. I am aware that some prefer it on top, but the former mode is preferable for the following reasons : The weight of the reel naturally takes it under the rod, enabling the rod to be held steadier when reeling the line, or play- ing the fish ; the strain of the line falls upon the guides, causing a uniform working of the rod; the line is more easily reeled up, and it was intended to be used in this manner. The left hand should grasp the rod immediately over the reel, the thumb and forefinger embracing the rod above the reel and as close to it as possible, the ring and little fingers clasping the under surface of the reel, while the middle finger is left free to guide the line on the spool, and prevent bunching. I have noticed that all anglers who prefer to have the butt of the rod extending a foot or more below the reel, always use the reel on top, and when reel- ing in a fish, they invariably rest the butt against the stomach. CHAPTER XI. FISHING-LINES. '' I will lose no time, but give you a little direction how to make and order your lines, and to color the hair of which you make your lines, for that is very needful to be known of an angler."— Izaak Walton. No doubt but many of ray readers have often wondered, as I have dune, where all the fine fishing-lines were made. Inquiries of the dealers failed to elicit any definite in- formation, only such answers being obtained, as " We make them ourselves," or, " They are manufactured expressly for us," or, "They are imported for our trade." There has ever seemed to be some mystery connected Avith it, though why, I can not imagine. The real manu- facturers are certainly not generally known outside of the trade, and their goods are seldom marked with their own names. I do not remember ever to have seen an ad- vertisement of a fish-line manufacturer. Perhaps it is not necessary, as the angler is supplied through the dealer, and the wholesale dealers are comparatively few. Thinking that an account of one of the best manufac- tories of fishing-lines in this country, if not in the world, would not prove uninteresting, I reproduce the following description of the factory of Henry Hall & Sons, at High- land Mills, Orange County, New York, from the New York Times of June 6, 1880:— (252) FISHING-LINES. 253 How Fish-Lines are Made. American fish-lines are the best in tlie world, because we use the most perfect machinery and materials in their manufacture. There are in this country five or six large establishments devoted exclu- sively to this production. They represent a capital of about $250,000, and produce about $100,000 worth of lines per year. The fish-line is an object of contempt to a certain class of closet philosophers, but its production at least employs money and brains with the same earnestness that marks our manufacture of more weighty objects. The largest fish-line factory in the world is the Highland Mills, Orange County, in this State, and if our anglers were only capable of boasting a little they might brag of our beating the world in the quality as well as in the quantity of our lines. In visiting this establishment I learned many interesting facts about the materials and the processes of making fish-lines. We all feel a certain awe and curiosity about the slender, tapered line that Hies through the air so gracefully, yet has the amazing strength to hold a Salmon, a Trout, or a Bass in his most frantic efforts to escape. And the feeling is well justified, for not only is a fine line a proper object for respect and interest, but many of the processes of its creation are secrets veiled from the eye of even the elect. Lines are made of three substances, either cotton, linen, or silk, and they are either twisted or braided. The twisted lines may be made by hand, but braided lines are always made by machines devised especially for the purpose. For fine lines, only the finest, strongest, and longest fibers can be used. The selection of the material is, therefore, made with great care. It is spun to order in sizes to suit different kinds of lines. The bleaching of the yarn has to be very carefully done to prevent any loss of strength by chemical action on the fiber, and only vegetable dyes are used in coloring. In the storeroom are piles of flax in skeins, which has been spun to order in Ireland, France, Belgium, and Germany. A variety of flax is needed, because that of one country is most desirable for its durability and that of another for its strength, so that the union of several kinds of thread in a line gives it greater general excellence. The exact size must he maintained throughout the thread. And the exact amount of twist, varying from two to nine turns to the inch, must be given ; for if the threads be either too loosely or too tightly 20 4 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. twisted the strength of the line i,; impaired. The cotton is spun ex- pressly from selected stock in this country, and tlie silk, also, is spun here. The best silk isTs:itlee machine twist; the genuineness of the stock can not be doubted, if judged by the foreign character of its tickets : "Hung yu Silk Hong. Yuekee chop. By selecting No. 1, Fine re-recled Tsatlee silk. When obliged to Merchants best owing tlieir regards, please to notice carefully of our sign, are witliout mistaken. This chop is myself reeled true Tsatlee Thowu Silks." More can not be asked. This silk is spun at silk factories and de- livered on bobbins. Tiie fineness of some of it may be judged by the fact that 3,200 yards of a thread weighs only one ounce, and yet the threads run sometimes 2,000 yards without a break. The grass lines, sold under the names of Japanese grass, sea grass, and catty grass, are all male of raw silk. The yarns of flax are wound on bob- bins, and tho.se of cotton are "beamed" or wound on a cylinder in such a way that they can be run ofi' it without tangling. The twisted lines are made in a "Avalk," a narrow shed about 400 feet long. At the head of the walk are two machines, driven by steam. They consist of pulleys, with long ropes for belts running off to the foot of the shed ; also of a lot of spindles, turning very rapidly, and lines running overhead along the walk enable men at any point to move levers or stop and start the machinery at will. Two cars run on tracks down the walk ; they carry the beams or cylinders of thread or the bob- bins. The operator places the bobbins on pins on the cars, so that the threads may unwind; the car is brought up to the machine; he gathers up the threads in groups of three, and ties each group to a spindle in the machine. When all the 24 spindles are furnished with threads, he starts the machine, the spindles turn and twist each group of three threads into a strand ; at the same time the car moves slowly along to unwind the threads from the bobbins as fast as the twist takes them up. The operator walks behind or beside the car to watch the yarns, remove kuni)s, and impurities from them, or to break off defective portions of a thread. The car at intervals passes under a frame hanging over the track ; this frame is provided with wire hoops or fingers that descend automatically and hook under the strands after the car has passed, to sustain them, so that the weight of the long strings may not interfere with their twisting evenly in FISHING-LINES. 255 all parts. By the time the car has reached the foot of the walk each of the 2i strands lias received tlie proper twist, so many turns to the inch. The strands are then gathered up in groups of three and tied to s^jindles on a tender or second car at the foot of the walk. This tender is operated by rope-belts from the machine at the head of the walk. When the strands are secured to the eight spindles of the tender the car starts back to the head of the walk, leaving the tender to twist the strands into cords. It follows them up, very slowly, to allow the cords to contract in length as they are twisted. If this twisting of the cord as a whole were all the twist given, the cord would only be a string, the strands would be simj)ly collected in a round form, and would liave but little power to resist an un- twisting tendency when wet or cut into pieces. But after a strand is formed, if some additional twist be given it, the fibers are bent and stretched until they acquire a strong reactionary force. They seek continually to straighten and contract themselves, and if the ends of the strand be kept from untwisting while it is given some slack, the strand will double up on itself, and then twist in the opposite di- rection from that of tlie first twist. In the cords thus formed the strands have lost as much of their twist as was required to form the cord ; hence, they have lost the most of their reactionary, spiral tendency. But if the sti'ands be given some additional twist to com- pensate for this loss, while the whole line is given its twist, the re- actionary force of each strand will make it intertwine closely with the others, and hold them together in a compact, permanent twist. A fish-line differs from a string in having just this additional twist of the strand.s. For this object, the machine at the head of the walk continues to twist the strands, while the tender twists the line. The line is given a little superfluous twist merely for the sake of forcing the strands to assume a smooth, compact service ; some of this super- fluous twist comes out when the line is wet, but the line can not be opened or untwisted without removing and untwisting each strand. It is readily seen that the amount of twist has a great effect on the strength of a line, for too little twist fails to bind the fibers together, and too much subjects them to uneven and destructive strain. Hence, machinery, by securing the utmost accuracy, makes the most perfect lines in this respect. And it also makes them rapidly and cheaply. If the threads were perfectly even and clean the lines 256 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. would be perfect. But impurities and irregularities are unavoidable in even tlie best yarns, and the operator can not always see these nor take the time to remove all he perceives. Formerly, lines of 600 feet were twisted all in one piece, but in so long a line the amount of twist was necessarily uneven in difierent parts. Hence, it is now considered a better method to make long lines by joining 300-feet lengths by what is known among sailors as the " long splice." Hand-made lines are still more perfect than those twisted by any machine. Tiie machine, of course, secures the utmost accuracy in the twist ; but the hand, througii the delicate sense of the touch, de- tects imperfections in the thread that are invisible to the operator of the macliine. The man who makes the Cuttyhunk and other hand-made lines carries nine bobbins of silk or linen on a frame hanging in front of him. Having fastened the threads in threes to spindles at the head of the walk, he walks slowly backward Avhile the threads pass between his fingers and are twisted into a strand. He feels every thread as it goes, and detects with surprising certainty every bunch, knot, or weak place ; he picks or bites off the bunches, or stops the spindles by pulling a cord at his side, and takes out any defective partof tlie thread, and joins tlie ends again by twisting, not by tying them. When the thre3 straiuls are .sufficiently twisted, he ties them together to a little swivel on a string drawing a drag-weight, to allow for the contraction of the line. He passes the three strands through grooves on opposite sides of a cone called the " top," and as he walks back to the head of the walk and moves the top along the strands, the grooves allow the continued twisting of the strands to pass by the " top " and unite them at its apex, while the swivel allows the line to be twisted up by the strands. Thus, although the twist of hand-made lines is not quite so uniform as that of machine- made lines, yet the former are the better in having more perfect threads. The braided line is the most perfect of all. No inferior threads are used in its manufacture, and the machines secure a very uniform tension of the strands. The cotton, linen, or silk threads are wound on bobbins that are mounted on a small table. The table is fur- nished Avith serpentine slots, through which the bobbins travel, and cross one another's course in such a way as to pass now outside, now inside, of one another, and thus weave or braid the strands in a reg- FISHING-LINES. ' 257 ular manner. If a strand break, the bobbins all stop, and delicate weights, sustained by the strands as they are braided, give them a uniform tension. From eight to sixteen strands are put in a line, each strand being composed of three tlireads. As the line is formed it is reeled up, so that tlie braiding is not done in a long walk, but in a room filled with comp.act machines clicking like looms. One girl tends several lines, picking off with nippers any lint or bunch, and removing poor strands. It is real satisfaction to an angler to see such beautiful silks going into a line. It looks like braiding cobwebs; but these fine threads, evenly and compactly braided, make a fine line of amazing strength. The tai^ered lines are all braided, because if one part of a twisted line be smaller than the rest, that part yields to the twisting force and gets too much twist. The tapering is done by simply dropping out a strand at regular intervals; but the machine has to be readjusted each time to secure a regular braid. Fine braided lines hitlierto have often been weak, from de- fective manufacture ; but recent improvements in the Highland Mills in the methods of working up the fiber have produced a line of wonderful strength for its size. Thus, I found that although one of the threads of a line would lift but 14 ounces, yet the line of 8 threads, braided to a diameter of 1-40 of an inch, would lift 9\ to 10 pounds. The union of the threads in a twist or braid seems to aug- ment their strength about 30 per cent. This fine line, 100 yards long, weighs but 150 grains ; it requires 934 yards of prepared twist to make it, and as each thread or twist contains three strands, the lines contains 2,802 yards of strands. Tlie celebrated Cuttyhunk line is made of four different kinds of flax, Irish, French, Belgian, and German, spun to order for this pur- pose. Line No. 9, having 12 threads in a diameter of about 1-30 of an inch, lifts 25 pounds. They are all hand-made twisted lines, so are the various grass lines and the relaid grass lines. The finishing of lines is generally done by some secret process that each house wishes to UKmopolize. The fine lines are soaked in vari- ous compounds of oils and gums to fill them with a preservative water-proof substance. The well-known enamel finish gives the line a glossy surface that excludes the water and keeps the line of a uniform weight and stiffness in casting, and also makes it run very smoothly thi'ough the rings or guides of a rod. Of course, there are many 22 258 BOOK OF TPIE BLACK BASS. inferior lines made up by second-rate factories; but it is difficult to imagine that cotton, linen, or silk can be better put together than they are now by our first-class establishments. Perhaps some better fiber will be discovered. The inner bark of the alloa tree was made into lines many years ago; and they were found to be almost imper- ishable even under the most unreasonable neglect. But the material is too costly for general use. The Forest and Stream has this to say concerning this manufactory : This establishment, since its introduction of machinery, and its transfer to more commodious quarters at "Highland Mills," possi- bly turns out more goods than all others of a like business in the State combined, and of such superior excellence as to defy com- petition. The Henry Hall goods are made the standard by the trade. Every sort, kind and description of fish-line is made at this now -world-wide renowned factory, as the Hall goods swept the deck at the Centennial Show, and wherever they have come in compe- tition with foreign goods of decided reputation, the Henry Hall goods — cotton, linen and silk — have at all times asserted their dis- tinct superioi'ity. Reel Lines for Bait-fishing. .The perfect line for Black Bass bait-fishing is yet in the future. The best manufactured at present is the smallest size — letter G, or No. 5 — hard-braided raw silk line ; and if it were made, say, of just one-half the caliber, and as tightly and closely braided, and as firm and hard as the twisted, or laid Japanese grass line, it would be all that could de desired for a bait line. I have great hopes that a line of this description will soon be made, as I have in- vited the attention of Henry Hall & Sons to this subject. A bait line for casting a minnow should, in the first FISHING-LINES. 259 place, be composed of the very best material, which, in this case, is raw silk. It should be of very small caliber, the smallest that can be made consistent with strength, and raw silk fulfills this condition better than any other mate- rial. It should be very hard, compact, and closely braided. These conditions secure a line that renders freely and easily, is quite elastic, and at the same time absorbs but little water, and will nut kink or snarl in casting. The line should, moreover, be tinted some suitable color, to render it as nearly invisible as possible, for it must be remembered that we can not use a gut leader in casting the minnow. The braided or plaited raw-silk line, as now made, ful- fills all of the above conditions, except in caliber, and the manufacjturers above referred to assured me that it could be made one-half less in size, were there a demand for such a line. There has been no inquiry for such a line, because it is known that there is none to be had ; but the Black Bass anglers, who fish the streams of the South and West, almost universally use the relaid Japanese grass- line (which is made of raw silk), nothwithstanding its kinking propensities, for in every other particular it is a good line. For lake-fishing, where the Bass are larger, the braided silk and linen lines are used almost exclusively. The best line, then, we will say, is the braided, or plaited raw-silk line — letter G, or No. 5 — for ordinary fishing; but where the Bass average fully three pounds, the next largest size — letter F, or No. 4 — may be used, though I would advise the smaller line even here to be employed in prefer- ence. Raw silk lines require the greatest care to preserve their usefulness. They should be carefully dried after use, as soon thereafter as possible, for without this caution they soon become weak and rotten. And, moreover, a 260 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. SIZES OF LINES. 12 3 4 Taper "Waterproof Braided Silk Lines. fiS'The smaller illustration of each Cut represents the "Taper" point; the larger, the body of the Line. 5 4 3 2 1 Braided Ijinen and Hard Braided Linen and Braided Cotton. G F E D C B Oiled Silk, Braided Silk. fi®="The above cuts are the exact sizc.^ of the lines they represent. They ap- pear, on paper, somewliat larger, as the cuts are " flat," while the Lines, from being " round," appear smaller to the eye. (Conroy, Bissett & Malleson.) FISHIXG-LINES. 261 reel-line, for bait-fishing, should never be waterproofed with any preparation, or by any means whatever, for this can only be done with great detriment to the line, as re- gards casting, besides increasing its caliber. Next best to the raw silk-line is the braided boiled silk- line, or, as sometimes called, the dressed silk-line. This is a good line when plaited hard and closely, but most of them are too loosely braided; in which case they absorb water quite freely, which develops an annoying propensity of clinging to the rod in casting, and interferes somewhat with the free rendering of the line. They are made of good stock, however, and are quite strong, and nicely tinted. Sizes F and G, or Nos. 4 and 5, are the only ones to be used; and, for ordinary Bass-fishing, the lat- ter, or smallest — letter G, or No. 5 — is«the proper size. The boiled silk-line should be as well cared for, and as carefully dried, after use, as the raw silk-line, and for the same reasons. The braided linen-line is a very good one, in one re- spect better than the silk, being quite hard and closely plaited, but the caliber is too large. The smallest size now made is too great for a reel-line for Black Bass bait- fishing. Where the Bass run very large, however, as in lake-fishing, or in the extreme South, the smallest size may be employed with satisfaction. It will last longer than the silk-line, and will bear rougher and more careless usage. It is much heavier, however, and is not so elastic; and, therefore, not so desirable a line, in these respects, as the silk-line. Tiie only size to use is G, or 5. The above are the only lines that I can recommend for bait-fishing for Black Bass, where much casting is prac- ticed, for braided lines are the only lines that will not 262 BOOK OF TEIE BLACK BASS. 1 ■r =:=i=^-r: ui ^ ^S- ■z. c r^ u. 1 _l < 5 ^ en ^ ==■■ a A .-_^^ >- n vl ^^ o u IL^ < < s^ - CL 1- — m Hi=-: Braided Linen Keel-Line. (A. B.Shipley & Son.) Twisted Silk-Line. (A. B. Sliipley & Son.) FISHING -LINES. 263 kink and curl. No twisted or cable-laid line can be profit- ably employed for this purpose, on account of this kink- ing propensity, which, to the angler, is a source of great trouble, vexation and perplexity; and there is no method by which the kink can be entirely removed or eradicated from twisted lines. Some anglers maintain that this kink- ing quality can be taken out of a line by trailing it in the water behind a boat, without sinker or hook; but this is a delusion and a snare, for after casting a line a few times in succession that has been treated in this manner for hours, it will kink and snarl as badly as ever, and this is to be naturally expected, from the mode of manufacturing such lines. It is unreasonable, moreover, to expect a twisted line to perform the functions of a braided line, for this it can not do. Use small-sized lines; they are strong enough with a pliant rod. A line that will hold up two pounds, dead weight, will land the largest Black Bass that swims, when used with a proper rod. Indeed, I have often used a line, which, toward the end of the season, when tested, would scarcely hold a pound dead weight, but which would safely land the largest Bass, or even Pickerel of fifteen pounds or more. Rod-Lines. The twisted line has its proper place in fishing, and sometimes answers a good purpose, as I will now explain. There are many anglers who, from choice or necessity, dispense with the reel in Black Bass fishing. Oftentimes^ the character of the stream is such that a reel can not be used to advantage ; for instance, on streams that are nar- row, and much choked with snags, roots, and other obstruc- 264 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. tions, that preclude the playing of a fish, a reel is not nec- essary, for the fish must be killed within a few feet of where hooked, and must, of a necessity, be lauded as soon as possible. In this case, a long-, light, and })lial)le — but not too limber — rod must be used, say a natural cane-pole, twelve or even fifteen feet long, with the finest and smallest line that can be procured, which, in this case, is the ^twisted silk-line. This line is made of very small caliber, nicely tinted, of a suitable color, and is quite strong. It is manu- factured by Henry Hall & Sons, in connected lengths of fiifteen feet, which is about the right length of line for this kind of angling. The sizes run from No. 1, the smallest, up to No. 5, the largest. The smallest, or No. 1, is the size to use, always, when fishing on streams; but for pond or lake fishing, where Pickerel abound, No. 2 or 3 may be substituted. Next to the silk-line, in order of merit, comes the twisted or relaid sea-grass line, domestic or Japanese, the latter being the best. They are numbered in the same way as the silk-line. No. 1 being the smallest size, and the pref- erable size to use. Many anglers, notably in the l)order and Southern States, use the sea-grass line for a reel-line, in preference to all others, because it is strong, of small caliber, quite hard and elastic; and, as they do not cast very frequently, it answers pretty well, but, as stated be- fore, will kink when much casting is })racticed. The sea- grass line is both twisted and relaid, the latter being the best, as it does not kink quite so badly as the twisted line. In relaid lines, the strands are three in number, each strand being twisted from left to right, and the strands twisted together in the opposite direction, or from right to left. FISHIXG-LINES. 265 On tlie score of economy, twisted flax and cotton lines are sometimes used for rod-lines ; but they are beneath the notice of tlie Black Bass angler, as the sizes are too large to be used for this purpose. Reel-Ltnes for Fly-fishing. The reel-line for fly-fishing must necessarily be heavier than the line used in bait-fishing, the greater weight of the former being required to cast objects so light and deli- cate as artificial flies; while in the case of the small and light bait-line, the minnow, swivel and sinker give the required weight for casting. Increased weight is ob- tained by increase of the caliber of the line, so a fly-line is consequently of a larger size than a bait-line. Formerly the twisted or plaited hair, and hair and silk- lines were employed altogether by the best anglers for fly- lines, but they have been almost entirely superseded by tiie really elegant tapered and enameled waterproof braided silk-line. The latter is the line j:>a?" excellence for all kinds of fly-fishing, being smooth, round, polished and perfectly Avaterproof, and is just stiff" and heavy enough to favor a perfectly straight cast, without looping or kinking, quali- ties that are peculiarly essential to this mode of angling. Those who have used the old-fashioned fly-lines, are pre- pared to speak feelingly and appreciatively concerning the great superiority and excellence of this line. They are made in several sizes for Salmon, Black Bass and Trout fishing ; are very strong and servieealde, and, for Black Bass angling, can be purchased in lengths of from twenty-five to thirty yards. They are usually fash- ioned with a regular and gradual taper for several yards to 23 266 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. the fly-end, the fly-end being only about one-half the cali- ber of the reel-end. Hall & Son's lines, which is the best way, taper both ways from the middle. They are usually stained of a greenish-olive hue, which harmonizes well with the tints of the M^ater, sky and foliage. From twenty-five to thirty yards is the right length, and the size should be either E or F, which corresponds with Nos. 3 and 4, some dealers designating the sizes by letters, others by numerals. The silk and hair-line is still used to some extent, but it is open to many objections. At best, it is a weak line, and soon rots and becomes worthless by use, even with good care. The ends of the hairs become frayed, and separate after a time, and are a constant source of annoy- ance, by sticking out at various places on the line, pre- venting it from working smoothly and freely through the rings of the rod. When used for Black Bass angling, the size suitable for Trout fishing will answer, and the length should be about thirty yards. Next best to the tapered enameled silk-line is the oiled braided silk-line ; though this is not tapered, it is a good, strong and useful line, and is used by many anglers in preference to all others. It is tinted of a similar shade to the enameled line, and altogether is a very satisfactory fly- line, being heavy enough, and, withal, cheaper than the tapered line. Letters E and F, or Nos. 3 and 4, are suit- able sizes. Next in order is the braided linen-line, either water- proof or plain. Where economy in price is the necessary object, this is the best line to select, though the angler should bear in mind that the best is the cheapest, for he knows full well that to no other class of goods does this FISHING-LINES. 267 maxim apply with more force than to fishing-tackle. This line is sti'ong, firm and round, and is capable of long and hard service, if proper care is taken to dry it thoroughly always after using. It is well adapted for making a nice, straight cast, and will not curl or kink. It is usually stained a light shade of slate, or a grayish drab. Letter F, or No. 4, is about the right size. Some fly-fishers use the ordinary braided raw or boiled silk-lines, which, while being the very best lines for bait- fishing, are not so well adapted for fly-lines, on account of their light weight; the medium sizes, however, answer tolerably well. Letter E, or No. 3, is the correct size, when used for Black Bass fly-fishing. All fishing-lines that are not absolutely w^aterproof should be carefully dried after use; and even waterproof lines would be much benefited by an airing previous to putting away. Even the best lines become Aveak and worthless through want of proper and judicious treat- ment. It is impossible to make a line that is indestruc- tible, or proof against mildew or rot, though many anglers seem to think to the contrary, judging from the shiftless and reprehensible manner in which they use them; then, w^hen the line fails, they blame the manufacturer. Hand-Lines for Trolling. Tliere are many persons who can not, or will not, use a fishing-rod, but who greatly enjoy trolling Avith the hand- line and spoon-bait for Black Bass. For the benefit of these unfortunates, I will describe the proper line to be employed for this mode of fishing. The only line that is suitable for the purpose is a braided 268 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Braided Linen Trolling-Line. (,A. B. Shipley & Won.) FISHING-LINES. 269 or plaited linen or cotton line, size C or D (1 or 2). Such lines are large enough to preclude cutting the hands, and they will not kink or twist, qualities that are peculiarly essential for this kind of fishing. A twisted line, of any material, is inadmissible here, for the revolving of the spoon, if a swivel is not used, will cause even a braided line to twist on itself and kink ; therefore, one, or even two, swivels should always be attached to, and near the spinning-bait. A trolling hand-line should be from seventy-five to a hundred yards long. CHAPTER XII. SILK-WOKM GUT. " But if yon can attain to angle with one hair,— you shall have more rises, and catch more fish."— Izaak Walton. The material of which leaders and snells are composed is a mystery to many anglers. It is eminently fitted for the purposes mentioned, being as nearly invisible as any substance can well be, and at the same time is quite strong and impermeable to water. It is really the "fluid silk" of the silk-worm, drawn out into a continuous length. This fluid silk, whicli in its natural state resembles colorless varnish, is contained in long cylindrical sacks, many times the length of the worm, and which are capable of being unfolded by immersion in water, and the fluid silk can be drawn out into threads, longer or shorter, coarse or fine, as may be desired. Mr, Wm, Gray, of Davenport, Iowa, in an article in the Forest and Stream, gives some very interesting in- formation concerning the process of drawing out the threads, which, to many anglers, will be new. He says: — In all my reading I have never seen a sentence in reference to that most essential article to the sportsman angler, viz.: silk-worm gut ; what it was and how prepared. I know that many skillful fishers know nothing about where it comes from. Others think that because it is called silk-worm gut, therefore it is the intestines of the silk-worm, just as catgut (violin strings) are made from the (270) SILK-WORM GUT. 271 intestines of a cat (?) or a sheep, after the mucous membrane has been remov-ed from it. But such is not tlie case. It is true tliat it comes from the inside of the silk-worm, but it is not what we would call the gut. More than forty years ago I was curious to know what this article was, but not until within four years ago did I ascertain. Inside of the silk-worm there are two lobes or sacs lying together, somewhat like the two lobes of eggs in a fish. When these lobes are fully developed they consist of a A'iscid fluid, and if the worm were allowed to live this would all be spun out of its mouth as a cocoon of silk. But if silk-worm gut is wanted, the worms are taken when the lobes are mature (or ripe, as they term it,) and thrown into strong vinegar for about two hours. The eflfect of this immersion in vinegar kills the worms, makes the external part of their bodies very tender, and thickens the fluid in the lobes into a soft, tough pulp. The next process is to remove it from the vinegar and remove the outer part carefully, and one at a time, these lobes are caught by the thumb and finger by the ends, with each hand, and stretched apart to the length required, and given two or three twists around a small pin placed in each end of a frame, where they remain till dry enough to be bunched up ready for market. That this i.s the way that gut is finished we have some evidence by ' examining a thread of it in the bunch as commonly sold. At each end you will see where it has been twisted around the pin, and beyond that, where the piece held in the fingers has been stripped out, which is usually flat. That there are other insects than the common silk-worm (how many I do not know) who have this lobe of fluid matter that is utilized into fishing gut I am satisfied. More than forty years ago I got a quantity of gut (how or from whom I do not remember), but it was different from any I had ever seen before or since. It was heavy and long. Some of the threads were nearly three feet, perfect in smoothness and equal in thickness, and as thick as good salmon gut. The color, however, differed from the ordinary gut, being brown-colored, as if .soaked in tea, but I am satisfied it was the natural color. I still have a few threads of it in my tackle- book, which have been there about forty-five years. I have just 272 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. looked at them, and find that the longest yet remaining is twenty- three and a half inches; a good, clear thread; one of the lightest of the lot. About as long ago as I can remember there was an article sold called sea-weed, which was used by fly-fishers. It was from three to four feet in length, round, smooth, and tapered from the root to the point, but was not reliable as to its strength. I have not seen any of it for nearly fifty years past. The long and heavy gut to which Mr. Gray alludes, is, possibly, the product of one of our native silk-worms, as Dr. T. Garlick, of Bedford, Ohio, one of the fathers of pisciculture in the United States, states that he has drawn silk gut from four to six feet long, sufficiently strong for Salmon fishing, from the larva of the Afticus cecropia, the largest of our native silk-worms. Dr. Garlick describes the process, in the Forest and Stream, as follows: — I have drawn silk gut not only from the Attlcus cecropia and A. prometheus, but also from the Italian silk-worm. I have never killed the worm, nor put it in vinegar for this purpose, which may be the best method. Soon after the larva ceases to feed he begins to spin his cocoon, which is the right time to draw the silk gut. I pin the worm to a board, putting one pin in his caudal extremity, and another pin about one-third of his length back from his head. I then, with a sharp knife, cut off the forepart of the worm far enough back to cut off a very little of the sac containing the silk, Avhich is a fluid of about the consistency of the white of an egg. I then take a large pin, and dipping it into the fluid silk, Avhich adheres to the pin, I draw out the silk slowly (the more slowly the larger will be the gut); until I have drawn out all, or nearly all, of the silk contained in the sacs. I then take another pin, and attach it to the other extremity of the gut, at the point where I divided the worm. The two pins are then stuck into a board, drawing the gut taut, which soon becomes hard and fit for use. The fluid silk SILK- WORM GUT. 273 hardens to some extent immediately on coming in contact with the air. Leaders_, or Casting Lines. The silk-worm gut imported into the United States, and used for leaders and snells, is usually in short lengths of from twelve to fifteen inches. In forming leaders, these are knotted together to the desired length. There are many grades of gut, and the angler will do well to remember that the best is the cheapest. Black Bass leaders should be from six to nine feet long, and composed of the best single Spanish silk-worm gut, heavy and strong, hard and round. The gut lengths should be perfectly clear and sound, quite smooth, and without inequalities or rough places. The rod-end of the leader should be composed of a large-sized gut, the next length a trifle smaller, and so diminish by a gradual taper to the fly-end. The several lengths should be neatly and firmly knotted together by what is technically known as the double water-knot. The ends should be cut off closely; or, if the single water-knot is used, the ends should be first wrapped with silk, waxed and varnished, and then cut off neatly and closely. It should be remembered that it is necessary to soak and soften the ends of the gut-lengths previous to tying. The water-knot, if correctly tied, can be easily slipped apart and the snell of a fly inserted, when it is to be se- curely drawn together again, the snell having a knot tied on the end to prevent its pulling out; but more of this anon. Some leaders are now made with loops for attaching the 274 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 5 ^ SILK-WORM GUT. 275 flies, which is a very convenient and expeditious way, but the old method is still much in vogue, and both plans have their advocates. Too much care can not be exercised in selecting the leader, for upon its soundness and excellence depend much of the pleasure and success of fly-fishing. It should be carefully examined in every inch of its length, and the knots closely inspected. The leader should always be stained some suitable neutral tint ; either a slightly green- ish, grayish, or smoky hue will answer. Strong green tea, diluted black ink, or a weak solution of indigo, make good stains. The leader should have a loop at each end, for attaching the reel -line and stretcher- fly. I will not enter into the details of making leaders, as they can now be purchased so cheaply, and of such superior excellence, that the amateur can hardly hope to equal them, even were it necessary. The leaders known as "mist- colored " are all that can be desired, and the angler can have them sent by mail from any first-class dealer, who will select them "upon honor." I will only add, beware of double or twisted-leaders; they are an abomination to the Black Bass fly-fisher. Snells, or Snoods. For utility and convenience, hooks are tied on short pieces of gut, gimp, or sea-grass, called snells, or snoods. The best material for snells is silk-worm gut, as it is light, strong;, and nearly invisible. It should be stained of a similar color, and in the same manner as the leader. The length of snells for Black Bass angling should be from six to eight inches ; and they should be composed of 276 BO(^K OF THE BLACK BASS. Leader, or Casting Line. (A. B. Shipley & Son.) Shipley's Self-hooking Elastic Snood. (A. B. Shipley & Son.) Snell and Hook. (A. B. Shipley •& Son.) SILK-WORM GUT. 277 riingle, heavy giit, though they may be made double if the gut is very light or fine. The hooks should be neatly, carefully, and securely tied on with waxed silk, and varnished; and a strong and firm loop must be formed on the other end of the sncll, for at- taching to the reel line. The ends of the gut should be softened by soaking in warm water before tying on the hook and forming the loop. Gut snells, or loops, are always used for artificial flies ; when snells are used, they should be from three to six inches in length, and should always be formed of single gut, with, or without loops in the ends, according to the style of leader used, whether with loops for the attachment of the fly-snells, or not. Messrs. A. B. Shipley & Son, of Philadelphia, manufac- ture a patent, self-hooking, elastic snell, formed by tying a short piece of silk rubber cord across a bight of the gut- snell, giving it a spring or play of two inches or more. Messrs. Shipley say that it has proved very successful, and describe its modus operandi as follows : — "The fish, on biting and attempting to let go the bait, is at once caught ; as when the tension of its biting or pulling at the bait ceases, the snood flies, or springs imme- diately, and fastens the hook, itself, thus saving the setting of the wrist, or loosing the fish by inattention." In fishing for Black Bass in waters where Pickerel or Pike-Perch abound, it becomes necessary to substitute gimp, for the gut of the snell, as the sharp, long, and nu- merous teeth of these species would make short work of the delicate gut, by fraying it or cutting it in two, and thus subject the angler to the great annoyance and aggra- tion of often loosing both hook and fish. 278 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. silk-worm gut. 279 Knots. In angling, as in sailing, there is no accomplishment so necessary, or that proclaims the finished angler or sailor so well, as his ability to tie a good knot. The beginner should study the plate of "knots" thoroughly, and by practice learn to tie each and all of them readily and prop- erly. I have seen otherwise good anglers who could not tie a correct or graceful knot, and the knife was always brought into requisition to " untie " their clumsy efforts ; in this way their lines become shorter daily, and " beauti- fully less." There is always a right way and a wrong way to do every thing; and though a knot may seem an unimportant thing, it is really often a most vital one, many times caus- ing the angler to lose a good fish, and might result in the loss of his life to the sailor. The new hand will please remember that whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well. Fig. 1 is the " common " knot for forming a loop at the end of a line, or snell. It has its uses. Fig. 2 is the best knot for tying such a loop ; it looks a little intricate, but can be learned by practice, and once learned, will be a "well-spring of pleasure." Fig. 3 is a good and simple method of attaching the reel-line to the loop of the leader, or snell. It is the " tiller-hitch," or " helm-knot," so-called because it can be instantly cast off by a jerk on the end; being thus the safest hitch for the main-sheet in sailing. Fig. 4 is a more secure knot for attaching the end of the line to loop of leader, or snell ; it makes a small and neat knot, and is easily untied. It is the " becket-hitch," 280 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. with a small round knot in the end of the line to prevent its working loose. Fig. 5 is another method of fastening reel-line to loop of leader, or snell ; it is a very safe and secure knot, and is a modification of the "reef-knot," (fig. 10). Fig. 6 is similar to fig. 5, with the end of line fastened on itself by a half-hitch ; it is very secure, but a little more difficult to untie than fig. 5. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are all good knots for bending the line to loop of leader, or snell ; they draw up close and snug, will not slip, and are easily loosened. The angler can take his choice, but he should never tie his line and leader together by the com- mon knot (similar to fig. 1), or the square knot (fig. 10). The leader should always be provided with a loop in each end, neatly seized with good sewing silk, and varnished. In bait-fishing, a loop may be formed on the end of the reel-line, by which it may be fastened to one ring of the swivel, wdien it is desired to pass the loop of the snell through the opposite ring. Fig. 7 is the " single water-knot," for tying lengths of gut together to form the leader; it consists in half-hitches at the ends of the gut-lengths, which are formed around the opposing gut- lengths, as shown in the figure; this forms a sliding knot for securing the end of the snell of a drop- fly. Fig. 8 is the " double water-knot" for the same purpose as fig. 7 ; it is more secure, but not so neat, as double hitches are used in its construction, as plainly shown in the figure. Fig. 9, shows the method of fastening the snell of a dropper by the single or double water-knots. After the two parts of the water-knot are drawn tight, as shown in SILK-WORM GUT. 281 the figure, a round knot is made in the end of the snell of the fly, and is put through the open loop between the two halves of the water-knot, which latter are then drawn together close and snug, holding the snell tightly and se- curely. By using this mode of attaching droppers to tlie leader^ they stand at right angles to it, and may be changed as often as desired, and with but little trouble, by simply sliding the water-knots apart, taking out the snell of one fly and inserting another. The flies can not pull out, as might be supposed, for the strain and struggles of a fish only serve to make the knot draw more closely together. Fig. 10 is the " reef-knot," or common square knot, and is a very safe and strong knot for many purposes ; it never slips or jams, when properly tied, and is easily loosened; but in tying this knot, if the second turn or hitch is not made exactly right, it forms a "granny-knot," than which there is no worse or more uncertain knot made, and yet nine persons out of ten tie a "granny- knot." The novice will do well to study this common knot, and learn to tie it correctly. It is sometimes used for tying the lengths of a leader, in which case, as also with the single water-knot, the ends should be cut ofl* closely, and neatly whipped with fine sewing silk and varnished. Fig. 11 is the form of knot generally used by manufac- turers of leaders, or casting lines, for tying together the gut- lengths ; it is a very simple knot to tie, though it looks somewhat difficult in the figure, and in the way that I have seen some attempt it, is a difficult knot. I have drawn the two lengths of different colors, one white, the other dark, so that the construction of the knot can be more easily seen. The ends of two gut-lengtlis are passed by one another, or in other words lapped, sufficiently to 24 282 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. allow of their being tied by a single hitch and drawn tightly, just like tying a single knot in a double string (as in fig. 1). Usually the knot is made double by pass- ing the ends of the gut through twice, instead of but once, in tying ; that is by simply tying what is known as a "surgeon's knot" (for ligating arteries) with a double thread. The short ends are then trimmed off closely. If a leader is made with loops for attaching drop-flies, this is the best knot to use in making the leader itself, being, like fig. 10, secure and unyielding. Where knots like figs. 10 and 11 are used in construct- ing the leader, and no loops are provided for attaching droppers, the latter must be secured by a half-hitch, just above a knot in the leader, as shown in figs. 10 and 11, which is a very good plan. It must be borne in mind, that in tying lengths of gut together, or in tying loops or knots in gut-snells, the ends must first be soaked in water until quite soft and pliable ; this must also be observed in bending or tying a hook on a gut-snell. CHAPTER XIII. HOOKS. " For in the Prophet Amos, mention is made of fish-hooks ; and in the book of Job, wliicli was long before tlie days of Amos, for that book is said to have been written by Moses, mention is made also of fish-hooks, wliich must imply anglers in those times."— Izaak Walton. The best fish-hooks are made in England, that country supplying the world with hooks of all sizes and styles, for all kinds of fishing. The town of Redditch has been famous for its fish-hooks for at least two centuries. There, are located the celebrated makers, Harrison, Hemming, Alcock, and others, whose familiar names are almost sy- nonymous with hooks and needles, both articles being usually made by the manufacturers mentioned. The following brief account of the process of making fish-hooks will doubtless prove interesting to most of my readers. It is an extract from a letter in the Forest and Stream, written by Miss Sara J. McBride, of Oswego, New York, the well-known, skillful tyer of artificial flies ; and whose writings are as charming and attractive as her artistic imitations of the insect world. The letter is one descriptive of a recent visit to the celebrated factory of Alcock, at Redditch, England : — And this is Alcock's ! How familiar the name! What a host of reminiscences rise as we enter tlie doors — "Rotuid Bend Kendall," " Kirby," " Sneck Bend," "Alcock's Best ; " all spring up like phan- tom forms. Tlirough the kindly courtesy of Mr. Alcock we Avere (283) 284 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. shown througli the different apartments and saw the various manip- ulations the wire taken from the coil undergoes, until the delicately pointed, japanned hook is ready for the market. In one corner of a room there was a large pair of upright scissors; with a quick snap two hundred or more pieces of the required length were cut from a bundle of wire ; six to ten of these pieces are taken, held firmly against an iron bar, and an incision made with a sharp knife, for the barb. Next the filer takes each one separately with a pair of pliers, holds it in a vise, and with a few deft movements of a file, the embryo hook is pointed. Now they are bent on different forms. This is the christening period. They come forth, Sproat, Limerick, O'Shaughnessy, Kirby, Kendall, Sneck Bend, Hollow Points, and Round Points. The hardening process is the next in order. As we enter this department our nostrils are assailed by a fearful stench of burn- ing fish-oil. We would like to retreat — an instant's consideration — we decide to ignore the olfactory nerves and keep on. Here we are shown rows of ovens, all filled with pans of burning, blazing hooks. They are kept in this fiery furnace from fifteen to twenty-five minutes, then taken and thrown into the bath of oil. We were informed they formerly used water for cooling, but now they considered oil the best. True to Yankee instinct, I queried why. The workman did not enter into a learned disctission on the molecular construction, or atomic properties of steel, and the consequent differentiation of the particles in cooling, as a Boston girl might have done, but Avith a wise nod and a firm pressure of the lips said, "The oil is the best." I thought the oil was used to keep visitors from intruding. The hooks taken from the oil are quite brittle. To remedy this they are reheated. During this process, which lasts but a few minutes, they are stirred briskly in sand. We next visited the scouring room. Here were eight small barrels, all filled with hooks and fine sand, revolving and turning round and round with a deafening clash and clang. In this room the workmen escaped quizzing. The noise was too much for me. Now for the finishing touches — the japanning. The japan is a black, tarry liquid made in Birmingham, the composition of which seems to be a trade secret, as I failed to learn it. Two coats of japan are applied ; they are heated moderately in an oven and thoroughly mixed after each heating. nooKS. 285 In the wfireroom we are shown immense quantities of hooks, all sizes, done up iu packages of thousands and tens of thousands, ready to be shipped to all parts of the world. Here is the small delicate hook for France, so diminutive that the rude scale of inches has to be laid aside and only the French milimeter can do it justice ; hooks for Canada, United States, Australia, and New Zealand ; triple hooks, double hooks, hooks flattened, hooks ringed, hooks headed, and hooks eyed. All kinds of hooks for all kinds of fish. The most approved hooks for Black Bass, are the Sproat, O'Shaughnessy, Dublin Limerick, Cork Shape Limerick, Round Bend Carlisle, or Aberdeen, and Hollow Point Limerick; they are best in the order named, and those made by Harrison & Son, and T. Hemming & Son, excel all others. There are fish-hooks and fish-hooks, and to the nniniti- ated one hook is as good as another; all they can see in a hook, is the fiict that it has a shank, a bend, and a bearded point. But to the angler this contracted view is not suffi- cient. There are many styles of shank, numerous forms of bend, and various ways of fashioning the barb and point, all of which are of the highest practical importance. Some hooks are made for general .service, while others are formed exclusively for particular kinds of fish, or for special methods of angling. The fish-hook of to-day is not es- sentially different from that used by the ancient Greeks and Romans, to the casual observer ; but to the practiced eye, the hooks now produced, for form, temper, and strength have never been equaled in the history of the world. < The form, quality, and general excellence of hooks, as now made, is the result of the competitive skill and great experience of the manufacturers of Redditch, England, 286 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. whose energies and resources have been directed in this peculiar channel for nearly two hundred years ; and, as might be inferred, as between the hooks of the first-class makers, there is but little choice, so far as quality and workmanship are concerned. There is no implement of the craft that is so universally kept in stock at the small stores and shops throughout the country as the fish-hook; and these hooks, as a rule, are of very inferior quality, as might be inferred when we take into consideration their cheapness, notwithstanding the fact that they must net the dealer at least fifty per cent, profit, or he would not sell them. While the average angler is inclined to use heavier rods, and stronger lines, than are actually necessary, he does not seem to be so much impressed with the importance of strength in a fish-hook, but accepts those of the small dealers mentioned, with a blind faith that a hook is a hook, and that one is as strong as another, if of the same sized wire; and, morover, he recognizes but two forms of hooks, the Kirby, or side-bend, and the straight, or more or less rounding-bend. Now there are no fallacies so great as these, for the hook is of the most vital importance to the angler, and he should obtain the very best to be had, both in form and quality. Fish-hooks, in themselves, being of so comparatively small a price, it is the most insane idea of economy to purchase any but those of the very best quality. The most approved form of bend and barb, should also be taken into serious consideration. The highest grades of English hooks, like English gun- barrels, are thoroughly tested by causing them to sustain a strain, twice or thrice as great as they are usually put to HOOKS. 287 in actual service, and the extra care and manipulation, and the superior stock used in the construction of such hooks, make their cost somewhat higher; but this extra amount is money well expended, for the angler can rely upon them with the utmost confidence, provided they are the product of the best makers; there is but one thing left to decide his choice among such hooks, viz., the peculiar bend or form given to the hook, of which there are several that are good enough. I might add, that all first-class hooks are japanned, or black, and that a blued hook is always of an inferior quality. As regards the shape and bend of a hook, my first choice for Black Bass angling is the " Sproat Bend," and the next best form, in my opinion, is the "O'Shaughnessy." In general form and bend the two hooks are identical, but their difference consists in the form of barb, and direction of the point. In the latter peculiarities, the Sproat is fashioned after true scientific principles, being a central- draught hook ; that is, the short, squarish, or somewhat angular barb, terminates in an abrupt point, which, if con- tinued upward, would intersect a line drawn from the ex- tremity of the shank and continuous with it. In other words, the direction of the point of the hook is towards the end of the shank. When the Sproat hook is tied on a snell, and the point of the hook is held against the ball of the thumb, and traction made on the snell, the direction of the point of the hook is on the same plane, or in the same direction or axis as the line of the snell, thus constituting what is termed a central-draught fish-hook. The wire of the Sproat is a trifle smaller than the O'Shaughuessy, which 288 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. §?ROf ^BENI >♦ \Jalmer," and it is de- signed to imitate a caterpillar, for it is only a body bristling with "legs." Then there is the "hackle-fly," which is a fly with body, 298 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. wings^ and, perhaps, a tail, and, in addition, a hackle- feather tied on at the shoulder, to represent the legs; and most flies are made in this way, though a few, notably, some salmon-flies, have, in addition to wings, tail and feelers — the entire body wound with a hackle, like a pal- mer. This is known as a "combination-fly," and, like all salmon-flies, does not pretend to imitate any thing in nature. It is not my intention to give any instruction in the art of fly-tying, nor do I deem it at all expedient, for it is an art that can not be taught by written directions, without the aid of explanatory cuts and diagrams, and even then in but a moderate degree. The best way for one to ob- tain an insight into the mysteries of the art, is to care- fully dissect and take apart the flies of the best makers, for in the taking apart one can acquire more or less of the modus operandi of the putting together. The most approved hooks for bass-flies are the Sproat, O'Shaughnessy, Dublin Limerick, Cork Shape Limerick, and Hollow Point Limerick. I consider tliem best in the order named, though the O'Shaughnessy is thought by many to be the best. It is the same in all respects as the Dublin Limerick, except that it is a little heavier in wire, and it differs from the Sproat only in the barb, the latter having a shorter barb, with the point straight, or pointing toward the extreme end of the shank, forming a true center-drauglit hook. The barb of the O'Shaughnessy is a little longer, and the point is turned slightly outward. But any of these hooks will give good satisfaction. They are made in the best manner, and of tlie best material, by R. Harrison Bartleet & Co., successors to Richard Harrison & Co., and T. Hemming & Son, of Redditch, England. ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 299 The most suitable sizes, for bass-flies, are Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the hist being the smallest that should be used under ordinary circumstances, though, for the smallest flies, Nos. 6 and 7 may be employed. These numbers apply to all of the hooks named above. Flies may be tied on a silk-worm gut-snell several inches in length, or may have simply a small, short gut- loop. Those with loops can be used as "stretchers" or tail-flies; but when used as "dro])pers" or bob-flies, they must be attached to the leader by a half length of gut, say four inches long. Many "trout-flies" are used, and with good eifect in Black Bass fishing, for really the form and color of the fly does not seem to make much diiference with the Bass; he does not seem so "fastidious," as it is termed, in his choice of flies. Most of the "general" trout-flies are taken as patterns for bass-flies, as the Coachman, Pro- fessor, Soldier, Grizzly King, Queen of the Water, King of the Water, Ibis, Kingdom, Quaker, etc., and all of the palmers or " hackles." As every angler Avill become partial, sooner or later, to certain flies, and adopt them as favorites to the exclu- sion of others, I deem it unnecessary to allude to but few, except in a general way ; and those that I shall particular- ize are such as I have used many times with most gratify- ing results. I have had more uniform success, day in and day out, with the black, brown, red, yellow, and gray hackles (palmers), than with the winged-flies; though some of the latter I have employed with excellent success for high or rough waters, and those with light-colored or white 300 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. No. 1. Polka. Wo. 2. Coachman. No 3. Hackle. No. 4. Bumble Bee. No. 5. Abbey. No. 6. Grizzly King. ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 301 wings can not be surpassed for twilight-fishing, or for very gloomy days. The following flies, tied for me by C. F. Orvis, of Man- chester, Vermont, expressly for Florida waters, I found very taking at suitable times : McLeod. — Body, emerald green, with gold twist; tag, yellow and red floss ; wrings, dark mottled brown ; tail, green drake, with red ibis and mottled yelloAv; hackle, yellow ; antennse or feelers, scarlet. Imperial. — Body, red, with silver twist; tag, silver; tail (whisk), red and white; hackle, black and white; wings, large, grayish white, bordered with black ; feelers, scarlet. Green and Gold. — Body, emerald green, gold twist; tag, scarlet ; tail, white and red ; hackle, yellow ; wings, olive green. La Belle. — Body, pearly blue, silver twist; tag, red and gold; hackle, blue; wings, pure white; tail, red and white. White and Ibis. — Body, j^carl, gold tinsel; tag, peacock herl ; tail, red and white ; wings, white and scarlet ; tag, red ; hackle, white and scarlet. Roycd Coachman. — Body, scarlet, and peacock herl ; tail, pin-tail duck ; hackle, brown ; wings, white. Mr. Orvis also tied the next two flies, from patterns furnished by myself, and which have for years been favorite flies with me, when Avinged flies are at all ad- missible. As I am the originator of them, I have named them Oriole and Polka. They are totally unlike any thing in nature or art, but the Bass seem fond of them, nevertheless. The Polka has some general resemblance to the Abbev. 302 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Ijarge and Small Bass Flies. (A. B. yhipley & Son.) Bass Flies on Edgar's Barbless Hooks. (Wm. Mills & Son.) ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 303 Oriole. — Body, black, with gold tinsel; hackle, large, and black; wings, bright yellow; tail, mixed black, and white. Polka. — Body, scarlet, gold twist; hackle, red; wings, black with white spots (guinea hen or woodpecker) ; tail, brown and white, mixed. The flies which follow are part of an assortment tied by Abbey & Imbrie, and have been remarkably and un- usually successful with me, whenever winged flies were called for: Professor. — Body, yellow; hackle (legs), golden brown; tail, scarlet ibis; wings, yellow, mottled. Queen of the Water. — Body, dark yellow, gold tinsel ; hackle, red ; wings, mallard, mottled. Grizzly King. — Body, green; hackle, gray; tail, red; wings, pin-tail duck or mallard. Soldier. — Body, scarlet ; hackle, red ; wings, gray. Montreal. — Body, red; hackle, scarlet; wings, wild turkey. Governor Alvord. — Body, peacock herl; hackle, red ; tail, red ibis ; under wings, brown, upper wings, drab. Seih Green. — Body, green, with yellow stripe ; hackle, red; wings, brown (woodcock). Abbey. — Body, scarlet, gold twist ; hackle, red ; tail, golden pheasant ; wings, pin-tail duck. Ferguson. — Body, yellow, gold twist ; hackle, green ; tail, peacock, yellow and scarlet ; wings, yellow and scarlet, and wild turkey. Kingdom. — Body, white, striped with green; hackle, red ; wings, woodcock (brown). Gold Spinner. — Body, orange, gold tinsel ; hackle, light red ; wings, gray. 304 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Captain. — Body, gray, and peacock licrl ; hackle, red; tail, scarlet, green and wood-duck ; Avings, gray. Ibis. — Body, scarlet mohair, silver twist; tail, hackle, and wings of the red ibis. The following flies are also good ones, some being great favorites Avith certain anglers : Reuben Wood. — Body, white, with red head ; hackle, brown ; wings and tail, rayed feathers of mallard. Dr. Foioler. — Body, white; tail, scarlet; hackle, scarlet and white ; wings, red ibis and white. Green Drake. — Body, white, ribbed with black; hackle, ginger; tail, dark; wings, mottled green and yellow. Gray Drake, — Body, dark gray ; hackle, gray ; tail, dark; Avings, gray (mallard). Brown Drake. — Body, golden brown ; hackle, brown ; tail, dark brown ; wings, golden brown. HoJbcrton. — Body, orange, gold tinsel; hackle, peacock herl and scarlet; tail, wood-duck and scarlet; under wings, red ibis and yellow ; upper wings, peacock and wood-duck. Shoemaker. — Body, alternate rings of salmon and gray ; hackle, light red ; tail, wood-duck ; Avings, mallard (gi-ay). Suj)erior. — Body, dark claret; hackle, brown; tail, blue macaAV ; Avings, Avild turkey. General Hooker. — Body, alternate yellow and green rings ; hackle, red ; tail, wood-duck ; Avings, tail feathers of ruffed grouse. Quaker. — Body, gray ; hackle, yelloAV ; Avings, horned OAvl's Aving. King of the Water. — Body, scarlet, gold tinsel ; hackle, red ; Avings, bright mottled, mallard. ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 305 Green 3IanUc. — Body and hackle, bright green ; wings and tail, mottled, mallard. HenfthaU. — Body, peacock herl ; hackle, white hairs from deer's tail; tail, two or three long fibers of peacock-tail feathers; wdngs, light drab (dove). Oconomowoc. — Body, creamy yellow ; hackle, white and dun (deer's tail); tail, ginger; wings, cinnamon (wood- cock). The White Moths, or Millers, are excellent flies for moon- light evenings, or at dusk. They may be pure white, or all white with yellow body, or all white with gray wings. The bodies should be made full and fluffy. The hackles, or palmers, are made with various-hued bodies, as black, green, red, or yellow, or peacock herl, with either black, red, brown, yellow or gray legs. A pure white hackle is very killing about dark. A most excellent hackle is made from the hairs of a deer's tail, somewhat in the fashion of the "• bob," so extensively used in Florida and Texas. The three "typical" hackles of Mr. H. Cholmondely- Pennell, and which he uses to the exclusion of all other flies, are described as follows: Green. — Dark-green body ; very dark-green hackle for both legs and whisk. Brown. — Body, dark orange; fiery or cinnamon-brown hackle for legs and whisk. Yclloio. — Body, golden yellow; darkish golden-olive hackle for legs and whisk. These flies are admirable for Black Bass, however they may be for Trout, and the angler Avho carries but a lim- ited assortment in his fly-hook should include these "hack- les," in various sizes; they will not disappoint him. 26 306 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. As I have described quite enough for the beginner, and, perhaps, too many, I will only allude to some by name, which will often be found equal to the above, and, for some waters, superior : Biuuble Bee, Jungle Cock, Hoskins, California, Moose- head, Widow, Academy, Blue Jay, Page, Yellow Sally, Blue and Drab, Pheasant, Baven, Claret, Tippulium, Davis, Tanner, White and Green, Motley, Premier, Black and Tan, Black and Gold, Purple Bass, Fire Fly, Little Egg, Gray Coflin, Brown Coflin, Sand Fly, Stone Fly, Hawthorn, Dark Mackerel, etc., etc. It will be seen that the angler has quite an extensive list to choose from, for most of the flies named are kept in stock by our best dealers. As a rule, the smallest bass- flies should be selected for general Ashing; and tlTose of subdued tints will be found the most successful, saving on the exceptional occasions already referred to. As has been already mentioned, most of the flies named are pat- terned after trout-flies of the same names; and, while some of the latter are large enough, quite a number are too small, and must be enlarged somewhat for bass-flies. But there are flies, and enough, to suit those of every taste, even should the angler be so fastidious and dainty as " Ye Sunberry Fisher," as described by Punch : "Ye Sunberrye fysher has flies of all feathers, For all sorts of seasons, in all sorts of weathers. Flies when ye Springtide is blustrie and showerie, Flies when ye Summer is grassie and bowerie, Flies when ye Autumn is golden and grainie. For hot weather, cold weather, mistie, or rainie. ' Red-spinner, palmer, black peacock and gray, Yellow dun, golden dun, March brown, and May, Sand-liy and stone-fly, and alder and gnat. Black midge and marlow bug — all round his hat." CHAPTER XV. ARTIFICIAL BAITS. "And therefore I have, which I will sliow to you, an artificial minnow that will catch Trout as well as an artificial fly ; and it was made by a handsome woman that had a fine hand, and a live minnow lying by her."— Izaak Walton. Trolling-Baits — Spoon-Baits. The most eommonly-used trolling-bait for Black Bass is the spoon-bait or trolling-spoon. It is now made of all shapes, and many sizes ; but all are made upon the same general principle, and are merely variations of the original trolling-spoon, which was fashioned like the bowl of a spoon, a single hook being soldered to one end, and a hole drilled in the other end for attaching the line. By trailing or trolling such a spoon at the end of a line from a moving boat, it revolves gracefully beneath the surface of the water, the burnished surfaces flashing at each revolution, and proves cpiite an effective lure. Manufacturers vie with each other in producing novel shapes and so-called improvements, but there is nothing better than the original spoon-bowl with a single hook. The double and triple hooks, usually attached to the mod- ern spoons, are liable to be crushed and broken by the jaws of a large fish, if hooked in a position favorable to this contingency. Trolling-spoons are all made with a concave and a con- vex surface ; the latter surface being brightly polished or (307) 308 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. ARTIFICIAL BAITS. 309 burnished, while the former is generally painted, and usu- ally of a red color. They are made of tin or brass, and often plated with nickel, silver or gold; but so long as spoon-baits are brightly burnish'od, it matters not what the material is, for the Black Bass is not a judge of metals, but will grab at any tiling bright and in mo- tion. The depending hook or hooks may be plain, or dressed with a tuft of feathers or braid, called, by courtesy, a "fly;" but these fanciful additions, while pleasing to the angler's eye, do not enhance the "taking" qualities of the lure, for it is the flashing and glancing of the revolv- ing spoon that attracts the fish; and it can not be made more effective by these ornamental appendages, or, as I have sometimes seen, by the addition of a live minnow, or a strip of fat pork! One or two brass swivels should always be attached to the spoon-bait or line, to prevent twisting or kinking. Particular, attention should be paid to the hooks of troll- ing-spoons, for many of thein are of inferior quality, though the American spoons are, as a rule, furnished with better hooks than the English baits of the same grades. As a rule, most persons use too large spoons 'for Black Bass, using generally Pickerel baits. For the Bhick Bass, the spoon should be no larger than the bowl of an ordinary sized tea-spoon, for trolling with the hand-line; and when trolling with the rod, they should be still smaller. Abbey & Imbrie's new Fluted Spoon-Bait is a very finely finished and attractive bait ; it is of the same shape as the original spoon, but with a fluted section, which adds very much to its attractiveness when spinning; the hooks 310 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Trolling-Spoons for Hand-line, (J. H. Mann.) 1. Oval. 2. Perfect Kevolving. fniiv , J H MAIIM 3. Kidneyo ARTIFICIAL BAITS. 311 Spoons for Rod Trolling. (J. H. Mann.) 1 and 2. Egg. 3 and 4. Kidney, 312 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. are of good quality and reliable. It is made in a number of sizes for different species of fish ; Nos. 2, 3, and 4 are the best sizes for Black Bass. This firm also manufactures a spoon of shell or mother-of-pearl, which is a beautiful and effective bait, almost too pretty to use for such a pur- pose. The proper sizes to employ are those which corre- spond with the sizes above given, of their fluted spoon, viz: Nos.* 2, 3, and 4. They also make Skittering Spoons of both pearl and metal. J. H. Mann, of Syracuse, New York, manufactures a line of superior trolling baits ; the best grades are carefully finished and thoroughly reliable, with good hooks attached. For hand trolling, liis Perfect Revolving Spoon, No. 20, with controlling link; Oval, No. 16; Kidney Shape, No. 6| ; and Egg, No. 3|, are all good baits. For rod trolling, his Trout Spoons, Egg, No. 1; Kidney, Nos. 2 and 3, are all that can be desired. The Improved Trolling Spoons of L. S. Hill & Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, are articles of real merit. They are made in the semblance of a minnow, the spoon being supported by a spiral spring, held in position by a " U " shaped guide, and readily yields to pressure. It finds its proper circle according to the speed given it, and revolv- ing cither way prevents the line from twisting so much as with some other spoons. Nos. 1 and 1| are the proper sizes for Black Bass. Other trolling-spoons or baits are made in fanciful shapes, and variously styled minnows, propellers, spinners, etc., but are no better, and many of them not so good as those above mentioned ; for the nearer a spinning spoon-bait approaches the original spoon, already referred to, the more practical and useful it becomes. ARTIFICIAL BAITS. 313 Pearl Minnow. (A. B. Shipley & Son.) Hill's Improved Trolling Baits. (L. S. Hill & Co.) 27 314 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Flexible Protean Minnow. (A. B. Shipley & Son.) Arcificial Flexible Minnow, (Conroy, Bissett & Mallesou.) N9 1. Caledonian Minnow. (Chas. F. Orvis.) Jointed Metal Minnow. (Abbey & Imbrie.) artificial baits. 315 Artificial Minnows. Artificial minnoAvs for trolling, spinning, or casting, are made of metal, glass, and rubber, large and small, and gilded, silvered, or painted in attractive ways. Some of them are quite successful as baits, while others are com- paratively worthless. They are made both in our own country and in England, and as their numbers, and styles, and forms are constantly increasing, I do not deem it ad- visable to particularize or give special descriptions. While I have experimented with many of them, I do not employ them in angling for the Black Bass. For trolling or spinning, none of them are so effective as the spoon-baits ; while for casting, they are not to be compared with the natural minnow, alive or dead. I will merely name some of those that are best known, and more generally used : Caledonian, Phantom, Flexible, Jointed, Devon, Protean, Shadow, Pectoral, Unique, Professor, Metal, Glass, Pearl, Silver, and Gilt minnows, and the Dace, Gudgeon, Trout, and Kill Devil. Artificial Insects, etc. Artificial insects, as bees, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, May-flies, dragon-flies, and likewise artificial frogs, craw- fish, hegramites, shrimps, worms, etc., are now made which resemble the original creatures very closely. They are to be used in surface fishing, in the same way as artificial flies, and must be kept in constant motion, otherwise the Bass soon discover the deception ; but if skillfully used, they are often quite successful baits. They certainly have the recommendation of cleanliness and general convenience as compared with their original prototypes. 316 BOOK OP THE BLACK BASS. Artificial Helgramite. (Couroy, Bissett & Malleson.) Artificial Insects, (A. B. Shipley & Son.) Artificial Crawfish. (Couroy, Bissett & Malleson.) artificial baits. 317 The Bob. Of all baits or lures used in Black Bass angling, one of the rudest in structure, the most nondescript in appearance, yet one of the most effective and killing in actual practice, is the " bob " of the extreme Soutliern States. It has been in use in Florida for more than a century, and was first described by that quaint old naturalist, Bar- tram, in 1764. His description and method of using it, are identical with the "bob" and its use at the present day in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. The "bob" is composed of a triple hook, or three hooks tied back to back, and invested with a portion of a deer's tail, in the manner of a large, bushy, hackle ; often inter- mixed with red and white feathers, or strips of scarlet cloth. It forms a tassel or tuft, somewhat similar to the so-called triple hook "fly" attached to most trolling spoons. CHAPTER XVL NATUEAL BAITS. "And, good master, tell me what baits more you remember."— Izaak Walton. Minnows. Among anglers, the term minnow is used to express any small fish used for bait, whether adult fish of certain fami- lies, or the young of others. But the term properly be- longs to the family CYPRiNiDiE, which comprises numer- ous genera, and some of the genera are composed of many species. The most generally diffused species are Luxilis cornutus, the common shiner; Se7notilus corporalis, the common chub ; and Ceratichthys biguttatis, the horned chub. The shiner is, by all odds, the best bait for the Black Bass, be- ing quite silvery, as its name implies, and shows well in the water. It is not so hardy, or long-lived, on the hook, as the chub ; but on account of its white and silvery ap- pearance it is especially desirable for turbid or rough water, and on cloudy or dark days, though it is, for that matter, a good bait at all times. The chubs are good bait on bright days with clear and still water ; they have rather tough mouths, endure the hook well, and are rather more lively than shiners, and on these accounts are preferred by many anglers. The young of some of the species of Catostomidce (suck- (318) NATURAL BAITS. 319 ers), are also very good baits on sunny clays, with clear and low water; their tough, leathery, and projecting lips are well adapted for the hook. They are quite hardy and lively. The young of Perca americanq (yellow perch), are ex- cellent baits on ponds and lakes, early or late in the season ; especially if the spinous dorsal fin be clipped off with a sharp knife, or a pair of scissors. They show well in the water, and often prove an attractive lure during the seasons mentioned. As a rule, good-sized minnows should be employed, say from three to five inches long. The large minnows are livelier, more hardy, and live much longer on the hook than the small ones. A half-pound Bass will take the largest minnow as easily and as readily as the smallest one, so there is no fear of using minnows too large. It is true, that at times, the largest Bass seem to take to the smallest minnows, but on these exceptional occasions, they are off their feed, to a certain extent; for, usually, the largest Bass takes the largest minnows. In baiting with the minnow, the hook should be entered through the lower lip and out through the nostril; if this is carefully done, the minnow will live a comparatively long time. Sometimes, with small minnows, the hook is passed out through the socket of the eye, care being taken not to injure the eye-ball. Another excellent way, espe- cially with large minnows, is to pass the hook through both lips, the lower one first, and out through the upper one. When minnows are hooked in either of these ways, a dead one is often as good as a live one, for the moving of the line causes them to move in a natural manner. Where the water is without a current, as on ponds or lakes, and 320 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. where the minnows are quite small, they may be, for still fishing, but under no other circumstances, hooked just back of the dorsal fin, and just above the backbone. But in hooking a minnow in this way, the angler should bear in mind the injunction of Father Izaak, in reference to hooking the live frog: use him as though you loved him. Chubs and suckers should always be hooked through the lips, which are comparatively tough. An excellent method for affixing the minnow to the hook, in still-fishing — for it will not answer at all for casting — and one that will well pay the angler for the extra time and trouble involved, is as follows: "Take a. piece of cotton thread about a foot long, tie the middle of it tight under the barb of the hook ; now take the minnow in the left hand, lay the hook on its side, the barb up by the shoulder of the bait, with the shaft along the belly; now pass the thread over the shoulder and around under the fish, and tie the shaft of the hook, then pass the thread along the shaft until under and behind the back fin, then tie tightly around the shaft of the hook, then pass the thread on each side of the fish up to the back, just behind the back fin, and tie with a bow knot. This fastens the bait securely without hurting it, and you will have as lively a bait as ever used for still-fishing." The angler can not be too careful of his minnows. The water in the bucket should be frequently changed, Avithout waiting for them to appear at the surface to breathe — the usually accepted indication to change the water — for their vitality and strength are already impaired when this takes place, and many of them can not be revived afterwards. When available, especially in very hot weather, a piece of ice should be placed on the top of the minnow pail, and NATURAL BAITS. 321 covered with a woolen cloth. A little salt, added to the water in the pail, is very beneficial and adds to the preser- vation of minnoNvs. It is a good plan, when practicable, to use tsvo minnow- buckets, one of which, containing most of the minnows as a reserve, should be sunk in the water, and a few minnows taken out, as needed, for the bucket in use. In this way the entire stock can be utilized in good condition. In carrying minnows to any distance, they should not be too much crowded in the pail ; fifty minnows is enough for a five-gallon bucket. When more than this number is re- quired, additional pails should be provided. A handful of water-weeds in the pail will prevent the minnows from being so much injured, as they otherwise would be, when conveyed over rough roads. When it is not practicable to allow of a frequent chang- ing of the water, the latter may be oxygenized or aerated by inserting a rubber, or other tube, well toward the bot- tom of the pail, and pumping air through it by means of a rubber bulb, such as is attached to a pump-syringe. It is worse than useless to blow through such a tube with the mouth; for the breath, being deprived of its oxygen in the lungs, carbonic acid gas takes it place, which is poi- sonous to the minnows; yet I have frequently seen this done by individuals, who erroneously supposed that they were freshening the water, because of the numerous bub- bles produced. The Helgiiamite. The larva of the horned corydalis (Corydalis cornuta), an insect belonging to the order Neuroptera, is variously 322 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. called " helgramite," " dobson/' " grampus," " dobsell/' "hellion," "kill-devil," "crawler," and other euphonious names. The male of the perfect, winged-insect has long antenn£e, or horns, from which its specific and common names are derived. It exists for several years in the larval state, when it is generally known as the " helgramite," being a curious, flattened, and, to most persons, a repulsive-looking worm, growing to a length of two or three inches, and about a half inch in width. It has a head and pincers resembling, somewhat, those of a beetle; has six legs along the thorax; while the body is composed of a number of rings, to which are attached fringes bearing some likeness to small legs; the body terminates in two short appendages, or tails, on each of which are two small hooks. The color is a dark, dirty, brown. The helgramite, by means of its hooks and pincers, clings readily and tenaciously to different objects, and hides securely under rocks, bowlders, driftwood, logs, etc., even in swift-running streams. They may be found cling- ing to the decaying timbers of old dams and bridges, and in the crevices of submerged stone-work at these places. They are found on the "riffles" of streams, under the bowlders and flat stones, and may be taken in these situa- tions with the minnow-net, by stretching the latter across the foot of the riffle; when the stones above the net are' turned over, the helgramite, being thus disturbed, curls himself into a ball and drifts into the net. They can be found, in fact, hiding under almost any submerged object in the shallow portions of streams. They feed upon decaying wood and vegetation, and other substances. They can be kept alive for almost any length NATURAL BAITS. 323 of time, in a vessel half filled with wet pieces of rotten wood, and damp aquatic vegetation. In this way the angler can always have a ready supply of bait on hand. The helgramite is hooked by inserting the point of the hook under the cap or shell that covers the neck, from behind forward, and bringing it through next to the head. It is a capital bait for the Black Bass, especially when the Bass are found on the riffles or rapids, and in shallow Avater. The Crawfish. The crawfish (Cambarus), sometimes called crayfish and crab, is, in some localities, and at certain seasons, a good bait, especially when casting its shell, when it is called a ''peeler," or a " shedder." The crawfish exists wherever the Black Bass is found, in greater or less quantities. In waters where it is very abundant it forms an excellent and. killing bait. "Distinct species live in the mountain streams and in the springs at their sources. Some frequent the marshes of the lowlands (both the fresh and salt marshes), either near the streams, or adjacent to the bays, sounds, or ocean. Some occur beneath stones in rivers, creeks, or branches; in the muddy basis; beneath stones in the rapids; among grass and weeds in more quiet places, and in coves; under shelving grassy banks; in holes at the bottom of ponds, lakes, dams, and mill-races. Others bore holes in the meadows, or even in the hill-tops near water; and in bringing up the muxl and clay from their tube-like holes, pile it as a chimney at the entrance. These species at particular times place a plug of clay in the orifice of the 324 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. chimney and seal themselves in for a certain length of time. Still others reside in the drains and mud of the rice-fields and plantations of the South, and sometimes burrow through the embankments, allowing the water to flood the region." The crawfish is used as a bait for the Bhick Bass only in still-fishing, when it serves a good purpose. In its usual state it should be hooked througli the tail, but " peelers " may be hooked through the head or body. They may be kept alive a long time in damp aquatic grass, moss, or weeds. Grasshoppers and Crickets. Grasshoppers and crickets are at times very taking baits. They should be used as surface baits entirely, and should be employed only when a brisk breeze is blowing, and on •the windward side of the water; for it is at such times that they are blown into the water, and the Bass are then on the look out for them. The water, also, being broken into ripples by the breeze, enhances the angler's chances of success. These insects should be hooked through the upper part of the thorax or body, small hooks being used. Frogs. On marshy streams and ponds, young frogs are some- times used for baits, with good success, in still-fishing. They may be hooked through the lips, or through the skin of the back. They should be of smilll size, and kept in pretty constant motion, as they are inclined to bury them- selves in the mud, or hide under stones, on the bottom. NATURAL BAITS. 325 or crawl out upon objects on the surface, if left too long to their own devices. Salt water shrimps, when they can be procured, are good baits for Black Bass, alive or pickled, that is, pre- served in salt or strong brine. I have seen Black Bass caught with cut bait, and even the humble " wum ;" but the angler who is reduced to such severe straits, is more to be pitied than envied. It would be in better taste to offer pork to a Mussulman, or pate de fole gras to a tramp. 326 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Holberton Fly-Book. (Uonroy, Bissett & Malleson.) CHAPTER XVII. MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS. " My rod and my line, my float and jny lead, My hook and my plummet, my whetstone and knife, My basket, my baits, both living and dead, My net and my meat, for that is tiie chief: Then I must have thread, and hairs green and small, With mine angling-purse, and so you have all." — IzAAK Walton. The Fly-Book. Among the necessary adjuncts to the fly-fisher's outfit is the fly-book, whose pages, well-filled, are more interest- ing to the angler than the best written pages of classic lore, poetry, or fiction. Fly-books are now made of many patterns and sizes, and of various grades of quality and material. They are constructed of calf-skin, pig-skin, Morocco, or Russia-leather, with parchment leaves for holding the flies. Those with the " Hyde," or metal-clip, for keeping the flies separate and at full length, are the best and most satisfactory, for obvious reasons. They are made in various lengths, from five to seven inches; and of a capacity for holding from three dozen to a gross of flies. There is nothing neater, better, or more substantial in this line than Abbey & Imbrie's "Southside" fly-book. It is made of Russia-leather, with strap and patent clasp ; has double parchment leaves, well-stitched, and is provided (327) 328 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Creel, or Fish-Basket. (A. B. .Shipley & Sou.) Minnow-Seine. (A. B. Shipley & Son.) MISCELLANEOUS IMPLExMENTS. 329 with the metal-clip, and two leaves of heavy porous cloth for drying wet flies. It is also furnished with large pockets, and compartments for leaders, and snelled hooks. It has a capacity for one hundred flies, and is made of a uniform quality, which is of the highest grade. The " Holberton " fly-book, of Conroy, Bissett & Mal- leson, is one similar in style and construction, and is a first rate article. The ])rice of this book depends on the material used in its construction, its capacity for a greater or less number of flies, and the length of the book. One holding four dozen flies is large enough for all practical purposes in Black Bass angling. Ceeel, or Fish-Basket. For fly-fishing, or bait-fishing, when wading a stream or fishing from the bank, a creel is very useful and con- venient for holding the angler's catch. Fish are preserved in much better shape, condition and appearance by its use, and it is altogether more satisfactory than the shiftless way of "stringing" the Bass, and allowing them to be- come water-soaked and flabby, by immersing the "string" in the warm and shallow water near the shore, or even by "towing" them after the angler, if wading. For Black Bass, the largest Trout-creels will answer every purpose ; say Nos. 3 or 4, having a capacity of twenty or twenty-five pounds. The shoulder-strap should be leather or webbing, with a shoulder-pad, to prevent cutting or bruising the shoulder. Fish-baskets or creels should always be well washed, and carefully dried after use, to keep them clean and sweet. When washing them, a little carbonate of soda or 28 330 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Folding Canvas Creel. (Abbey & Imbrie.) Canvas Creel, Folded. MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS. 331 carbolic acid should be added to the water to destroy the " ancient and fish-like smell." A new and very desirable article in this way is the " Patent Folding Canvas Creel," devised and made by Abbey & Imbrie. It is constructed of water-proof canvas, and is capable of being folded into a small and compact package. When in use it has flexible ribs for keeping it in shape, which are rendered practicable by the light metal stretcher, which also serves to fasten down the top. Around the lower edge is a row of holes, with brass eye- lets, for the purpose of ventilation and drainage. It answers the purposes of its construction admirably. Size C is best adapted for Black Bass fishing, it being esti- mated to hold twenty pounds. The Landing-Net. For boat fishing, the lan*ding-net should have a long handle, which is best when made in two pieces, with a strong brass ferrule joint. It should be as light as possible, and on this account bamboo cane is the very best material for the handle. The rim or ring should be ten or twelve inches in diameter, of brass, solid or folding ; the latter are the most portable and convenient, and arc made with two or more hinge joints. The net should be deep, and of a tolerably coarse mesh ; linen is the most durable material, though cotton will answer. For fishing from the bank, or for wading the stream, a short-handled Trout-net is to be preferred, as it is more easily carried and answers every purpose better than the long-handled net. Those with oval, wooden rims are the lightest, and are as goo^ as any. The long-handled net 332 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Short-Handled Landing-Net. (A. B. Shipley & Sou.) Long-Handled Landing-Wet. (Conroy, Bissett & Malleson.) MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS. 333 will answer here by using but one joint of the handle. There should be a blunt hook, or ring, at the end of the handle for attaching to the creel-strap, so as to leave both hands free for casting, and playing the fish. Minnow-Seines and Nets. For catching minnows for bait-fishing, the most expe- ditious way is to use a linen or cotton minnow-seine, from three to five feet wide, and from five to fifteen feet long. These seines can be purchased mounted or unmounted. The mountings consist of cork aud lead-lines, with their floats and sinkers, and two handles or brails. The mesh should be quite fine. A very simple and convenient contrivance for the same purpose — and much similar to one used by myself — is thus described by a gentleman of Baltimore, Maryland, in " Forest and Stream : " As I hear so many fishermen complaining that they can not get a net suitable to catch minnows, that is easily carried, I thought it might be of service to the fishing fraternity in general if I were to describe a net of my own invention that is easily carried in the pocket, can be adjusted in a minute, and has never failed to pro- vide me with plenty of minnows. I take a bung or round block of wood of two and one-half to three inches in diameter, and bore four holes opposite to each other in the edge of it. I then insert a ])iece of umbrella-rib, about twelve to fourteen inches long, in each hole. The holes must be made deep and small enough for the wire to fit tight. The paragon wire is the best. I leave the end of the rib that has the little eye in it outside. I then lay the bung and wires on a square piece of mosquito-netting, and stretch it and sew it firmly at the four corners to the eyes in the ribs. In the center of the bung I put a screw-eye, and in the center of the mosquito-net sew a piece of string, leaving ends abotit eight inches long. Any 334 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Patent Adjustable Float. (Bradford & Anthony.) Brass Box Swivels. 7 2 3 ij- 5 Patent Adjustable Sinkers, (Bradford & Anthony.) MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS 335 straight, stiff stick picked up on tlie sliore serves as a handle, being made fast to the net by a strong piece of twine tlirough tlie screw- eye, and with a piece of bread tied in the net with the string, and perhaps a small, flat stone to make it sink, it is ready to catch min- nows. They will come over the net for the bread, and when it is raised up quickly the resistance of the water causes it to belly, and the minnows will not get out. When bait enough has been taken, I pull the wires out of the holes, drop the bung into the net, and roll it up on the wires. Another very simple and effective device for the same purpose is thus described by a well-known angler, of Nashville, Tennessee, in the "Chicago Field:" This simple contrivance astonishes all who see it, because they naturally ask the question, how it was that no one ever thought of it before? A globe of wire netting split in two, fastened at the bottom by hinges, and attached to a stick by strings from the top— this is the whole affair, save a small place in the center for bait. The two hemispheres are so arranged as to open j^artially from their own weight, if allowed to touch bottom; or they can be separated by pulling one of the strings above mentioned. As minnows are generally found in shallow, clear water, it is easy to see when enough have entered the trap, to close and draw it out. This invention does away entirely with seining, and the disagi'eeable necessity of wading in the water. The pole or stick upon which the trap is hung may be made of any desired length, and jointed, thus permitting the entire apparatus to be packed in a small space. Those of our Nashville anglers who have seen it are of the opinion that nothing else will be used for catching minnows, once they be- come known. Floats, or Corks. The float should never be used when it can be dispensed with, as it is detrimental to good casting, and is always in the way. It becomes necessary, however, in shallow streams, where the bottom is covered with snags, roots, 336 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. weeds and other obstacles, and may be nsed in still-fishing, where crawfish, frogs or helgramites are nsed as bait ; but, when used, it should be as small as possible, consistent with the weight of the sinker required, and should be em- ployed for the sole purpose of keeping the hook away from the bottom, and not as an object of intense and constant observation to indicate a bite. An egg-shaped, oval, long or barrel-shaped cork-float may be used : or, still better, perhaps, a swan-quill or por- cupine-quill float may be employed with advantage, in sit- uations referred to above. The best of all, however, and the only real improvement ever made in fishing-floats, is the "Patent Adjustable En- ameled Float." This handy article, instead of the usual ring and quill slide, has sj^iral rings of wire at each end of the float, for ready attachment or detachment to or from the line without removing the bait or hook. The attach- ment is made in a moment to any portion of the line; and, when attached, can be moved up or down the line at will, and will remain stationary wherever placed. These floats are hollow, quite light, and well finished. To those an- glers who are partial to the use of a float, it is an inven- tion of ffreat merit and advantage. The Swivel. A brass box-swivel should always be employed in bait- fishing for Black Bass. It prevents, in a great measure, the twisting, kinking and snarling of the line, so annoying to the angler. In rod-fishing, the smallest sizes — Nos. 5 or 6 — are large enough ; and, usually, no additional weight or sinker will be required. The line should be made fast MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS. 337 to one ring, and the snell of the hook attached to the other. In trolling, two swivels can be nsed ^ith advan- tage — one attached to the snell of the hook or spinner, and the other attached to the line some two or three feet above. In trolling with the hand-line, larger swivels may be used — as JVos. 2 or 3. Brass swivels should always be used, as they do not rust, a strong objection to steel swivels. When sinkers are used in addition, they should be attached about a foot above the swivel. Sinkers. Generally, in Black Bass angling, no sinker, in addition to the swivel, is necessary, the latter being heavy enough to keep the live bait beneath the surface. But there are cases and times when the sinker is brought in requisition; for example, when tlie minnows used for bait are large and strong and keep on the surface, or where the stream is quite rapid or current swift. When the ordinary ringed-sinker is used without a swivel, the line should be tied in one ring, and the snell of the hook looped in the other. The smallest-sized sinker is usually heavy enough, though sometimes a larger size is necessary. Buckshot or small bullets should not be used when the oval sinker can be had, as they offer too much resistance to the water, and often cause the line to twist or kink. The "Patent Adjustable Sinker," with spiral rings like the adjustable float, is the best form of sinker to use, and should take the place of the old-fashioned ringed leads. The simplicity and effectiveness of the device by which they can be put on and taken off the line, without dis- 29 338 BOOK OP THE BLACK BASS. MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS. 339 turbing liook or bait, should receive the approval of all an- glers, aud render their adoption universal. They insure neatness and dispatch, qualities not to be despised in angling. Clearing-Eing. The hook, in angling, often becomes fast or foul in snags, roots, rocks or grass, and frequently is thereby lost or broken, to the disgust of the angler. By the employ- ment of a clearing-ring the hook can almost invariably be easily detached from these obstructions without damage. These are rings made expressly for the purpose, composed of brass or iron, with a hinge to admit of their being readily adjusted to the line. The method of using them is as follows : The ring is opened at the hinge and the line encircled, when the ring is again closed, and allowed to run down the line to the point of obstruction ; the weight of the ring detaches the hook, when it is drawn up, a hand-line being attached to the ring for this purpose. If the hook is very firmly fastened to the root or snag, the ring is raised a few feet by its cord and allowed to drop suddenly, when its weight will usually clear the hook. A very good substi- tute for the clearing-ring, and one easily obtained, is the ordinary bar of lead, used for making bullets. A hole is bored in the flat bar, through which the hand-cord is fast- ened. When used, the bar is bent around the fishing-line, forming a ring, and is very easily attached or detached. Disgorgees. Very often a Bass is hooked in the gullet, and some^ times in the stomachj though the angler should never 340 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. allow him to gorge the bait to this extent. It is best to strike quickly, so as to hook him in the mouth. In the event of the Bass swallowing the hook, is is necessary to cut out or tear out the hook, and often at the cost of scratching or lacerating the angler's fingers ; and espe- cially is this apt to be the case when a Pickerel or Pike- perch is thus hooked, their long and sharp teeth being as sharp as needles. To avoid this unpleasant feature, a disgorger is very handy and efficacious. It consists of a stout piece of wire, six or eight inches in length, with one end flat- tened; in this flat end a notch is filed, with cutting or sharp edges, when, by pushing this sharp notch along the hook, the latter is easily detached or cut out. A very convenient tool is made by Abbey & Imbrie, No. 48 Maiden Lane, New York City^ and designed especially for this purpose, a cut of which is here pre- sented, which explains itself. In addition to the dis- gorger, it has a strong, sharp blade, which can be made available for many purposes, not the least of which is to kill the fish as soon as caught, by severing the spinal cord at the junction of the head and body. This should always be done by the humane angler, for two good and sufficient reasons : It immediately puts an end to the suf- fering of the fish, and keeps the flesh firm and in good condition. Minnow-Pails. To the bait-fisher for Black Bass, the proper form of bait-can is quite an important item. There are two gen- eral styles, one for boat-fishing, and one for stream-fishing. The best plan for a minnow-bucket for boat-fishing, and MISCELLAJfEOUS IMPLEMENTS. 341 where a large pail can be utilized, is to have two pails, one fitting within the other. This form of pail is generally and conveniently made as follows: The outer bucket is of heavy tin, and made round, with a capacity of from two to five gallons ; a stout wire bail or handle is attached, with a wooden or tin hand-piece. The inner bucket is also made of tin, to fit somewhat loosely in the outer one; but the top of this bucket should be an inch below the top of the outer pail. It has an opening, fitted with a lid on top, through which the hand can be readily inserted ; and has a tin-hasp and loop for fastening securely. In addition, there is a flat tin-handle, in the form of an arch, on the top of the lid, by which the inner pail can be easily lifted out. The inner pail is freely perforated on the top, bottom and sides, so that, upon raising it, the w^ater leaves it rapidly, and a minnow can thus be readily selected. Whenever necessary, the inner pail can be taken out, the top securely fastened by the hasp and loop, and the pail sunk in the water to revive the minnows, while the angler is taking his lunch or siesta. Both pails should be well painted, inside and out. Sometimes the lower half of the inner pail is formed of copper or galvanized iron wire- gauze. For fishing in a stream, where the angler is a-foot, a much smaller and lighter bucket must be used, on the score of por- tability and general convenience. In this case, the bucket is made single, usually, and of an oblong or oval shape, to admit of its being more readily carried. It is fitted with a handle or bail, and the top is soldered in, an inch or two below the rim of the bucket; and this top only is perforated. There is also a lid in the top, which is usually 342 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. MISCEI-LAXEOUS IMPLEMENTS. , 343 secured by a bolt of stout wire, A double pail, the iuner one being made principally of copper or galvanized iron wire-cloth, would be vastly more convenient, without add- ing much to the weight. The English style of bait-kettle is made single, with perforated top, and is formed round but tapering, being broad at the bottom, and narrow at the top. Sometimes they are made square, with the top formed of woven wire- cloth. Mr. J. C. Hitchcock, of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, has patented and manufactures a very convenient minnow- bucket for boat-fishing. The outside bucket is of heavy tin, oval in shape, and is divided into two compartments by a central partition. One of these compartments is a double-walled refrigerator for holding ice and the angler's luncheon, while the other contains an inner minnow- bucket composed principally of heavy copper wire gauze; there is an attachment for aerating the water, which, with the coldness imparted to it by the ice chamber, keeps the minnows lively and strong. Wading Pants and Stockings. Wading pants or stockings, rubber boots or leggins, are indispensable to the angler's comfort and well-being in stream-fishing, either for fly-fishing or bait-fishing. Rub- ber hip-boots have been much used for this purpose, but they do not wear well, and are heavy and clumsy. Mack- intosh and luster wading-pants and leggins are now fur- nished at a moderate price, and are much to be preferred, being light and very serviceable. They are made with stocking feet, in which case a pair of brogans, or old shoes, must be worn, and this is much the best plan for wading. BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. n o -d o K M in Leather Rod and Reel Cases. (Thomson & Son.) MISCELLANEOUS IMPLEMENTS. 345 They are also furnished with boots attached, with cork or rubber soles, and are very durable. No stream-fisher's outfit is complete without these con- veniences, which are now made by the Goodyear Rubber Manufacturing Company, perfectly reliable, waterproof, and fully equal to the best English goods. The Mackin- tosh goods of this Company are formed with a layer of solid rubber between two outer layers of stockinet, or other light and porous cloth, rendering them light, pliable, proof against cracking or breaking, and thoroughly waterproof. Rod and Reel Cases. Leather cases for the rod and reel are very convenient and desirable articles, especially for the angling tourist. A good and highly-prized rod or reel should have the best care; and a rod, especially, is liable to serious injury when protected only by a common canvas cover. Thompson & Son, 301 Broadway, New York City, the well known manufacturers of sportsmen's goods, make a specialty of leather rod and reel cases. They are made of heavy bridle leather, with handle, and if required, a pad- lock. The rod cases are made to hold one or more rods. To the angler who delights in completeness of outfit, I can cheerfully recommend these useful articles. They will be duly appreciated by any angler who has ever made an ex- tended trip to the woods, lakes, or streams by the usual - modes of conveyance. PART THIRD. ANGLING AND FLY-FISHING. CHAPTER XVIII. THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANGLING. ''You are assured, though there be ignorant men of another belief, that an- gling is an art, and you know that art l)etter than others ; and that this truth is demonstrated by tlie fruits of that pleasant labor which yon enjoy,— when you purpose to give rest to your mind, and divest yourself of your more seri- ous business, and (which is ofteu) dedicate a day or two to this recreation."— IzAAK Walton. In the days of good old Father 'Izaak Walton, angling was, as stated by him in the title of his famous book, the "contemplative man's recreation." While .this is no less true in our own day, the art of angling has extended its sphere of usefulness by becoming, not only the recreation of the contemplative man, but of the active, stirring, over- worked business and professional man, as well. While in the comparatively slow-coach days of the quaint Walton it was rather a recreation of choice, it has, in this age of steam become, in a measure, one of necessity. The American idea of rest and recreation seems to have been based upon the Mosaic law of resting on the seventh, or last day of the week, A man must first gain a com- petency, and rest afterwards, even if it took seven times seven years to gain the first condition — wealth — for then, only, would he be entitled, or in a proper condition to enjoy his otium cum dignitate. In the rapid race for wealth and distinction, men labor, night and day, with mind and muscle, especially during (349) 350 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. the seasons of business activity. But too often, alas, they labor in vain, and find that the " bubble reputation," or the "wealth that sinews bought," has in a moment been swept away, after years of toil and anxiety. Or, if they make their footing sure, they find, too often, that the re- sult has only been attained at the expense of a permanent impairment of health, for which the denrly bought treasure is but a sorry recompense; and the oft-imagined and fondly looked for goal, of a life of peace and quiet and the en- joyment of the hard-earned competency, has been realized to be one of short continuance, or of long bodily suffering. To keep pace with the rapid strides of trade and traffic, as much labor is now performed in one day, as was formerly done in a week. Consequently, between the busy seasons, or " heats," in this race for wealth and place, men find it absolutely necessary — not so much from choice, as necessity — to rest and recuperate, and build up the ex- hausted energies, the tired brain and relaxed muscles, and to gird up the loins for renewed efforts. The necessity being acknowledged, the question then arises : in what way can this rest and recreation of the muscular and nervous tissues of the body be best attained ? When men think of rest and relaxation, their thoughts turn naturally to the woods, to the fields, to running streams and quiet lakes, or the sea-shore. If it is simply a Sunday stroll, their steps naturally and irresistibly lead them to green fields, or the river side ; or a drive along the country road with its hedges, and birds, and crossing brooks. If it is a day's holiday, it must be a picnic in the grand old woods, and near a lake, or stream, or at least a babbling rill. The very idea of perfect rest is as- sociated with mossy banks and cool sparkling waters. It THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANGLING. 351 is doubtful if there is a sweeter line in human lan«:ua2:e, or one more expressive of perfect bliss, of lasting peace, of complete rest, of true happiness, of quiet contentment, than that of the Psalmist : " He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : he leadeth me beside the still waters." But the question : where can rest be found ? has already been answered in the crowds of tired pilgrims — they are called pleasure-seekers, but they are looking for rest — who are seen each summer-time wending their ways by rail and steamer, to the mountains, to the sea-shore, to the Adiron- dacks, to the Great Lake region, to the Avilds of Maine and Canada, to the charming streams and lakelets of Wis- consin, Michigan, and Minnesota, or simply to "the country" — any place, in fact, is their Mecca, where may be found rest and quiet, green fields, green hills, green trees, and clear, cool water. Then, the season for angling, coming as it does during the midsummer vacation, in the pleasantest weather and during the lull in active business matters, presents at once the means and the opportunity for enjoyment and rest, for recreation and peace. Horace Greeley once said to the writer, that he had been for years eagerly looking forward to the- time when he could lay down his pen, for a few days, and "go a fishing;" but that time never came dur- ing his busy life. His dreams of a brief season of what he considered the very essence of rest and contentment, were never realized — he died a martyr to an overworked brain. Rest and recreation to the active mind does not mean mere idleness, or as it is more poetically expressed : dolce far niente; this, to many, would be more irksome than the hardest work. Many men have a horror of going into the woods, to the wilderness, to the lakes, or the sea-shore, t>52 BOOK OF TPIE BLACK BASS. because there is nothing to do, nothing to occupy their minds, nothing to save them from ennui after the novelty- wears off. The busy, active man can secure rest only by diverting the muscular and nervous energies in new and unaccustomed channels. This may be accomplished, in a measure, by cards, chess, music, reading, etc., as purely intellectual recreations; while riding, driving, boating, yacthing, archery, shooting, etc., furnish ample means for muscular skill and exercise ; but angling brings into play both the mental and physical capacities. To be a good angler requires good judgment, much patience, rare skill, a full share of endurance, and a lively imagination ; the latter quality is not absolutely essential, but it helps mightily when "luck" is bad, and on it depends the aes- thetic and poetical features of the art. But the persons who are disposed to " take time " to indulge in these or similar recreations, in our country, are quite limited. In England, it is considered part of a gen- tleman's education to know how to ride, to row, to shoot, to sail, and to cast a fly, and he is the better for it, mor- ally, physically, and intellectually. In our own country it is too often considered " a waste of time " to acquire or practice these manly and healthful accomplishments.- Our girls may learn music, and dancing, and painting, as means and acquirements necessary to the securing of a husband, but any attempt on the part of our boys to learn any of the manly sports, in a regular and systematic way, must be frowned down as opposed to all our ideas of thrift and economy, and a gross misuse of " time." What we need is more muscular Christianity ; we would then have sounder minds in sounder bodies. A few weeks taken from the fifty-two composing the THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANGLING. 353 year, and devoted to angling, shooting, boating, or "camp- ing out," would not be missed in the long run from the business man's calender, but, on the contrary, would return an interest, Avhich, though it could not be computed by any rate of per centage, would be sensibly felt and realized in a clearer brain, a stronger body, and a better aptitude for business. The clergyman would acquire broader views of humanity, and preach better sermons. The physician would better appreciate, and- oftener prescribe, Nature's great remedies, air, sunshine, exercise, and temperance. The lawyer's conscience would be enlarged, and his fees possibly contracted. The poet's imagination would be more vivid ; the artist's skill more pronounced. Nerve would keep pace with muscle, and brawn with brain. I have purposely avoided any allusion to the Gipsy blood inherent in our veins, or the savage traits yet man- ifest in our flesh, and their liability to crop out, as evi- denced in our love for Nature and Nature's arts. I do * not look at it in that light. I claim that the more en- lightened and civilized a nation becomes, the more it is interested in the works of Nature and her laws; that the more progress we make in the arts and sciences, and all the achievements of a high state of civilization, and the more artificial and advanced we become in our ideas of living — the more readily we turn for rest and enjoyment, for rec- reation and real pleasure, to the simplicity of Nature's resources, " Knowing that Nature never did betray The heart that loved her." Angling is an art, and it is not beneath the dignity of any one to engage in it, as a recreation. It is hallowed by "Meek Walton's heavenly memory," and has been 30 354 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. practiced and commended by some of the best and truest and wisest men that ever lived ; for, as Father Izaak says : " It is an art, and an art worthy the knowledge and prac- tice of a wise man." Did the art of angling require an apologist, I could here produce evidence, in precept and example, of good and wise men of all ages, from the days of the Fishers of Galilee down to the present time, up- holding and commending the moral tendencies and the healthful influences of the art of angling, and its virtue of making men better physically, intellectually, and spirit- ually. " O, sir, doubt not but that angling is an art," says Piscator to Venator, " is it not an art to deceive a Trout with an artificial ily? A Trout that is more sharp-sighted than any hawk you have named, and more watchful and timorous than your high-mettled merlin is bold?" Ts it not an art to glide stealthily and softly along the bank of a stream to just where the wary Bass or timid Trout is watching and waiting, ever on the alert for the slightest movement, and keenly alive to each passing shadow; to approach him unawares; to cast the feathery imitation of an insect lightly and naturally upon the sur- face of the water, without a suspicious splash, and without disclosing to his observant eyes the shadow of the rod or line; to strike the hook into his jaws the instant he un- suspectingly takes the clever ruse into his mouth ; to play him, and subdue him, and land him successfully and artis- tically with a willowy rod and silken line that would not sustain half his weight out of the water? Is not this an art ? Let the doubter try it. " Doubt not, therefore, sir, but that angling is an art," says Walton, " and an art worth your learning. The THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANGLING. 355 question is, rather, whether you be capable of learning it?" Exactly so, Father Izaak ; the question is, not merely "to be or not to be," but whether one is "capable" of learning it ; for though any one may become a bait-fisher, it is not every one that can learn the fly-fisher's art ; for, continues Walton, "he that hopes to be a good angler, must not only bring an inquiring, searching, observing wit, but he must bring a large measure of hope and patience, and a love and propensity to the art itself; but Having once got and practiced it, then doubt not but angling will prove to be so pleasant, that it will prove to be, like virtue, a reward to itself." CHAPTER XIX. CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. " So I have observed, that if it be a cloudy day, and not extreme cold, let the wind sit iu what quarter it will, and do its worst, I heed it not."— Izaak Walton. To seek to know all tlie conditions, positive and hypo- thetical, qualifying and exceptional, which govern the " biting " of fish, is about as vain and discouraging a pursuit as the search for the philosopher's stone. To know, positively, before leaving one's office, counting- house, or workshop for a day's outing, that it is the day of all others of the season, and that the phase of the moon, the conditions of sky and atmosphere, the directiou and force of the wind, and the temperature and condition of the water are just right to insure success, and to know just what bait or fly to use, and in what portion of the stream to fish, under these conditions, implies a state of knowl- edge that can never be attained by ordinary mortals ; and though we are created, " little lower than the angels," it involves a pursuit of knowledge under such extreme diffi- culties, that even prescience and omniscience are but ciphers in the total sum, for it leaves out the most im- portant factor in the calculation — the fish itself. Yet it is in just this hope of reducing the matter to the certainty of a mathematical proposition, that some anglers are continually puzzling their own brains, and taxing the patience of their angling friends. (356) CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 357 They imagine that fish, somehow, form an exception to the rest of the animal creation, and are governed in their feeding, or "biting," by certain laws, as unchanging as those of the Medes and Persians; and that these immutable laws have an outward expression in certain states and conditions of weather and water; and that it is only nec- essary to ascertain the peculiar combination of wind, weather and water, under which fish feed, nolens volcns, to be able to effect their capture easily. The glorious uncertainty attending the "biting" of fish, even at apparently favorable times, has been observed for ages, and has invested the gentle art with a glamour, and an air of mystery, in which the element of chance, or luck, is a prominent feature. The angler wending his way homeward is accosted at every turn with the interrogatory of, "What luck?" while "fisherman's luck" has become an universal synonym of failure. Many anglers, in lieu of more cogent reasons, have conveniently relegated this whole question to " luck," and have ceased to trouble themselves much about it, taking the good with the bad, in a spirit of calm phi- losophy or in meek submission to the inevitable. Even while engaged in "solitary angling, so conducive to quiet meditation, the habits and idiosyncrasies of fish do not often occupy our thoughts, but other and wholly irrelevant themes. And even with all the information that can be obtained, by close and careful observation of the habits of fishes, and the nature of their surroundings, there is still left much to be explained, and some things that seem to be beyond our comprehension, which we might safely leave to chance or luck, until we understand them better. « 358 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. And perhaps it is best so, for there has ever been a delightful uncertainty attending the angler's art, and therein lies one ^f its chiefest charms ; for while it stim- ulates the angler to renewed effort, it consoles him in defeat. The pleasures of anticipation have ever exceeded those of fruition, and ever will while " hope springs eternal in the human breast." The angler spends the evening before his ''day's fish- ing" in overhauling his tackle; polishing the ferrules of his trusty rod ; oiling his reel ; looking for weak places in his line; arranging, lovingly, his leader, hooks and flies; and finds enthusiastic enjoyment in the examination of his treasures, and in plea,sant rctrosj)ective and prospective reveries in connection therewith. He retires with contented mind, and an innate conscious- ness of unbounded success on the morrow, and dreams of arching rod and leaping fish, of mossy banks and mur- muring streams, of cool shadows and spicy breezes; and when morn hath "with rosy hand unbarr'd the gates of light," he sallies forth with buoyant footsteps, his breast swelling with fond anticipation, and in that happy and ex- pectant state of mind known only to lovers of the angle. Perhaps he returns at close of day, weary and footsore, and with an almost empty creel ; what matter ? All through the lovely day his spirits have never flagged ; his last cast was made with even more hope and confidence than the first. And even though his creel be empty, his heart is filled with the music of the birds, the purl- ing of the stream, the fragrance of the flowers, and, above all, with love for his Creator; and it has set him thinking of that eternal stream of time clothed with everlasting groves of never-changing green. CONDITIONS A\^HICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 359 And, then, the day has simply been an "■ unlucky" one for fishing ; yesterday was no doubt a " good day/' and to-morrow will be better. He finds consolation in ac- counting for his '' ill-luck," and can easily see a reason for it in some peculiar phase of the water, the wind, or the weather. Now, wdiile it is not wholly a matter of luck, on one hand; and while, on the other, it is useless to expect to obtain an invariable law in respect to the "biting" of fish, there are many things that we can learn by intelli- gent observation. It involves no great comprehension of the sciences of ichthyology, meteorology, hydrography, entomology and botany, as professed by some, nor of the mysteries and hocus-pocus of the art as practiced by others; for there is often as little reason in the repeated change of a cast of flies by the scientific fly-fisher, as in spitting on the bait by his liumbler brother; yet both have unbounded faith in their respective methods, and probably faith has as much to do with successful angling as any one attribute. But why do fish eagerly take the bait one day, and utterly refuse it the next, when, apparently, all other con- ditions are equal? This is a poser, and has baffled ob- servant anglers for ages, and will, in all probability, never be solved satisfactorily. As a short cut to its solution, it might be said, that they were hungry one day, but not so the next. Certainly a very reasonable conclusion if it were sustained by fact, which it is not, if we judge hun- ger by its usual manifestations ; for fish seem to bite best on a full stomach, and often refuse the proffered bait on an empty one; this fact is patent to all observant anglers, and I have proved it in many instances. 360 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. But let us begin at the beginning. The great problem of life with fishes seems to be to eat and avoid being eaten. Very well. Now, which is the controlling influence in a fish's mind — if he has any, per- haps, in deference to authority, we had better call it in- stinct — his desire to eat, or his desire of self-preservation? Now, right here, may be involved the fundamental prin- ciple governing this whole question of a fish's "biting." Let us see. That fish can abstain from solid food for an indefinite period, procuring some nourishment from the water they breathe, as in confinement, during hibernation, and during the breeding season, is well known, and needs no corroborative evidence here. That, when they do feed, and the supply of food is abundant, they completely gorge themselves — some even ejecting the contents of their stomachs to enjoy the grati- fication of refilling them — is also an authenticated fact. When their stomachs are thus filled and gorged with food, it is reasonable to suppose that, like other preda- cious animals, they remain listlessly about their haunts, or retire to some secluded retreat, to digest it at their leisure; and, during the process of digestion, refuse to notice their usual food; for I have frequently observed Black Bass remain motionless for hours, except a slight movement of the fins, utterly regardless of the schools of minnows that were swarming about them, and this at a season when they usually " bite " the best. Now, this alternate feasting and fasting may be a nec- essary habit, to enable fish to meet the exigencies of spawning, hibernation (in some), and the vicissitudes of the element in which they live, and the abundance or lack of food at certain times. CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 361 Streams are often rendered turbid by heavy rains, and lakes and ponds by what is termed " working '' or "blos- soming." At such times fish can not see well enough to find their food or discern their enemies, and consequently lie secure in their hiding-places. When the water be- comes clear, they again venture forth to eat and be eaten. Then, heavy and continued rains, violent winds, and the change of season, aifect the food-supply of fishes, and, con- sequently, the fishes themselves. These various causes make fish seem capricious in their time and manner of feeding. Then, again, while all the conditions may be favorable for their feeding, they may be deterred from seeking their food by a fear of enemies; and only venture forth when the cause of such fear has disappeared, or their qualms of stomach overcome their prudence. But little can be learned in this respect from fishes that are confined in aquaria, or from those that are artificially cultivated, for these unnatural conditions presuppose a change in their habits. We know that fish, in their native waters, are quite timid, and ever on the alert for danger — a footstep on the bank, or a shadow cast suddenly on the water, will cause them to hastily skurry away. No food, however tempting, can entice them so long as there is an appearance of danger, and their caution is then set down as eccentricity. Now, all this may, or may not, be ; but it is as reasona- ble as any other theory ; and this habit of alternate feast- ing and fasting, for a longer or a shorter time, w^ill ex-i plain, in some measure, many of the features in regai'd to the uncertainty of "biting" in fishes of inland waters. As before stated, there is much that can be learned by 31 362 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. closely observing the habits of fish, the character of their haunts, and the nature and variety of their food ; so as to enable the angler to know, so far as can be known, when and where to find the fish at certain seasons, or at differ- ent stages of the Avater; when they are most inclined to "bite;" and to know, approximately, what bait to use. This information can be acquired in no other way but by j)atient and continued observation ; and, without it, all is guess-work. It is just as essential to the angler to know where to fish, as to know how. If he has a fair knowledge of the habits of game-fish, he can at once seek out the most likely places, on lake or stream, by seeming intuition. Black Bass are found at different localities in the same waters, at different seasons, and frequently shift their quarters many times during the same season, depending on the nature and locality of their food; the influences of wind and weather, condition of the water, etc. Thus, early in the season, they Avill be found on streams in shallow water, just below the rapids, or "riffles," where the water is warmest, feeding on helgramites and other larvae, Crustacea, minnows, etc. As the water gets warmer, they resort to stiller water, under overhanging trees, and feed upon the surface when the insects and flies appear. Still later, they seek greater depths, adjacent to shelving banks, gravelly shoals and rocky ledges, seeking min- nows, mollusks, etc. They may be found one day in water, say ten feet deep, and the very next day be seen in the shallowest water near shore. I will mention a striking instance of this kind: On one occasion, I went in company with a party of CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 363 expert anglers to Upper ,Nemahbin Lake, near Delaficld, "Wisconsin. My companion was Captain B., Chief of Po- lice of Milwaukee City ; and he exhibited considerable impatience and concern because of the other boats start- ing ahead of us over the favorite fishing-ground ; but I saw that the three other boats were proceeding. over this ground — where, on the preceding day, I had taken a fine lot of Bass — without getting so much as "a bite." We followed in their wake, casting right and left along the edge of the bulrushes, but in vain ; until, finally, we reached the end of the line of rushes, at the inlet of the lake. Mr. B was discouraged, but I, on the contrary, was elated — for I had observed the dorsal fins of numer- ous Bass in the shallow water between the rushes and the shore ; and I had observed, further, that the Bass were feeding on insects and flies which were being blown into the water by a brisk wind. I proposed fishing back over the same ground to the evident disgust of the Captain. But I began casting be- tween the bulrushes and the shore, in the shallow water under the lee of the bank, and fastened to a large Bass at almost the first cast. The Captain followed my lead ; and, on arriving at our original starting-point, a few hundred yards distant, we had taken fifteen fine Bass. The three boats had made the entire circuit of the lake, and the six anglers in them, fishing on the usual grounds, had not, altogether, taken half as many fish, when they joined us for luncheon. In lacustrine waters. Black Bass first appear in the shallowest portions, where the ^vater is warm, and feed upon Crustacea, mollusks, etc., retiring to deeper water as the season advances. When the patches of rushes and 364 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. other aquatic plants are well grown, they will be found near them, feeding on the minnows and small fry which congregate there. When the ephemeral flies of early summer appear, the Bass will then be found where these are most numerous; and they, at this time, feed at the surface. I was once fly-fishing for Bass in the Neenah Channel, at the outlet of Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin. The stream was quite swift, with a rocky bottom, and the surface was covered with May-flies, upon which the Bass were feed- ing. I was enjoying royal sport, using a cast of two brown hackles, and frequently fastened a fish to each fly. A boat-load of rustic anglers, with tamarack-poles and short lines, seeing my success, dropped down abreast of me, and anchored within fifty feet of my boat. They were using small minnows for bait, with heavy sinkers on their lines, which, of course, carried the bait to the bot- tom, where were feeding schools of White Bass (Koccus clirysops). As I took only Black Bass from the surface, they caught nothing but White Bass at the bottom. They could not understand it, and I did not enlighten them, for I had no desire to see my pet fish "yanked out" by tamarack-poles and tow-strings. I left them, shortly, in the glory of "snaking out" — as they called it — the un- fortunate White Bass, wondering, meanwhile, why they could not catch Black Bass like " that other fellow." But do we really know any of the conditions favorable or unfavorable fi)r angling? We are told that fish will not bite when the water is rendered high and turbid by freshets; during a thunder-storm, with heavy rain; on dark, cold days, with a blustering East wind; and on bright, still and hot days, when the water lies unruffled. CONDITIONS WHICH GOVEEN THE BITING OF FISH. 365 like a burnished mirror. If this be so, it is extremely fortunate, and we can apply the rule of exclusion here, and at once dismiss all such occasions from further con- sideration ; for I take it for granted that the reader has no desire to "go a-fishing" at such times. Fortunately, again, the season for angling is during pleasant weather, in Spring, Summer and Autumn ; and I have always observed that the pleasantest days for the an- gler's comfort, were usually the most propitious and suc- cessful days for angling. It matters little, for bait-fishing, whether the day be bright or cloudy, or whether the wind is in the East, West, North, or South, so long as it is a pleasant wind, and is not too raw and chilly. I have had "good luck" with the wind in either quarter, and from a gentle breeze to half a gale ; on days that were hot, bright, and cloudless, as well as on those that were cloudy and rather cool. To be sure, it makes some difference as to the character of the waters ; the pleasantest days are best for small streams and shallow waters, while the more unlikely days would better suit lakes and deep waters ; though in either case, the pleasantest days, in all respects, are the best. The fish in deep waters are not so easily affected by the vicissitudes of weather, as those in waters of shallow depth. As exceptional cases I might add that I have had as good success with a reefing east wind, or a half-gale from the north-west, on lakes of good depth, as at, seemingly, the most favorable times. Once, on La Belle Lake, at Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, I went fishing, when the wind was blowing quite fresh from the West. I proceeded to the lower end of the lake, some three miles, when the wind suddenly hauled around to the 366 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. north-west, blowing great guns, and causing the "white- caps " to roll furiously. It was impossible to make head- way against it, so I was compelled to anchor, which I did in a bight of bulrushes, in water from ten to twelve feet deep, but near a gravelly bar. Here I took, in a little '.more than two hours, twenty-five Black Bass, which after- wards turned the scales at seventy-five pounds. I have always considered this catch as being one of the best I ever made. On my return, owing to the high wind and heavy sea, it was all I could do to keep my boat from swamping. On another occasion, on Oconomowoc Lake, I fished at a rocky bar, which divided the lake into two portions. The wind was blowing a half-gale from the East, and quite cool ; the shallow water on the bar was churned and tossed into billows of seething foam by the high wind, enabling me to fish in water but a foot or two in depth ; and in a short time I took nine Bass, the smallest of which weighed four pounds. . I was then forced to relinquish my sport, as I had " run out " of minnows. Again, on Genesee Lake, in the same locality, I once made a good catch under peculiar circumstances. On this occasion I was "frogging," as this lake, at that time, was famous for the quantity and quality of its bull-frogs. After spearing a "good mess" of greenbacks, I was stand- ing on a sand-bar, which divides the lake into two parts during low water, and was idly watching the waves rolling up on the bar, which were being driven with great fury by a strong south-west wind. I chanced to see several Black Bass, evidently feeding in the surf; and I then be- gan devising ways and means for their capture. Near by, was a water-logged boat, in which I saw a CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 367 tamarack pole, and, upon investigation, I found that there was a short line and hook attached. My plans were soon formed. I went to a small hole of water, that I had pre- viously observed, which was left after the drying up of the outlet of a marsh at the lower end of the lake, and in Avhich I had seen a great many small minnows, an inch or two long. Dipping up a lot in my handkerchief, I took it by the corners and proceeded along the shore, dij)ping up water occasionally to keep the bait alive. On the bar I scooped a hole in the sand for the bait, filled it with water and went to fishing. The novelty of the situation, and my curiosity as to the result of the experiment, quieted my conscience and justified the employment of such prim- itive measures. Baiting the hook, I waded into the surf as far as I could with ordinary boots — for, being early in the season, the water was quite cold — I was soon pulling out the Bass, and took in this manner, with a short pole and six feet of line, fifteen splendid Bass. In angling, it may be safely accepted as a truism, that any wind is better than no wind ; a gale being better than a perfectly still day, especially when the water is clear. The reason for this is, that the surface of the water being agitated and ruffled by the breeze, the fish are not so apt to see the angler. An east wind is popularly regarded as an unfiworable wind for fishing, but it is not necessarily so. The opinion is of English origin, for in the humid climate of Great Britain an east wind is exceedingly raw, chilly, and disa- greeable, and is held to be productive of all manner of evils, being particularly dreaded by sufferers from rheuma- tism, neuralgia, or gout. The anglers of England, of course, share in this common detestation of an east wind, 368 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. and this prejudice is clearly shown by British writers on angling, from whom most of our ideas on fishing were formerly derived. But it is only after such a wind lias prevailed for several days, so as to lower the temperature of inland waters, that it, in any way, affects the " biting " of fish. This, no doubt, is often the case in Great Britain, and has led to the erroneous supposition that an east wind, under any and ail circumstances, is most unfavorable for the angler; and this idea has, to a great extent, been tacitly accepted to apply to our own country as well. But unless the fish have an inherited traditionary re- membrance of that "remarkable east wind" which divided the waters of the Red Sea and enabled Moses and his fol- lowers to pass over dry-shod, which causes them to be- come suspicious of every east wind that blows, I can not conceive how it affects their feeding, except, as stated be- fore, when it has been of sufficiently long continuance to cool the water. Along the Atlantic coast of the United States an east wind is generally held to be unpropitious for fishing ; but in this case post hoc is mistaken for proj>ter hoc; in other words, the effect is mistaken for the cause. After an unusually long series of east winds, or easterly gales, the tides are much affected thereby, and rise much higher, and spread over more extensive surfaces. The fish, as a matter of course, take advantage of this state of affairs, and, accord- ingly, extend their range in quest of food, being rewai'ded by great quantities of Crustacea, mollusks, etc., which be- fore were inaccessible on account of the shallow water. At such times, the fish are not found on their usual feed- ing grounds in the tideways, and hence has arisen the er- roneous idea that they do not. feed during an east wind. CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 369 Many bait-fislicrs have, an abiding faith in the signs of the Zodiac in influencing the biting of fish; believing that when the " sign " is in the feet (Pisces), and also just before and after, encroaching on the domains of the legs (Aquarius), and head (Aries), that fish feed better than at other times. They, of course, always remember the successful occasions at these periods, but soon forget, or imagine some satis- factory reason for, the failures; and thus their superstitious belief seldom weakens. The moon, likewise, is supposed by many to influence the feeding offish. In Florida, the opinion is very preva- lent among hunters and fishermen, that deer, fish, and other animals feed principally when the moon is above the horizon, night or day, particularly at moon-rise, moon- south, and moon-set. This belief also obtains in other sections of our country, and the adherents to the theory are, withal, so consistent, that their faith can not be shaken by repeated failures, and they seldom hunt or fish except when the " moon is right." While I am not a believer in the theory of the moon's influence over terrestrial objects, I am not prepared to say that there is nothing whatever in the moon affecting the feeding of fish ; for while fish certainly feed much at night, they seem to feed more especially on moonlight nights. Still, I do not attribute this fact to any influence possessed by the moon, beyond the ligh.tit affords, to enable the fish to find their prey. I have often observed that during the season of full-moon, fish were more apt to be ^sluggish and ofF their feed during the day time; and this I have always attributed to the fact, that they did their feeding mostly at nights, at such rimes. Many angl(?rs only fish from the last quarter until the new moon. 370 BOOK OP THE BLACK BASS. A perfect day for fishing, might be described as a warm, pleasant day, with a balmy, invigorating breeze ; a mellow sunlight, not too bright, produced by a somewhat hazy at- mosphere, or by drifting clouds ; when the season has been neither too wet nor too dry ; such a day as makes it a pleasure for one to breathe, and inhale with delight the odors and fragrance of forest, field, and stream. Not a day that produces a feeling of exquisite languor, and disposes to delicious, dreamy reveries, like the stimu- lant effect of an opiate ; but a day when the atmosphere seems filled with some indescribable aerial stimulant, that acts upon the brain, nerves, and circulation like sparkling wine ; that rouses the energies and spurs the nerves, pulses, and muscles to action ; such a day as makes one desire to laugh, to sing, to leap, to caper, to race through the mead- ows, to indulge in sudden impulses, in short, to make one feel a boy again. Such a day, when the water is semi-transparent or trans- lucent, and of such a temperature when it is most pleasant to bathe in — such a day, I say, is sure to be a satisfactory one to the angler, and the fish will be pretty sure to bite. On a day such as I have just described, I once made my largest catch of Black Bass, though I have always been opposed to " big catches," on principle ; for I hold that when the sole object in angling is to catch fish as long as they will " bite," the proceeding leaves the province of sport, and degenerates into- pot-fishing, or, what is worse, useless and unjustifiable slaughter; much in the same way that, when an unprincipled merchant, during the war, took unfair advantage of certain circumstances, and sold goods at an advance of five hundred per cent., and who, when afterwards boasting of the fine per centage of profit real- CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 371 ized, was told by a plain-spoken old gentleman tliat the transaction passed the limits of per centage, and entered the bounds of petit larceny. But as an honest confession is good for the soul, I will relate the incident referred to : I was fishing in Okauchee Lake, Wisconsin, in company with two friends from Cin- cinnati, on a really perfect day in July. We had, unfor- tunately, a bountiful supply of fine minnows for bait, and after we had taken more than enough fish, I proposed to stop; but my friends, to whom the experience was new, could not be induced to relinquish the exciting sport, so 1 continued fishing, under protest, and we took during the day one hundred and fifty-three Bass, and, with shame do I confess it, more than one-half — I am afraid to siiy just how many more — fell to my rod. In justice, however, but not as a redeeming feature, I will state that the fish were not Masted, but a hundred fine Bass were packed in ice and expressed to friends in Cin- cinnati, and the balance were distributed among the hotels of Oconomowoc. I always look back upon this circumstance with regret, though I have done penance for the transaction, many a time and oft, since, by stopping at a dozen Bass, when I might have taken twice the number. Some anglers tell us that fish will not bite before a rain ; others say they will not take a bait during a rain ; and still others affirm that it is useless to fish offer a rain. Now, while there is a grain of truth in each of these opinions, yet if we blindly accept all of them and endeavor to follow them, we shall have no further use for our fishing-tackle. I do not think that rain, jjcr se, has any influence what- ever upon the feeding of fish. It is, of course, impossible 372 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. for US to judge in this matter by a comparison with terres- trial creatures; but, fishes being inhabitants of the watery element, it is not reasonable to suppose tiiat a rain makes any difference with them at all — at the time — though they profit or not, by the subsequent rising aud roiling of the water, more or less, according to circumstances. The multitudes of insects which arc said to be beaten down from the overhanging trees and from the air, into the water, during a shower of rain, must be taken cum grano sails; for insects, like most other mundane creatures, know enough to " come in out of the wet." We really find no more insects floating on the water during a rain, than at other times, though it is true that many are col- lected and swept by rains from the surface of the ground, and washed into the streams by swollen brooks and branches; but with the insects, go, also, the washings, debris, and particles of soil to discolor and thicken the streams, so that the fish may really fast in the midst of plenty, not being able to see the sudden influx of food by reason of the turbidity of the water : and, again, it is doubt- ful if fish-feed much on dead insects. The fish, however, on the other hand, are enabled to ex- tend their range in foraging for food, during seasons of high water, when the water has cleared sufficiently to allow them to discover it. I have noticed that fish usually bite better just before a shower ; especially if the weather be murky and warm, and I think this can be accounted for in this way : It is gen- erally quite calm, for a longer or shorter time previous to a summer shower, and the water being still, the fish do not bite, as they see the angler too distinctly— and this is why some have said that it is not a good time to fish before CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 373 a rain — but i mmediately preceding the shower, a brisk breeze usually springs up, rippling the water, and it is at this time that fish seem to become possessed with a sudden im- pulse to feed, not on account of the impending rain, how- ever, as many suppose, but because the angler is hid from view by the ruffling of the water. Sometimes this breeze accompanies the rain, and at other times follows the rain, and in either case the fish will bite best while the breeze continues. "When a shower is followed by a calm, fish, of course, will not bite, in clear water, and as this often hap- pens, it follows that some anglers hold to the opinion that they never bite after a rain. I have tried to impress the reader, all through this chapter, with the importance of keeping out of sight of the fish as much as possible, for herein lies the greatest secret of success in angling; and fish will be found to bite better, always, when conditions arc such as to favor the screening of the angler from their ever-watchful eyes, and, when, at the same time, the water is sufficiently clear to enable them to discern the bait on or beneath the surface. In fly-fishing, especially, must this caution be exercised to. its fullest extent, for the casts being necessarily much shorter than in bait-fishing, the angler is more liable to be seen ; and herein lies the foundation of the opinion, enter- tained by many, that Black Bass are more uncertain to rise to the fly than the Brook Trout. I hold that Black Bass, during the proper season, will rise as readily to the fly, under the same conditions, as the Trout. But the fact is, that while the Bass is as wary as the Trout, he is not so timid. The Trout darts away at the first glimpse of the angler, while the Bass will hold his ground, though ready to depart unceremoniously when occasion 374 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. calls, eyeing the angler meanwhile, and entirely ignoring his best skill, though he cast his feathery lures never so lightly and naturally. The Bass is too knowing to be taken in by any such deception so long as he sees the an- gler at the other end of the rod ; hence, more caution is really necessary in fly-fishing for Black Bass than for the Brook Trout. In regard to the best time of day for angling, there is not much choice, and it is governed a good deal by the season of the year, the temperature of the water, and by the character of the day itself, though, as a rule, fish are sluggish and off their feed during the middle of the day, with a bright and warm sun, say from noon until three o'clock, except early and late in the season, when the water is still cold, when the middle of the day is often the best time. For bait-fishing, on small streams, the early morning hours, about sunrise, are often the best ; though on large streams and lakes there is nothing gained by early fishing, as the fish do not bite well until the sun is several hours high. The latter part of the afternoon, until sundown, is often the best part of the day for the angler. On cloudy days, however, the middle of the day is often the most favorable, especially if the weather is rather cool. For fly-fishing, the early morning hours succeeding sun- rise, and from an hour or two before sunset until dark, or wath a nearly full moon, even later, will be found the best hours for filling the creel. Of course, all of these times must be governed by con- ditions of the wind, weather, and water, whether favorable or not; for no matter what the hour of the day, it will be CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 375 the most successful, when other conditions are most favor- able, and approach more nearly to the " typical " day for angling, as described in this chapter, the most prominent features of which are pleasant weather, translucent water, and a fresh breeze. Thunder, and electrical conditions of the atmosphere, I leave out of the account altogether, as we have no means of judging of the influence of so subtile an agent as elec- tricity on the finny tribe ; nor have I ever observed any peculiar effect on fishes from these causes, thoifgh great stress is often laid by some anglers on the influence of an atmosphere surcharged with electricity, whatever that may mean ; but it is no more reasonable to suppose that fishes would be disturbed by electrical conditions of the air, than terrestrial animals would be inconvenienced or otherwise by electric conditions of water. But, notwithstanding all of our patient and careful ob- servations of the habits of fish, their food and their sur- roundings, and our study of the various conditions of wind, weather, and water, there will be days and days in the experience of every angler, when the fish Avill utterly refuse to bite; and this on such days as the most finished, practiced, and observant angler would pronounce exceed- ingly favorable in every particular. At such times one is forcibly reminded of the analogy existing between the will of woman and the "biting" of fish, as related in the familiar lines : — "For if she will, she will, you may depend on't; And if she won't, she Avon't; so there's an end on't." Every Black Bass angler has seen — where the water was clear enough for observation — the Bass seize his minnow 376 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. through seemingly mere caprice, and, instead of attempting to gorge it, wonld take it gingerly by the tail, toy with it, and finally eject it, or spit it out, as it ^vere; and this would be repeated several times in succession, or until the an- gler's patience became exhausted, when, while unjointing his rod, he would muse upon the waywardness of fish in general, and wonld be convinced that Solomon never went a-fishing, or he would have added another item to the four things too wonderful for his ken, or at least ha,ve sub- stituted " the way of a fish with a bait," for the less puz- zling proposition of " the way of a man with a maid." CHAPTER XX. THE BLACK BASS AS A GAME FISH. " He is a fish that lurks close all winter ; but is very pleasant and jolly after inid-April, and in May, and in tlie hot months."— Izaak Walton. Those who have tasted the lotus of Salmon, or Trout fishings in that Utopian clime of far away — while reveling in its aesthetic atmosphere, and surrounded by a misty halo of spray from the waterfall, or enveloped by the filmy gauze and iridescent haze of the cascade — have inscribed tomes, sang idyls, chanted pseans, and poured out libations in honor and praise of the silver-spangled Salmon, or the ruby-studded Trout, while it is left to the vulgar horde of Black Bass anglers to stand upon the mountain of their own doubt and presum])tion, and, with nplifted hands, in admiration and awe, gaze with dazed eyes from afar upon that forbidden land — that terra incognita — and then, having lived in vain, die and leave no sign. It is, then, with a spirit of rank heresy in my heart ; with smoked glass spectacles on ray nose, to dim the glare and glamour of the transcendent shore ; with the scales of justice across my shoulder — 31. sabnoides in one scoop and 31. dolomieu in the other — I pass the barriers and confines of the enchanted land, and toss them into a stream tliat has been depopulated of even fingerlings, by the dilettanti 32 (377) 378 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. of Salmon and Trout fishers; for I would not, even here, put Black Bass in a stream inhabited by Salmon or Brook Trout. While watching the plebeian interlopers sporting in an eddy, their bristling spines and emerald sides gleaming in the sunshine, I hear an awful voice from the adjacent rocks exclaiming: "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread ! " Shade of Izaak Walton defend us ! While ap- pealing to Father Izaak for protection, I quote his words : "Of which, if thou be a severe, sour complexioned man, then I here disallow thee to be a competent judge." Seriously, most of our notions of game fish and fishing are derived from British writers; and as the Salmon and the Trout are the only fishes in Great Britain worthy of being called game, they, of course, form the themes of British writers on game fish. Americans, following the lead of our British cousins in this, as we were wont to do in all sporting matters, have eulogized the Salmon and Brook Trout as the game fish par excellence of America, ignoring other fish equally worthy. While som(> claim for the Striped Bass a high place in the list of game fish, I feel free to assert, that, were the Black Bass a native of Great Britain, he would rank fully as high, in the estimation of British anglers, as either the Trout or the Salmon. I am borne ont in this by the opinions of British sportsmen, whose statements have been received without question. W. H. Herbert (Frank Forester) writing of the Black Bass, says : " This is one of the finest of the American fresh water fishes ; it is surpassed by none in boldness of biting, in fierce and violent resistance when hooked, and by a very few only in excellence upon the board." THE BLACK BASS AS A GAME FISH 379 Parker Gilmore ("Ubique") says: "I fear it will be almost deemed heresy to place this fish (Black Bass) on a par with the Trout; at least, some such idea I had when I first heard the two compared; bat I am bold, and will go further. I consider he is the superior of the two, for he is equally good as an article of food, and much stronger and untiring in his efforts to escape when hooked." In a recent issue of the London "Fishing Gazette" (England), Mr. Silk advertises: "Black Bass {Gnjdes nigricans), the gamest of American fish. 300 for sale (just arrived), length from 3 to 5 inches; 6 months old. Price, 10s. (12.25) each." Now, while Salmon fishing is, unquestionably, the highest branch of pisca^ )rial si)ort ; and while Trout fishing in Canada, Maine, and the Lake Superior region justifies all the extravagant praise bestowed upon it, I am inclined to doubt the judgment and good taste of those anglers who snap their fingers in contempt of Black Bass fishing, while they will wade a stream strewn with brush and logs, catch a few Trout weighing six or eight to the pound, and call it the only artistic angling in the world ! While they are certainly welcome to their opinion, I think their zeal is worthy of a better cause. The Black Bass is eminently an American fish, and has been said to be representative in his characteristics. He has the faculty of asserting himself and making himself completely at home wherever placed. He is plucky, game, brave and unyielding to the last when hooked. He has the arrowy rush and vigor of the Trout, the untiring strength and bold leap of the Salmon, while he has a sys- tem of fighting tactics peculiarly his own. 380 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. He will rise to the artificial fly as readily as the Salmon or the Brook Trout, under the same conditions; and will take the live minnow, or other live bait, under any and all circumstances favorable to the taking of any other fish. I consider him, inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamest fish that swims. The royal Salmon and the lordly Trout must yield the palm to a Black Bass of equal iveight. That he will eventually become the leading game fish of America is my oft-expressed opinion and firm belief. This result, I think, is inevitable ; if for no other reasons, from a force of circumstances occasioned by climatic con- ditions and the operation of immutable natural laws, such as the gradual drying up, and dwindling away of the small Trout streams, and the consequent decrease of Brook Trout, both in quality and quantity ; and by the introduction of predatory fish in waters where the Trout still exists. Another prominent cause of the decline and fall of the Brook Trout, is the erection of dams, saw-mills and fac- tories upon Trout streams, which, though to be deplored, can not be prevented; the march of empire and the progress of civilization can not be stayed by the honest, though poM'erless, ])rotests of anglers. But, while the ultimate fate of the Brook Trout is sealed beyond peradventure, we have the satisfaction of knowing, that, in the Black Bass we have a fish equally worthy, both as to game and edible qualities, and which, at the same time, is able to withstand, and defy, many of the causes that will, in the end, effect the annihilation and ex- tinction of the Brook Trout. Mr. Charles Hallock, the well-known author, angler, and journalist, says: — THE BLACK BASS AS A GAME FISH. 381 No doubt the Bass is the appointed successor of the Trout : not through heritage, nor selection, nor by interloping, but by fore- ordination. Truly, it is sad to contemplate, in the not distant future, the extinction of a beautiful race of creatures, whose at- tributes have been sung by all the poets ; but we regard the inevitable with the same calm philosophy with which the astronomer watches the burning out of a world, knowing that it will be suc- ceeded by a new creation. As we mark the soft vari-tinted flush of the Trout disappear Iti the eventide, behold the sparkle of the coming Bass as he leaps into the morning of his glory ! We hardly know which to admire the most — the velvet livery and the charming graces of the departing courtier, or the flash of the armor-plates on the advancing warrior. No doubt the Bass will prove himself a worthy substitute for his predecessor, and a candidate for a full legacy of Jionors. No doubt, when every one of the older States shall become as densely settled as Great Britain itself, and all the rural aspects of the crowded domain resemble the suburban surroundings of our Boston ; when every feature of the pastoral landscape shall wear the finished appearance of European lands ; and every verdant field be closely cropped by lawn-mowers and guarded by hedges ; and every purling stream which meanders through it has its water- bailiff, we shall still have speckled Trout from which the radiant spots have faded, and tasteless flsh, to catch at a dollar per pound (as we already have on Long Island), and all the nppurtenances and appointments of a genuine English Trouting privilege and a genuine English "outing." In those future days, not long hence to come, some venerable piscator, in whose memory still lingers the joy of fish'ng, the brawl- ing stream which tumbled over the rocks in the tangled wildwood, and moistened the arbutus and the bunchberries which garnished its banks, will totter forth to the velvety edge of some peacefully- flowing stream, and having seated himself on a convenient point in a revolving easy chair, placed there by his careful attendant, cast right and left for the semblance of sport long dead. Hosts of liver-fed fish will rush to the signal for their early morn- ing meal, and from the center of the boil which follows the fall of the handsful thrown in, my piscator of the ancient days will hook a 382 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. two-pound Trout, and play him hither and yon, from surface to bottom, without disturbing the pampered gormands which are gorging tliemselves upon the disgusting viands; and wlien he lias leisurely brought him to hand at last, and the gillie has scooped him with his landing-net, he will feel in his ca'pacious pocket for his last trade dollar, and giving his friend the tip, shuffle back to his house, and lay aside his rod forever. Rev. Myron H. Reed, an enthusiastic angler, who fol- lows the example, in a double sense, of those disciples, who, being fishermen of the waters, became also fishers of men, ventures this prediction : — This is probably the last generation of Trout fishers. The chil- dren will not be able to find any. Already there are well-trodden paths by every stream in Maine, in New York and in Michigan. I know of but one river in North America by the side of which you will find no paper collar or other evidences of civilization ; it is the Nameless River. Not that Trout will cease to be. They will be hatched by machinery, and raised in ponds, and fattened on chopped liver, and grow flabby and lose their spots. The Trout of the restaurant Avill not cease to be. He is no more like the Trout of the Avild river than the fat and songless reed-bird is like the bobolink. Gross feeding and easy pond-life enervate and deprave him. The Trout that the children will know only by legend is the gold- sprinkled, living arrow of the Whitewater— able to zig-zag up the cataract, able to loiter in the rapids— whose dainty meat is the glancing butterfly. But is the Black Bass worthy to succeed and supersede the speckled beauty of the cool mountain streams, as the game-fish of American waters ? Let us see — Reader, go with me This perfect morning in the leafy June, To yon pool at the gurgling rapid's foot — Approach with caution; let your tread be soft; THE BLACK BASS AS A GAME FISH. 383 Beware the bending bushes on the brink ; Touch no branch, nor twig, nor leaf disturb, For the finny tribe is wary. Rest we here, awhile. Behold the scene ! Above — the ripple, Spai'kling and dancing in the morning sun. At your feet — the blue-eyed violet, shedding Sweet perfume, and nodding in the breeze. The red-bird, ablaze, and with swelling throat Chants loud his song, in yonder thick-set thorn. The dreamy, droning hum of insects' wings. Mingles with the rustling of the quivering leaves. On the gravelly shoal, in the stream, below — Sleek, well-fed cattle contented stand. Beneath the spreading beech. Across the narrow stream, Leans a giant sycamore, old and gray, With scarr'd arms stretching o'er the silent pool; And gnarl'd and twisted roots bared by the wash And ripple, for, lo these hundred years. The bubbles of the rapid play hide and seek Among their arching nooks. Beneath those bare roots. With watchful eye, proud monarch of the pool, A cunning Bass doth lie, on balanced fin, In waiting for his prey. Now, with supple, Yielding rod, and taper'd line of silk; With mist-like leader, and two small flies — Dark, bushy hackles both— I make a cast. With lengthen'd line I quickly cast again. And just beneath the tree the twin-like lures As light as snow-flakes fall, and gently linger, — Half-submerged, — like things of life, obedient still To slightest tension of line and rod. Look ! Saw you that gleam Beneath the flood? A flash — a shadow — 384 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Then a swirl upon the surface of the pool ? My hand responsive to the sudden thrill, Strikes in the steel ; the wary Bass is hook'd. With light'ning speed he darts away toward his Ark of refuge — his lair beneath the roots. The singing reel, And hissing line, liroclaim him almost there, When I " give the butt." The faithful rod, In hov.^e-shoe curve, now checks his headlong flight. Egad ! he tugs and pulls right lustily ; But still the barb is there. The rod now bending Like a reed, resists the tight'niug strain, and Turns him in his course. In curving reaches, Back and forth, he darts in conscious strength ; Describing arcs and segments in the shadows Of the ruffled pool. Ha ! nobly done! With a mighty rusli he cleaves the crystal flood, And at one bound, full half a fathom in The realm above, he takes an atrial flight; His fins, extended with bristling points; His armor, brightly flashing in the sun ; •Shaking, in his rage, his wide-extended jaws, To rid him of the hook. Gracefully, now, I lower The pliant rod, in courtesy to the brave ; The line, relieved of steady strain, baflles The wily Bass ; the hook holds fast and firm. Back he falls with angry splash, to the depths, For friendly aid of snag, or stone, or root Of tree — for thus, my friend, he oft escapes, By fouling line, or hook. But, he never sulks! Not he ; while life remains, or strength holds good, Plis efforts are unceasing. Now up the stream — Now down again — I have him well in hand ; Reeling in, or giving line ; fast and slow, — THE BLACK BASS AS A GAME FISH. 385 Pligh and low, — the steady strain maintaining; The good rod swaying like a rush, as he Surges through the Hood. Another leap ! Ye gods, how brave ! Like a lion shaking His shaggy mane, he dives below again. Did you mark, my friend, his shrewd intent, As he fell across the line? If he then Had found it stretched and tense, his escape Was surely made. But the tip was lowered; And with yielding line, the hook still held him fast. Now, truly, friend, he Makes a gallant fight ! In air, or water, All the same, his spiny crest erect. He struggles to the last. No sulking here; But like a mettl'd steed, he champs the bit, And speeds the best with firm-held, tighten'd, rein. Now down the stream, he's off again, like shaft From long-bow swiftly sped — his last bold spurt— The effort cost him very dear ; his sti-ength Is ebbing fast. In decreasing circles Now he swims, and labors with the tide. As I reel the line, he slowly yields. And now turns up his breast-plate, snowy white — A vanquish'd, conquer'd knight. Now, my friend, The landing-net; 'neath the surface hold it, AVith firm and cautious hand. There, lift him Gently out ; and as gently lay him down. His bright sides rival the velvet sward, in Kich and glossy green. See the great rent The hook hath made ! How easily 'tis withdrawn! You marvel how I held him, safe? By the Equal and continued strain of willowy rod, And ever faithful reel. 33 386 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Valiant, noble Bass ! Fit denizen of the brawling stream ! Thy Last fight is ended — thy last race is run ! Thy once lov'd pool 'neath the sycamore's shade, Thy fancied stronghold 'neath its tangled roots. Shall know thee no more. Place him in thy creel; Lay him tenderly on a bed of ferns, Crisp, green and cool with sparkling, morning dew- A warrior in repose! [In the preface I have stated that the reader need not look for rhetorical efforts nor poetic descriptions in this book, for I make no pretense to a possession of the " di- vine afflatus;" it is hardly necessary, therefore, to say that the foregoing description of the " Capture of the Bass" forms no exception to that statement, for I am fully aware that it is faulty both in rhythm and measure. The description was originally written as plain prose, but it read so much like an affectation, or an attempt to be poetical, that I considered it the least evil to put it in its present form ; which I did by the changing of less than a dozen words. The charitable reader will there- fore please regard it, and read it, as plain prose, while the hypercritic will please consider the (poetical) feet de- veloped rather (as in the case of the Bass) as fins, which will place it beyond the pale of critique.] CHAPTER XXL FLY-FISHING. " And now, scholar, my direction for fly-flshing is ended with this shower, for it has done raining."— Izaak Walton. Artificial fly-fishing is the most legitimate, scien- tific and gentlemanly mode of angling, and is to be greatly- preferred to all other ways and means of capturing the finny tribe. It requires more address, more skill, and a better knowledge of the habits of the fish and his sur- roundings than any other method. Fly-fishing holds the same relation to bait-fishing that poetry does to prose ; and, Avhile eacli method will ever have its enthusiastic admirers, only he who can skillfully handle the comely fly -rod, and deftly cast the delicate fly, can truly and fully enjoy the aesthetics of the gentle art. As the lover naturally "drops into poetry" to express the ardent feelings of his soul, "with a woful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow," so the real lover of nature and the finny tribe as naturally takes to fly-fishing, and finds liquid poems in gurgling streams, and pastoral idyls in leafy woods. A friend in Texas, to whom I sent a bass-fly (an Abbey), and who had never seen a "fly" before, enthusiastically declared it to be " a fish-hook poetized," and thought that a " Black Bass .should take it through a love of the beauti- ful, if nothing else." Not only the fly, but every imple- ment of the fly-fisher's outfit is a materialized poem. (887) 388 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. riy-fishers are usually brain-workers in society. From time immemorial the fraternity has embraced many of the most honored, intellectual and cultured members of the liberal professions and arts. Along the banks of purling streams, beneath the shadows of umbrageous trees, or in the secluded nooks of char|ning lakes, they have ever been found, drinking deep of the invigorating forces of nature — giving rest and tone to overtaxed brains and wearied nerves — while gracefully wielding the su]>ple rod, the invisible leader, and the fairy-like ily. Oh! how the sluggish pulses bound, the deadened nerves thrill, and the relaxed muscles quicken^ responsive to the inspiration of the electric rise of the gamey denizens of the stream ; and oh, how the buried forces of life are resur- rected, renewed and streDgthened by the hopes, and fears, and struggles, of the contest which follows ! And when at last the brave beauty has been lovingly deposited in the creel, the restored angler feels that he has won a double victory ; for, in the death of the fish, he sees re- newed life for himself. But the true fly-fisher, who practices his art con amove, does not delight in big catches, nor revel in undue and cruel slaughter. He is ever satisfied with a moderate creel, and is content with the scientific and skillful capture of a few good fish. The beauties of nature, as revealed in his surroundings — the sparkling water, tlie shadow and sun- shine, the rustling leaves, the song of birds and hum of insects, the health-giving breeze — make up to him a meas- ure of true enjoyment, and peace, and thankfulness, that is totally unknown to the slaughterer of the innocents, \vhose sole ambition is to fill his creel and record his captures by scores; and who realizes naught in his surroundings but FLY-FISHING. 389 the hot siin,^Hppery rocks, baffling winds, and the annoy- ance of overhanging' trees and bushes. The time is com- ing when such an angler will receive, as well as merit, the scorn and contempt of all good and true disciples of the gentle art. RiGGixG THE Cast. By a reference to the chapters devoted to the imple- ments of angling, the reader will obtain u full description of those used in fly-fishing, which are the fly-rod, the click- reel, the tapered fly-line, the leader, the fly, the fly-book, the creel, the landing-net, and the useful adjuncts, for stream-fishing, of wading-pants or stockings; and, by referring to the pages on knots, the following directions for rigging the cast will be rendered more intelligible : A few snelled Sproat or O'Shaughnessy hooks should be carried in the fly-book, to use with such natural baits as grasshoppers, beetles or dragon -flies, in case the artificial fly does not prove successful. They are to be used in the same manner as artificial flies. The beginner being now provided with all the tools, it is in order to put his rod together, attach reel, reel-line, aiid cast of flies, and proceed to business. In rigging the cast, if the leader is provided with loops at each end, and also loops for drop-flies, proceed as follows : To the small end of the leader attach the stretcher or tail-fly by passing the loop of the leader through the loop of the snell and over the fly, then draw together. Three or four feet from the tail-fly attach the dropper, or bob-fly, in the same man- ner; that is, put the loop of the snell over the loop of the leader, and push the fly through the latter loop and draw tight; or, if the leader is not furnished with loops for this 390 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. purpose, slip a knot of the leader (about three or four feet from the tail-fly) apart, and, after making a round knot in the end of the snell of the fly, put it through the opened knot of the leader and draw together; this will hold firm, and the dropper-fly will stand at right angles from the leader. If, however, the gut-lengths of the leader are tied by hard, close knots, instead of the slip-knot or double water-knot, then the snell of the dropper must be attached close to and above a knot of the leader, by a single knot or half-hitch, a round knot having previously been made in the end of the snell, to prevent the half-hitch from Avorking loose ; this is probably as good and safe a way as any. The cast is now ready, for I do not advise the use of more than two flies. If, however, the angler wishes to employ three, the third fly, or second dropper, must be attached three feet above the first dropper, and, in this case, the leader should be nine feet long. But the begin- ner will have all he can attend to with a six-feet leader and two flies. The leader having been previously straight- ened by soaking in water, or rubbing with India-rubber (the former method is to be preferred), and attached to the reel-line, the angler is now armed and equipped as the law directs, and ready for Casting the Fly. Casting the artificial fly is performed by two principal motions, a backward and a forward one. The former is to throw the flies behind the angler, and the latter is to project them forward and beyond. That is all there is FLY-FISHING. 391 in it. These are the main principles involved, and the first or backward motion is merely preparatory to the second or forward one, the latter being the most im- portant. Bnt the style and manner of making these two motions are all-important; for upon the correct, skillfid, and, I might say, scientific performance of them, depends the success of the angler. The main objects of the two mo- tions are, first, to get the line and cast behind the angler in a straight line, without lapping or kinking ; and, sec- ond, to project the line forward without snapping off the tail-fly, casting it perfectly straight, without confusion, and causing the flies to alight before the line, without a splash, and as lightly as the natural insect dropping into the water. This can only be done by the novice, with a short line, about the length of his rod, and he should not attempt a longer cast until he is perfect in this. When he can lay out his short line perfectly straight before him, without a splash, every time, he can then venture further. But we are getting along too fast; we must go back to first ])rinciples — the two motions. The backward and forward movements are each made in about the same length of time, but while the former is a single movement, the latter is a double one ; that is, it is divided into two motions, or parts ; though these two for- ward motions are made in the same length of time as the backward movement. J will now try to explain these movements more ex- plicitly, with the aid of the annexed cuts and diagrams. The prospective fly-fisher having his rod, reel and cast in readiness, stands near the bank of the stream, with a clear space of fifteen or twenty feet behind him. Having 392 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. FLY-FISHIX(J. 393 the line about the length of liis rod, to begin with, he takes the hook of the tail-fly between his left thumb and forefinger and stretches the line taut; then, by waving the rod slightly baclcAvard over the left shonlder, and at the same time releasing his hold of the tail-fly, the line straightens ont behind him, the right elbow meantime being held close to the body, as the backward movement is made with the wrist and forearm entirely. The position of the right hand during this portion of the cast is with said hand grasping the rod just above the reel (the reel being at the extreme butt, and on the under side of the rod), and with the reel and palm of the hand toward the angler, the thumb looking toward his right shoulder (see figure 1). " When the line and leader are on a straight line behind him, which the beginner must learn to judge and time ex- actly, without looking behind him, he brings the rod for- ward wnth a gradually increasing rate of speed, until the rod is slightly in advance of him, say at an angle of fifteen degrees off the perpendicular; then, for the first time, the right elbow leaves the body, and, at the same time, the rod is turned in the hand in the opposite direction (see figiu-e 2) ; that is, with the back of the hand toward tiie angler, so that, at the end of the cast, the reel is below the rod, while the back of the hand is upward, and, without stopping the motion of the rod, the right arm is projected forward to its full extent, and on a line with the shoulder (see figure 3). This is the second part or motion of the forward movement, and consists in merely following the direction of the flies witli the tip of the rod, so as to ease their rapid flight, and allow them to descend without con- fusion, and to settle upon the water noiselessly, and with- 394 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. out a splash. Thus we see that the backward movement is in one time and one motion, and the forward movement in one time and two motions, as the military have it, or according to the following formula of time : 1. ^ = 2. („) J (6) ; No. 1 represents the backward throw, in one motion, in the time of a half note. No. 2 represents the forward cast, in one time and two motions, a and b, in the time of two quarter notes. This is not to be understood as fishing by note, but the relative time of making the dif- ferent motions in casting the fly approaches very nearly that of the formula given. This is better explained by a reference to the foregoing cuts; where figure 1 repre- sents the backward throw, and figure 2 represents the first part or motion (c/), and figure 3 the second part or mo- tion (6), of the forward cast. Sometimes these movements are made straight back- ward and forward over either shoulder, or over the head; but the best Avay is to make the backward movement over the left shoulder, and the forward over the right shoulder, the line thus describing an oval or parabola. By this method the flies are not so apt to be whipped ofl", and it is, withal, more graceful, more en regie. The following diagram represents the arcs described by the tip of the rod and the flies : ^f' FLY-FISHING. 395 is supposed to be the angler, and, as wc are looking down upon him from above, it represents his hat. The dark line, a b c, is the curve described by the tip of the I'od in the backward and forward movements of the cast — back over the left shoulder, and forward over the right; while the dotted curved line, d e f, is the approximate arc described by the tail-fly, leaving the water at d, and alight- ing, by a lengthened cast, at /. By studying these diagrams in connection with the in- structions given, the theory and mechanical principles will soon be mastered by the novice. He should then, by as- siduous and ])atient endeavor, make a practical ap])lication of these principles, and become tolerably proficient in cast- ing the fly, before he attemj^ts to venture near the haunts of the Bass. But various ways of casting come into play at certain times, and under peculiar circumstances; and the rod will be held more or less to one side or the other, or more ver- tically, as particular circumstances or emergencies demand. For the novice must remember that there are trees and bushes, and rocks and winds, to contend with in fly-fish- ing; and, moreover, as h(! becomes proficient, he will choose his own style of casting, for no two anglers cast the fly exactly alike. However, all methods of overhead casting are but varia- tions or modifications of the mode just described; and the particular circumstances calling lor them will natu- rally suggest their necessity, use, or advantages to the angler as he becomes more expert, and gains in knowl- edge by practical experience. It is hardly necessary, therefore, or even advisable, to allude more particularly to other ways of overhead casting, as it would, in my 396 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. opinion, tend more to confuse than to enlighten the be-- ginner. Then there is the sidewise cast, Avhcre the line is not thrown behind the angler at all, but to one side or the other. This style of casting is practiced with a short line, on very narrow waters, or where the banks of the stream are thickly clothed with tall grass or bushes, and where there is not sufficient clear space for throwing the line behind the angler. In this mode of casting, the angler, instead of facing the stream, turns one side or the other toward the water, and casts by throwing the line landward, over the grass or bushes, to the right or left, as the case may be ; and, when the line has unfolded in a straight line, to cast toward the water by an opposite sidewise cast. In all other respects, the management of the cast must approach, as nearly as possible, the regular overhead cast. Another method of casting that occasionally comes into play is "switching." This mode is very useful where high banks, trees or bushes render the overhead and side- wise cast impracticable ; though it admits of but a very short line being used, shorter than in the sidewise cast. Switching is performed by raising the arm and rod to their fullest extent, vertically, thus drawing the flies close to, and in front of, the angler; then, by a quick, smart, circling motion of the rod, the flies are projected forward, or laterally, as the angler may wish. The forward motion is much like striking with a whip or switch, and is more easily imagined than described. We will now presume that the tyro has perfected him- self in casting a short line, and can throw his tail-fly into his hat nearly every time at a distance of fifteen feet ; and FLY-FISHING. 397 right here let me say, beware of the angling brag who declares that he can cast his tail-fly into a glass of Avater at fifty feet every time ! It can't be done. Also fight shy of the lonon-rano-e fisher who insists that he can cast a hundred feet with ease ! It can't be done. The long- est cast, with a single-handed rod. I ever saw, without "loaded" flies, was eighty-one feet, and I believe the longest on record is Seth Green's eighty-six feet; while at the last (1880) tournament held by the New York State Sportsman's Association, seventy feet won the first prize. When the beginner can cast his fly into his hat, eight times out of ten, at forty feet, he is a fly-fisher; and, so far as casting is concerned, a good one. But let us go back to our tyro, who has now become proficient with the short line, for it is time to lengthen his cast, which is done in this way : After casting and rov- ing his flies on the" surface by zigzag, jerky motions, to the left or right, and without provoking a rise, he pulls off from the reel with the left hand three or four feet of line ; and, lifting his rod, slowly at first, by a gradually increas- ing motion, lifts the leader and flies, and throws them backward over the left shoulder, as before described. The resistance of the leader and flies, before they leave the water, takes the extra length of line from the rod, and it is unfolded behind the angler into a straight line, when he casts it forward over the right shoulder. In this way the line is lengthened at every cast, if nec-> essary, until the maximum or desired distance is reached. But the angler should never let his flies touch the ground behind him; but must so time the movement as to proi)el the line forward at exactly the right moment to prevent this. 398 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Another caution : The angler should never attempt to cast his flies by main strength, for this will accomplish nothing but confusion ; it takes but little force to retrieve or cast the flies with a well-made, springy and pliant rod. The rod, moreover, must never be carried back over the shoulder to a distance exceeding an angle of fifteen degrees off the perpendicular, for the backward throw is really ac- complished by the time the rod is in a vertical position, and this might be said, also, to a certain extent, in regard to the forward movement or cast proper ; for by the time the rod is fifteen degrees off the perpendicular in the other direction (in front), the main part of the cast is made, and the second part of the forward movement is only to follow the flies with the point of the rod, to ease their flight, as before mentioned ; this latter part of the forward cast can no more aid or extend the flight of the flies than " push- ing" on the reins can increase the speed of your horse. I have now, in the fewest words possible, and in the simplest manner, endeavored to explain the " mystery " of casting the fly, and I trust. the beginner will be able to understand it. It is almost impossible to describe the art clearly and satisfactorily by mere words. One hour with a good fly-fisher will teach the novice more than a hun- dred written pages. I have purposely omitted many little details of nicety and precision, which would only tend to magnify the supposed difficulties of casting, and create doubt, confusion, and a lack of confidence, in the mind of the beginner in the noble art of fly-fishing. General Instructions. It is useless to cast for Black Bass from high elevations near the water, as a bold bank, a projecting rock, a dam. FLY-FISHING. 399 etc., under ordinary circumstances ; for the angler must remember that the most commanding situatiou for seeing the fish also furnishes the best facilities for being seen in return, and vice versa. In fishing from a boat, it must be kept in deep water, while long casts are made in-shore, toward the feeding grounds. We should never fish with the sun at our back, or in such a position as to throw the shadow of our rod or person upon the water. From what has been said in the chapter on the "condi- tions governing the biting offish," it will be apparent that it is absolutely necessary that there be a breeze sufficient to ruffle the surface of the water. It is perfect folly for the angler to cast his flies upon a smooth surface, if the water is clear enough for fishing. A gale is better than no wind at all, and it does not matter from what direction the wind blows, if the condition and temperature of water are right. A good breeze is the angler's best ally, for by rippling the water it breaks the line of sight, to a great extent, between him and the fish. The angler should endeavor to cast his flies as lightly as possible, causing them to settle as quietly as thistle- down, and without a splash. After casting, the flies should be skipped or trailed along the surface in slightly curving lines, or by zigzag and tremulous movements, occasionally allowing them to become submerged for several inches near likely-looking spots. If the current is swift, allow the flies to float naturally with it, at times, when they can be skittered back again, or withdrawn for a new cast. Two or three times are enough to cast over any one spot,, when a rise is not induced. When Bass are biting eagerly and quickly, whip]ung the stream is to be practiced, that is, the casts are to be often 400 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Fly-fishing— Landing the Bass. FLY-FISHING. 401 and rapidly repeated, first to one side, then the other, al- lowing the flies to settle but a moment. In casting and manipulating the flies, the line must be ever taut ; for often a Bass will thus hook himself, which he never does with a slack line. Striking and Playing. The angler should strike by sight, or by touch ; that is, he should strike the moment he sees the rise ; for the Bass has either got the fly in his mouth, has missed it, or has al- ready ejected it, when the rise is seen ; it very seldom happens that the rise is seen before the fly is reached by the fish. The angler must also strike at the moment he feels the slightest touch or tug from the fish, for often the Bass takes the fly without any break at the surface, especially if the flies are beneath the surface. Striking is simply a twist of the wrist, or half-turn of the rod, either upward or downward (upward with stiffish rods, and downward with very willowy ones), which is suf- ficient to set the hook if the rod and line maintain a proper state of tension ; but when the careless angler has a slack line, and, consequently, a lifeless rod, he must necessarily strike by a long upward or side sweep of the rod, called "yanking;" and should he succeed in hooking the fish, the chances are that it will shake the hook out again before the slack can be reeled up. The tip of the rod must always be held upward, so that the rod constantly maintains a curve with the line ; and never, under any circumstances must the rod point in the direction of the flies after they reach the w%iter, for this allows the direct strain of the fish to come upon the line 34 402 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. or leader. When a Bass is hooked, he must be killed on the rod; the rod must stand the brunt of the contest; the more pliable and springy the rod, the less likelihood of its breaking, for a stiff rod is more easily fractured than a flexible one. Give the Bass more line only when he takes it; make him fight for every inch, and take it back when you can; hold him by the spring of the rod, and do not hesitate to turn the butt toward him to keep him away from weeds, rocks, snags, or other dangerous places ; this will bring him up with a round turn, and is called "giving the butt." Do n't be in a hurry to land him ; the longer he resists, the better for your sport; take your time and only land him when he is completely exhausted ; for if he is well hooked, and the proper tension of rod and line maintained, he can not get away ; on the other hand, if he is tenderly hooked, the more gingerly he is handled the better. Therefore, never be in a hurry, and never attempt to force matters ; always keep a bent rod and taut line; if the Bass breaks water, the best plan is to lower the tip, so as to slack the line, and immediately raise the rod and tighten the line when he strikes the water again, for if he falls on the tightened line he is most sure to escape; this is one of his most wily tricks. Remarks, Hints, and Advice. It has been doubted by some that the Black Bass will rise to the fly, or at best that they are uncertain in their modes and times of doing so, as compared with the Brook Trout. These doubts are mostly raised by those who an- gle for the Black Bass in precisely the same way as for the FLY-FISHING. 40-3 Brook Trout, upon the supposition that the two fish are identical in habits and instincts. But while their habits of feeding are very similar — both feeding on the bottom, in midwater, or on the surface, on Crustacea, larvse, min- nows, insects, etc. — they differ greatly in other habitual feat- ures and idiosyncrasies. The Black Bass will rise to the fly as readily, under any and all conditions, as the Brook Trout, when fished for understandingly, and under proper precautions. There are times, seemingly favorable, when neither Bass nor Trout will rise to the fly. One reason why the Bass is thought to be uncertain in rising to the fly is this : While he is fully as wary as the Trout he is not so timid. A Trout darts incontinently away at the first glimpse of the angler, and is seen no more ; but the Bass will retire but a short distance, and as often will stand his ground, and on balanced fins will watch the angler vainly casting his "brown hackle" or " coachman " over him, perhaps laughing in his sleeve (shoulder girdle) at his discomfiture. The truth of the matter is, the Bass is not uncertain, but he is too knowing to be deceived by his flies, so long as the angler is in sight. Fish are more suspicious regarding objects on the sur- face of the water than of those beneath. I have often demonstrated this, causing them to skurry away, by hold- ing a long stick immediately over them, above tlie surface; while I could introduce the same stick underneath the water and even prod a fish with it, without alarming it much. This is why more caution is necessary in fly-fish- ing than in bait-fishing ; the bait in one instance being on the surface, and in the other, beneath. If a Black Bass, in 404 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. rushing to the surface for tlie fly, sees tlie angler, he at once stops in his course, and thenceforth the daintiest flies, never so deftly thrown, will be cast in vain while the an- gler remains in view. In a recent issue of the London Field appeared an arti- cle, written by the able editor of that valuable paper, Francis Francis, Esq., on the frightening of Brook Trout by the flashing and reflections of a varnished fly-rod, when wildly waved by the angler in casting, and which, at first sight, would seem to be plausible enough ; but upon mature consideration, and with all due deference to so emi- nent an authority as Mr. Francis, I am convinced that there is not much in it, and that instead of proving the matter he seems to be rather begging the question. The theory of angling, like the theory of medicine, is rather an uncertain subject, and opposite positions can be taken and seemingly maintained upon almost any question of either science, until the crucial test of practical experi- ence proves their truth or falsity. The fact is, that fish are not frightened by flashes of light or the reflections of bright objects, but, on the contrary, are attracted by them; any one who has ever fished by torchlight, or trolled with a bright metal spoon, can testify to this, and there is a method of fishing practiced by the Chinese, by means of a board painted white and attached to a boat at such an an- gle as to reflect the light of the moon upon the water, when the fish, attracted by this, jump upon the board as the boat is moved along. That fish are not much disturbed, if at all, by the flash- ing of a polished fly-rod per se, can be easily proven by any one who, being securely hid behind a clump of bushes, can wave his rod as " wildly " as necessary without alarm- FLY-FISHING. 405 ing them to an extent to frighten them away or prevent their biting ; indeed, the unnatural shaking or disturbance of a bush near the brink, by the careless angler, will alarm the denizens of the stream more than the most highly- varnished and brightly-mounted rod ever made, when waved over the stream by an angler who keeps himself hid from view ; and herein lies, to my mind, the key to this whole matter. It is the angler who scares the Trout, and not his rod ; and this probably applies with more force to the compara- tively narrow and open streams of Great Britain than to the more extensive waters of our own country; this view seems more probable in connection with the fact that Mr. Francis advises casting sideways instead of overhead, which method could only be practiced successfully on narrow streams, for sideway casts are necessarily short ones, and would not answer at all for most' of our waters. There are situations, however, when the sideway cast can be used advantageously, and is used occasionally by all good fly-fishers. The main rules to be observed in fly-fishing I conceive to be these : on narrow streams to keep entirely out of sight, and on open waters to make long casts ; in either case, the fish, not seeing the angler, will not be alarmed at the flashing of the rod ; the finer the water the greater the caution that must be used on the one hand, and the longer must be the cast on the other. Mr. Francis does not offer any remedy for the varnished rod, but merely suggests that it might answer to paint it sky-blue, or a dull, smoky tint, without polish; but this, I know, will not do. I have seen rods that had the var- nish scraped oli and wene painted a delicate pea-green, to 406 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. harmonize with the foliage of Trout streams, and I have seen the bark left on alder, elm, and tamarack poles when used in bait-fishing, but they were not more successful than the varnished rod. Split bamboo and other jointed rods must of necessity be varnished to preserve their elasticity and beauty. Think of a delicate split bamboo tip coated with sky-blue paint! The very thought is heresy, and an offense against the eternal fitness of things that would make even the spots on a Brook Trout blush more deeply crimson. American split bamboo rods are the finest made rods in the world, and the numerous foreign orders received by the manufac- turers fully attest this fact, and show, moreover, that they are duly appreciated abroad, as well as at home, highly varnished and flashing though they be. There is one feature of this subject that is peculiarly gratifying to me, and I heartily thank Mr. Francis for the article in question. It concedes the fact that fish, having eyes, can see, and are not the near-sighted dupes that most writers would have us believe ; this concession could not be put in a stronger light than by the assertion that they are frightened at the flashing of a varnished rod, and that a rod, therefore, should be rendered as nearly invisible as possible by painting it a sky-blue or cloud color. But if this were done, Avhat a quantity of brash wood and poor workmanship, and what a multitude of sins of omission and commission would this sky-blue mantle, like charity, cover ! When fish are frightened at a fishing-rod at all, it is when its shadow is suddenly cast upon the water — which all prudent anglers are very careful to avoid doing, espe- cially on small streams — and, viewed in this light, a sky- FL,Y-FISHING. 407 blue rod has not even a fancied advantage over the most higiily-polished one. The most important rule, then, to be observed, first, last, and all the time in fly-fishing, is: Keep out of sight of the fish; this is the first and great injunction; "and the sec- ond is like unto it:" Keep as quiet and motionless as pos- sible. " On these two " laws depends all your success in fly-fishing. Let your necessary movements be deliberate and methodical, avoiding all quick, sudden, or energetic motions. Fish see and hear much better than we give them credit for. To keep out of the fish's sight we must be screened by sucli natural objects as bushes, trees, rocks, etc., or by keeping well back from the brink and making long casts. In wading the stream it is also necessary to make long casts. The latter is the best plan of fishing a stream, as the angler, being so near the water, is not so apt to be seen. It is best, always, to fish down stream, even with the wind against one, for fish always lie with head up stream, and will be more apt to see your flics. The current will, moreover, take your flies down stream, and so keep your line taut. It is also easier to wade down, than up stream. Many other reasons might be given, but these will be suffi- cient. Cast just below ripples and rapids, over eddies and pools, along the edges of weed patches, under projecting banks and shelving rocks, near submerged trees or drift- wood, off gravelly shoals, isolated rocks and long points or spurs of land ; it is useless to fisii long, deep, still reaches of water. i The most favorable time for fly-fishing for Black Bass is during the last hours of the day, from sundown until dark, and also on bright moonlight evenings. On streams, 408 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. an hour or two following sunrise, in wtirm weather, is quite favorable. On dark, cloudy, and cold days the middle hours are best. Bright sunny days, especially in liot weather, arc not favorable to fly-fishing, except in quite cool, shady, and breezy situations. In short, the best conditions are a mellow or dusky light, a good breeze, and translucent water ; while the most unfavorable are a bright sun, a still atmosphere, and a smooth and glassy surface, with the water either very fine or very turbid. And now, in concluding this portion of my subject, let me say a parting word to the beginner: Cast a straight line; keep it taut; strike upon sight, or touch; kill your fish on the rod ; take your time. It is better to cast a short line well, than a long one bunglingly. Should you cast your fly into a branch of a tree overhead, or into a bush behind you, or miss your fish in striking, or lose him when hooked, or crack off your tail-fly, or slip into a hole up to your armpits — keep your temper; above all things don't swear, for he that swears will catch no fish. Remember, yours is the gentle art, and a fly-fisher should be a gentleman. CHAPTER XXII. CASTING THE MINNOW. "And as to the rest that concerns this sort of angling, I shall wholly refer you to Mr. Walton's direction, who is undoubtedly the best angler with a minnow in England." — Charles Cotton. Next to fly-fishing, casting the minnow is the most ar- tistic mode of angling for the Black Bass. To obtain all of the pleasure and sport embodied in this style of fishing, none but the best and most approved tackle should be em- ployed, which should approach, in its general features of elegance and lightness, the implements used in fly-fishing. A foithful study of the conformation, habits, and idiosyn- crasies of game fish should be the first consideration of the true angler ; though the average angler usually contents himself with a superficial knowledge of the ways and means of capturing and killing the finny tribe, a big catch being the height of his piscatorial ambition. While good tackle is essential to success, a thorough knowledge of the habits of the fish is a sine qua non, without which no one can be- come an expert and successful angler. Apropos of this might be mentioned the old and hack- neyed story of the rustic youth with alder pole, twine string, and worm bait, and the soi-disant angler with split bamboo and well-filled fly-book, who indulged in a day's fishing on the same stream, with the result of a "big string" for 35 (409) 410 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. the boy, and one poor fingerling for the disgusted sports- man. The boy understood the " true inwardness " of the Trout, in which matter the discomfited citizen was lament- ably ignorant, and relied entirely upon his splendid rig for success. Where Black Bass are plentiful, as in the quiet ponds and lakes of Western New York, Northern Indiana, Mich- igan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, at the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence, and in the extreme South, the merest tyro, who can throw his bait twenty feet from the boat, can, when the Bass are in a biting mood, show a big catch, though he may necessarily have failed to land two out of every three fish hooked. But on small rivers, where the angler casts to the right and left and across the stream from the banks, and Nvhile wading the shallows and bars, and the Bass are shy, educated, and fully up in a knowl- edge of the stream in its windings, eddies, pools, and rapids, the highest skill and a thorough knowledge of the habits of the fish are indispensable to a full creel ; and this, at the same time, constitutes the pleasure and perfection of Black Bass angling. But bear in mind, that sticking the butt of a long rod in the bank, and then, while reclining under the shade of some umbrageous tree, enjoying a pipe or the latest novel while waiting an hour for a bite, is not angling, but simply loafing, and attempting to obtain Bass under false pretenses. Casting the minnow is quite an art, as much so as casting the fly; indeed, I think there are more good fly casters than good casters of the live minnow. Mediocrity in both methods of angling is readily acquired, but great excellence and perfect skill are rarely attained in either. The two CASTING THE MINNOW. 411 methods are essentially and practically different, and re- quire implements and tools commensurate with this differ- ence. While the fly-rod is willowy and long, the minnow-rod is short and comparatively -stiff; the fly-line is rather heavy and of large caliber as compared with the minnow-line, which should be as fine and light as possible, consistent with strength. The artificial fly is cast by the weight of the fly-line and suppleness of the rod, while the weight of the bait, and swivel or sinker, give the necessary momentum for casting the minnow. The fly is usually cast overhead, directly in front of the angler, while the minnow can only be cast, for any great distance, to one side or the other, or obliquely, by underhand casting. Minnow Tackle. The Minnow Rod. — The rod for casting the live min- now should be shorter and stiffer than the fly-rod, but of about the same relative weight; for it, like the fly-rod, is a single-handed rod. It should be from eight to nine feet long. Eight and a quarter feet is the standard length that I have advocated for many years, though the manu- facturers, in order to suit all tastes, now make this style of rod from eight to nine and a half feet long. It should weigh from eight to ten ounces, no less and no more. It should be well balanced, with a stifflsh back, to insure good casting, but pliable enough to respond to the slightest movement of the fish. Most of the bend and play should be in the upper two-thirds of the rod, which bend should be a true arch, and not a horse-shoe curve, as is often seen in a poorly-constructed tjnd weak-backed rod. The best 412 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. material for a rod of this character is an ash butt and lancewood second and third pieces, the latter being usually known as the tip. The reel-seat should be from six to eight inches from the extreme butt, and no more, for this rod must be used with the hand alone, and should not ex- tend under the elbow for support, like the old-fashioned long and heavy rods. It should have light standing guides instead of rings. The Reel. — The multiplying reel is the only one adapted to casting the minnow, and it should be the very best one made. It should run as rapidly and smoothly as jjossible, and multiply from two to four times. The best is the " Frankfort " reel — sometimes variously styled "Meek," "Milam," or "Kentucky" reel — though the very best of other good makers will answer well. The improved Black Bass reels of Abbey & Imbrie, and Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, referred to in the chapter on reels, are excellent implements. The Reel Line. — First and foremost among the suit- able lines is the smallest size, G, or No. 5, plaited raw silk line. It should be braided hard and close, and tinted or parti-colored. Where the Bass are exceptionally large, size F, or No. 4, may be used, though the smaller or finer the line the better, for a gut leader can not be used in casting the minnow, and longer casts can be made with the finest lines. The proper length for a reel-line is fifty yards. The boiled silk braided line is next best, but it is not so closely plaited, usually,- as the raw silk-line, and conse- quently absorbs more water, which is detrimental to casting. When it is as hard braided as the raw silk-line it is about as good. CASTING THE MINNOW. 413 Next in order is the braided linen line ; the smallest size, G, or No, 5, is the only size to be used, and that is rather large. The last, though with some not the least, in point of merit, is the relaid Japanese sea-grass (so-called) line, which is made of raw silk, and in some respects is a better line than any mentioned, being of smaller caliber, very hard twisted, and absorbing less water when new. But being a twisted line, it is apt to kink where much casting is practiced; were it not for this detestable quality it would rank all other lines for bait fishing, as the smallest size, No. 1, is just the right caliber. I am trying to induce the manufacturers to braid a line of this same size, especially for Black Bass angling, and shall probably succeed. Twisted silk, linen, or cotton lines should never be used in this mode of angling, as their kinking propensities will ruffle the temper of the mildest-mannered angler. Hooks. — The hook beyond comparison, for Black Bass fishing, is the Sproat. It is a true, central-draught hook, and tempered just right. It has a short barb, with cutting edges, which will go right through any part of a fish's mouth. The next best, in the order named, are the O'Shaughnessy, Dublin Bend, Cork Shape, and round bend Carlisle (Aberdeen). These hooks are all numbered about alike, and the most suitable sizes are Nos. 1, 1-0, 2-0, and 3-0. Hooks should be tied on gut-snells, single or double, good single gut being best. Where pickerel abound, the gimp-snell may be used. Swivels. — A brass box swivel of the smallest size should always be used, and often it will be heavy enough without an additional sinker. Sinkers. — Ringed sinkers, or what is still better, the 414 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. patent adjustable sinker, with spiral wire rings for readily attaching and detaching to or from the line, are the only kinds to use, when they are found necessary. Floats. — The float should never be used in casting the minnow if it can possibly be dispensed with. It is always in the way, and long casts can not be made when it is em- ployed. In still fishing it may be used, and with advan- tage, especially where helgramites or crawfish are used as bait. The patent adjustable float with spiral rings, is an article of real merit, as it is well made and can be attached or removed in a moment. KiGGING THE CaST. In rigging the cast for the minnow, the reel must be placed underneath the rod, on a line with the guides. Many anglers use the reel on top, but this is essentially wrong. The weight of the reel naturally takes it under the rod, where it balances better and enables the rod to be held more steadily; the strain of the line also falls upon the guides, which insures a more perfect working of the rod. Both click and multiplying reels should always be used underneath; they are intended to be so used, and it will be found far the best way when one becomes accus- tomed to this plan. The reel then being underneath, the line is rove through the guides and a box-swivel tied on the end; to the other ring of the swivel is looped the snell of the hook. The hook is then passed through the lower lip of a good-sized minnow — from three to four inches long — and out at the nos- tril; or if the minnow is smaller, out at the socket of the eye. If the minnow is carefully hooked, it will live a CASTING THE MINNOM 415 comparatively long time. If a sinker be required in ad- dition to the swivel, it should be placed a foot above it. Making the Cast. Now reel up the line until the sinker, or swivel, as the case may be, is at the tip of the rod, and we are ready to make a cast, which I will now endeavor to explain with the aid of the annexed diagram and cuts : In the diagram, A represents the angler ; we are sup- posed to be looking down upon him from above, so that only his hat and rod are visible. He is facing B. The angler now wishes to make a cast to the left, X being the objective point to which he desires to cast the minnow, some twenty yards distant. He grasps the rod immedi- ately below the reel with the right hand, with the thumb resting lightly but firmly upon the spool, to control the rendering of the line; the right arm is extended down- ward, slightly bent, with the elbow near the body, and with the extreme butt of the rod nearly touching the right hip; the thumb and reel are upward, inclining slightly toward the left; the tip of the rod, or rather the minnow, just clears the ground or surface of the water; the position of the rod is now in the direction of the line A C, inclin- 416 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. CASTING THE MINNOW. ' 417 ing toward the ground or water, making an angle of about 3p deg. with the line of the shoulders, X Z (the inclination of the rod is shown fully in figure 4) ; this is the situation at the beginning of the cast. Now for the cast : The angler turns his face toward X, the objective point, witliout turning his body; he now inclines his body in the direction of C, advancing the right foot and bending the right knee slightly, and makes a sweeping cast from the right to the left, and from below upward, across the body diagonally, until the rod-hand is at the height of the left shoulder, and the arm and rod extended in the direction of A D, with the tip of the rod inclining upward, as shown in figure 5. The movement of the right hand is almost in a straight line from a jx)int near the right hip to a point near the left shoulder; the motion in casting is steady, increasing in swiftness toward the end of the cast, and ending with the "pitching" of the bait — instead of a violent jerk — somewhat similar to the straight underhand pitching of a base-ball. In making the cast, the right elbow should touch the body, sweeping across it, and only leave it at the end of the cast, making the forearm do the work. At the end of the cast, the reel and thumb are upward, and the rod forms an angle of 30 dcg. with the line of the shoulders X Z, and the minnow, instead of following the direction of the rod A D, as some might suppose, will, from the slight curve described by the rod during the cast, diverge toward the left, and drop at X, when the thumb should immedi- ately stop the reel by an increased pressure. Casting to the right is just the reverse of the above proceeding. The angler being in the same position, 418 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. bo CASTING THE MINNOW. 419 brings the right hand across, and touching the body, to a point in front of the left hip, the thumb and reel upward, but inclining toward the body, and the rod extending in the direction of the line A D, with the tip downward, as shown in figure 6; he now turns his face in the direction of the objective point Z, inclines his body and advances his left foot in the direction of D ; and makes a cast from left to right, from below upward, and ends the cast with the right arm and rod fullv extended in the direction of the line A C, as shown in figure 7, while the minnow takes its flight toward Z. This is a back-handed cast, and is somewhat analogous to the pitching of a quoit. In making either cast the body should sway slightly and simultaneously with the rod arm, in the direction of the cast, to add force and steadiness; but on no account must the cast be made by " main strength," for it requires but slight muscular exertion to cast forty yards; and on no account must the rod be carried further toward the line X Z than an angle of thirty degrees, otherwise the bait "will be thrown behind the angler. Particular care must be taken to give the bait an upward impulse as it leaves the rod. The first cast that the beginner makes will be likely to throw the bait behind him, for reasons just given. He should, by all means, begin by making short casts, and lengthen them as he perfects himself by experience in manao-iiio- the reel and controllino; the cast. While but a few yards of line can be cast directly in front of the be- ginner, he should practice casting at various angles with the line X Z, to the left and right. He should avoid over- head casting, for that is the pot-fisher's method of throw- ing a bait, and is not only an awkward, but a very 420 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. inefficient style of casting the minnow, and must not be practiced except where the reel is dispensed with, as in one mode of still-fishing. At the beginning- of the cast the thumb presses firmly upon the spool of the reel, until just before the tip of the rod gains its greatest extent or elevation, when the press- ure is to be slightly relieved, so as to permit the release of the line, and allow the minnow to be projected in the direction of the cast. The exact time to lessen the press- ure of the thumb and start the minnow on its flight, is almost a matter of intnition, which can hardly be ex- plained ; however, the proper time is soon learned by practice, in which event, the " wrinkle " comes to be per- formed by the* angler automatically, or, as it were, uncon- sciously. The entire cast must be made so steadily and so regu- larly, and the rod held so firmly at the end of the cast, as to prevent entirely any undue swaying or bending of the rod, in order that the line may follow the direction of the minnow in its flight, smoothly and evenly, and untram- meled and unretarded by any vibratory motions of the rod. I trust I make myself understood here, for this is the most essential, and, at the same time, the most difficult feature, or portion, of the cast to explain, or acquire. The thumb must be thoroughly educated to control tho rendering of the line during the cast, and this can only be accomplished by continual and j^aHoit practice, in train- ing the thumb to apply just the requisite amount of uni- form pressure, to prevent the overrunning of the line, or back-lashing of the spool. The beginner should make up his mind, in the first place, to keep his temper, and to exhibit no impatience at the CASTING THE MINNOW. 421 frequent slipping of his thumb, and the consequent snarl- ing and tangling of his line. The more calmly and phi- losophically he views these annoyances and perplexities, the sooner will he overcome the difficulties and become au fait in the management of the reel. The best in- struction I can give him is to make the pressure of the thumb gentle, but firm and uniform, during the flight of the minnow, and to stop the revolving spool the moment the bait alights on the water, by a stronger pressure. These directions are as brief, plain and explicit, as it is possible to make them ; they embody the main principles involved, and the novice, by a careful and practical appli- cation of them, can, by perseverance, soon become a good caster of the live minnow. General Instructions. If fishing from a boat, on a lake or large pond, the angler proceeds in his boat on the outside, or deep water side, of the fishing grounds, and casts in toward the feed- ing grounds, the oarsman rowing along rapidly or slowly, or holding the boat stationary, as circumstances demand. The boat being in deep water the fish are not so apt to see it, which is a great advantage. The angler can cast in any direction and to any distance, greater or lesser, within the length of his line, as he may desire. He can cast astern and proceed as in trolling, or cast to either side, or forward, and by reeling in the line keep the bait in mo- tion. It can readily be imagined how expert casting has so great an advantage over any other method of bait- fishing, and that when once acquired it will never be relinquished for any other mode. 422 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Bait-Fishing— Playing the Bass. CASTING THE MINNOW. 423 When a Bass is hooked the boatman should pull at once for deep water, for the better management of the fish, and to prevent its taking refuge among Aveeds, rocks, snags, etc. In deep water the hsh has better play and more room, and the angler, having fewer difficulties to en- counter, enjoys more thoroughly the ensuing contest and final capture and landing of his prey. If fishing from the banks of a stream, the angler should keep as near the level of the water as possible, or, still better, he should wade the stream when practicable. He should cast below the riffles, near gravelly bars, sub- merged roots or snags, weed patches and projecting rocks in the bed of the stream, and under shelving rocks on the banks, etc. After striking a Bass, he should lead him into deeper water if possible, or, at all events, away from dangerous places. After casting the minnow, and it alights at a favorable spot, it should be left for a longer or a shorter time, depend- ing on the nature of the water fished, and upon the abundance, scarcity, and mood of the Bass. As the line slackens, it should be slowly reeled until the entire line is retrieved. Sometimes, when fish are plentiful and biting eagerly, it is best to make frequent casts, reeling in rapidly after each cast, especially in rather shallow water, so as to give a rapid swimming motion to the bait. When the Bass takes the bait, the angler should let him have it from two to ten seconds, according to the mood of the fish. If he bites eagerly and wickedly, the angler may hook him at once ; but if he seems shy, off his feed, and inclined to toy with the bait, let him have it a few seconds, and give him line as he takes it, keeping the thumb upon the spool as a drag, however, so as to feel 424 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Bait-Fishing— Giving the Butt. CASTING THE MINNOW. 425 every motion of the fish. At the proper time the angler should check him by a stronger pressure of the thumb, when, if the Bass pulls strongly and steadily, and seems inclined to run away with the bait, he should be hooked at once by a slight " twist of the wrist," but not by a violent jerk, or by "yanking" the rod. If, however, upon checking the Bass, he gives several tugs or a succession of slight jerks, it is better to let him run a few seconds longer, for he has the bait crosswise in his mouth and does not feel the steel; finally, when he pulls steadily, hook him as before described. The Bass should never be given time to gorge, or swallow the bait. From the time a Bass first "bites" until he is in the landing-net, he should never be given an inch of slack line, under any circumstances. The rod must be held by the butt, with the thumb upon the reel, or, if the rod is held in the left hand, the line must be held against the rod, by the forefinger, which encircles it, and thus acts as a drag. The Bass is, of course, hooked by the right, or rod hand, and the rod is held in that hand so long so the Bass is inclined to pull steadily, or take line; but as soon as he shows a disposition to " let up," or turn toward the angler, the rod must be taken in the other hand, so as to leave the right hand free to use the reel. The Bass should be made to feel, constantly, the spring of the rod, which should always maintain a curve, by the tip being held in an elevated position. The Bass should fight for every inch of line, and the angler should take it again whenever pos- sible. The fish must be killed on the rod. Should the Bass break water, with a long line, merely let the rod straighten as he falls back, so as to slacken the line (but it should be recovered immediately when he 36 426 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. strikes the water), for if the Bass falls across a taut line he is almost sure to tear the hook out. If he breaks -water with a short line, the rod may be elevated so as to keep the line above him, following him back as 'he falls into the water. If there is danger of the Bass getting to the weeds, or to the protection of snags, roots, rocks, etc., he must be stopped at all hazards. If the rod is a good one, and pliable, the angler must not hesitate to give him the butt ; this will bring him up standing, with no danger to a first- class rod; but if the rod is a stiff one, turning the butt to him will be most sure to break it; in this case it is best to keep the Bass away from dangerous places by main strength, and the natural bend of the rod. If fishing from a boat, great caution must be used to prevent the Bass from running under it, as he will be sure to do if he has the opportunity; and should he succeed, the rod must be quickly passed around the stern or bow, and the thumb at once released from the reel so as to allow the line to run out as rapidly as possible, otherwise a broken rod is the result. When the fish is thoroughly exhausted, he should be landed, and not before. Most anglers attempt to land their fish too soon, thus curtailing their sport and endan- gering their tackle. The landing-net should be held several inches beneath the surface of the water, and held perfectly still, when the angler should bring the fish over it; then the net should be lifted quickly, and with one motion. The angler must never, himself, nor allow his assistant to, frighten the fish by lunging at it with the net, in attempting to secure it. More lish are lost in clumsy endeavors to land them, than in any other way. CASTING THE MINNOW. 427 The angler sliould never be in too great a hurry to hind his fish; for if he is well-hooked he can not get away, while if he is hooked in a thin or weak part of the raouth, there is a greater necessity that he should be gingerly played and tenderly handled, until he is completely "tuckered out/' and turns up his belly to the sun. There is never any thing gained by too great a hurry in Bass fishing. On the contrary, "the more haste the less speed," is a maxim particularly applicable to this case. In reeling in the line, whether playing a fish or re- trieving the line, it should be guided on the spool of the reel by the left middle finger, when the reel is underneath the rod (as it always should be), or by the left thumb when the reel is used on top ; it should be reeled on regu- larly from left to right, and from right to left, like sewing- cotton on a spool. This prevents that '^ bunching," or piling, and the subsequent tangling and snarling of the line, so common with beginners and careless anglers. It is just as easy to reel the line correctly, and in regular and uniform coils or turns, as to bunch it, if the novice begins right; after the habit is once acquired, he does it automatically or mechanically. CHAPTER XXIII. STILL-FJSHING. " And if you rove for a Perch with a minnow, then it is hest to be alive, you sticliing your hoolc tlirougli liis baclv-fln; or a minnow witli tlie liook in liis upper lip, and letting him swim up and down, about raid-water or a little lower, and you still keeping him to about that depth by a cork." — IzAAK Walton. Still-fishing is the most universal mode of angling for the Black Bass. As the name implies, it consists in throwing in the baited hook, and waiting patiently for "a bite," the angler, mean^yhile, keeping himself and rod as still. as possible. Fly-fishing is surface fishing; casting the minnow is both surface and mid-water fishing ; Avhile still-fishing combines mid-water and bottom fishing. In fly-fishing and casting the minnow the bait is kept in pretty constant motion, while in still-fishing the bait is left to itself, or "still," for a longer or shorter time. Still-fishing on streams is best practiced from the banks, while on lakes or large ponds a boat is necessary. Tackle. Still -fishing is often practiced without a reel, and some- times without a rod, a hand-line, merely, being used. When no reel is employed, the rod should be quite long and light; the best being a cane pole, from twelve to fif- teen feet in length. When the reel is used (as it always (428) STILL-FISHING. 429 ou;2:lit to be) the rod recommended for casting the minnow is the best, though most still-fishers prefer a longer rod, say from ten to twelve feet, as they are not proficient in casting. The length of the line for still-fishing depends upon the character of the rod. Where no reel is employed, it should be of about the same length as the rod ; when the angler uses a reel, but is indifferent at casting, a line of twenty- five yards is sufficient; but when the regular minnow-rod is used by a good caster, fifty yards, as in casting the minnow, should be used. The line in each instance being the same as recommended for casting the minnow, except where no reel is used, when the smallest size twisted silk line, No. 1, is the best. Still-fishers usually employ the float and sinker, and they may be used or not, according to circumstances; though one of the chiefest delights of the still-fisher is to watch the maneuvers of his float. Where the stream is shallow and full of snags, or the bottom covered with moss or grass, a float is necessary ; and where the current is quite swift, or the water deep, a sinker must be used to keep the bait beneath the surface. Baits and Baiting. While a minnow is the best bait for casting, other baits, as the helgramite, crawfish, frog, cricket, grasshopper, etc., are as good, and sometimes better, for still-fishing. As d\ rule, the bait that is the most plentiful in the waters fished, will be found the most successful. The helgramite is a apital bait, either early or late in the season, when the Bass are on the ripples or in shallow water. It is a flat, 430 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. dark, repulsive-looking worm, some two or three inches long, and a lialf-inch wide (the larva of the horned cory- dalis), and is found under bowlders, flat stones, decaying timbers, etc., in shallow streams. It is variously called helgramite, dobson, hellion, kill-devil, grampus, crawler, etc., and is best hooked by passing the hook under the cap covering the neck, from behind forward, bringing the hook out next to the head. The crawfish, especially when casting its shell — when it is called "peeler" or "shedder" — is a good bait. In its usual state, it is best hooked through the tail ; peelers can be hooked through the head or body. Grasshoppers, crickets, frogs, etc., are used with varying success in still- fishing, and sometimes the humble " wum." General Instructions. As the still-fisher never casts his bait very far, it is highly important that he keep as still and motionless as possible; and, if in a boat, must avoid striking the same with his feet, his rod, or the ours, as such sounds are heard very distinctly by the fish. He should fish toward the sun, so as to keep his shadow behind him. He should keep his line as taut as possible, with his thumb always upon the spool of the reel (if he uses one), and as the line becomes slack, should reel it in. In fishing a lake or pond, the still-fisher anchors his boat in a favorable spot, which should be in rather deep Avater, just off a shoal or bar, ledge of rocks, or point of land, or near beds of rushes or lily-pads, so as to fish between the boat and the feeding-grounds, that is, be- tween deep and shallow water, and near enough to cast STILL-FISHING. 431 his bait quite up to the haunts of the Bass, above- mentioned, whenever necessary. If his minnows are lively and strong, and carefully hooked, it is advisable not to make frequent casts, but rather to suffer the bait to remain, so long as it keeps in motion, for a lively minnow will attract a Bass any- where within thirty feet, in tolerably clear water. If helgramites or crawfish are used for bait, they must be kept gently moving, at times, by the rod. The management of hooking, playing, and landing a Bass is just the same as described in the preceding chap- ter, except where a reel is not used, in which case the Bass should be killed on the rod, all the same, though the angler must use a great deal of judgment in man- aging his rod, to thoroughly enjoy the sport, which is considerable where the rod is long, slender, and light. He should lead his fish, at once, into deep water, where he must be held until tired out. He should be kept in mid-water, not suffered to go to the bottom, nor encour- aged to approach the surface. He sliould lead him to and fro, to the left and right, whenever possible, for by keeping the fish in constant motion it soon tires him out, and subserves, to some extent, the purposes and uses of a reel. In still-fishing a stream, the angler should stand, or sit, as near the level of the water as possible, never fishing from a bold bank or other elevation, unless well screened from the observation of the fish. He should keep quiet and still, when he may possibly be mistaken for a stump or other inanimate object. He should leave his bait in the water as long as possible, only moving it occasionally, by slow, cautious and gentle manipulations, and in every 432 . BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. other respect remember that he is "still-fishing," and govern himself accordingly; for too much caution can not be exercised in this mode of angling. The noisy "fishing party," which indulges in loud talk- ing, shouting, and laughter, and has a " good time " gen- erally, no doubt thoroughly enjoys itself in its own Avay, but will take but few fish ; it is the " lone fisherman " who is always successful, for obvious reasons. CHiVPTER XXIV. TROLLING. "And then yon are to know that your minnow must be so put on your hook that it must turn round when 'tis drawn against the stream,— Izaak Walton. Trolling with the Rod. Trolling with the rod, and with the artificial fly, the live minnow, or the spoon for bait, is capital sport ; and is a very popular style of angling in the lakes and lakelets of the North-west. It is more oi regie than still-fishing,- and is, besides, more exciting sport, possessing advantages over the latter method in several respects. The angler can fish with a long line, even though he be indifferent at casting; for, as the boat moves along, the line can be pulled off from the reel, yard by yard, with the hand, while the resistance of the bait, or leader, in the water, takes it from the rod. The bait, being in constant motion, is more likely to be seen and taken by the fish tlian in still-fishing ; while the great length of line takes the bait so far from the boat as to remove or quiet any suspicions or apprehensions of danger on the part of the wily Bass. Then the boat, not being anchored, as in still-fishing, the boatman can favor the angler in many ways when playing or landing his fish. Then, again, in moving over so much and so great a variety of ground, the angler is 37 ' " (433) 434 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. more apt to find where the Bass are feeding, and thus to know just the character of the ground and depth of water to try successfully on each particular occasion. And, lastly, it secures a constant change of location, and adds enough of the spice of variety to satisfy the most impatient angler. The minnow casting-rod, previously described, is the one best adapted to this or any other mode of bait- fishing, though any light and pliable rod, not exceeding ten or eleven feet in length, wiil answer, and even the fly- rod can be utilized here. A stiff and unyielding rod should not be used, for the sudden and violent " bite " of the Bass, in this method of angling, with the rod ever bent, and taut line, would be very likely to break it, un- less the rod were of the hoop-pole pattern. The only lines admissible here are the braided raw or boiled silk-line, and the braided linen-line ; twisted lines can not be used at all on account of their kinking. The caliber should be a size larger than recommended for cast- ing the minnow, which, in silk-lines, would be sizes E, or No. 3, and F, or No. 4: and, in linen lines, F, or No. 4, and G, or No. 5. The length should be from fifty to seventy-five yards. It is best to use a leader from six to nine feet long, with either flies, the minnow, or spoon. The. float should not be used. One or two swivels are necessary; but, usually, no sinker is required. If artificial flies are used for the troll, a gut-leader, nine feet in length, and three flies, may be employed; or, a twelve-feet leader, and four flies, as preferred by some. The flics should be placed about three feet apart on the leader. An attractive combination of varieties in the flies should be observed. TROLLING. 435 A very good assortment would be ii '•'General Hooker" for the tail-fly, a ''Coachman" for the first dropper, a "Grizzly King" next, and, lastly, if four are used, an "Abbey." Another good troll would be a "Professor" for tail-fly, a "Montreal" next, the third a "Brown Hackle," and, last, a " Ferguson." But, of course, other flies will be used by the angler, as found more attractive and killing; for different waters often require different flies, in trolling, as well as in fly-fishing. Three split shot, No. 1, should be placed at equal dis- tances along the leader, so as to keep the flies submerged from one to three feet below the surface. The boat should be propelled quite slowly in trolling with flies, so as to permit their sinking to the proper depth, and, likewise, to enable them to be easily seen by the fish. If the first Bass hooked takes an upper fly, by playing him judiciously and cautiously, one, or even two, addi- tional Bass may often be induced to take the lower flies, though I do not advise this plan with a light rod; one at a time will afford better sport, and last much longer. If a spoon-bait is to be the lure, only the smallest sizes, as fly-spoons, or trout-spoons, should be employed. Usually no sinker will be needed ; but one or two swivels should always be used — one next to the spoon, and the other several feet above it. In trolling with the spoon, the boat should move at a sufficient rate of speed to cause the spoon to revolve rapidly a foot or two beneath the sur- face of the water. In trolling with the live minnow, but one hook should be used. Give a wide berth to the English abominations known as spinning-tackle, gangs, traces, etc., consisting of from three tQ a dozen h»oks arranged in groups of three, 436 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. with single hooks for impaling the minnow ; these contriv- ances are intended for Pike-fishing, and should never be used for the Black Bass. A single hook is sufficient for all purposes. The minnow may be hooked through the lips; or, perhaps, the best way for trolling, is to pass the hook through the mouth and out at the gill-opening, then carry it back and insert it just behind the dorsal fin — a needle, armed with a strong thread, is then passed thi'ough the lips of the minnow, and tightly tied to the snell, this obviates the use of the lip-hook; a minnow will spin as well hooked in this way, as with the most approved spin- ning-tackle. The angler, with his boatman, in trolling with the rod, proceeds in a boat over tlie fishing-grounds, with from thirty to fifty yards of line out. The rod must be held with the tip elevated, so as to keep the ' rod constantly curved, and the thumb should be applied to the spool of the reel, so as to be ready at any moment for the violent rush of the Bass, for he bites very wickedly at the moving bait. The fish must be hooked at once, though he often fastens himself. If the angler has a long line out, he must reel in his fish as soon as possible, until he has him within proper bounds, when he can kill him at his leisure. The manipulation of the Bass after he is hooked is just the same as described in the chapter on casting the min- now, to which the reader is referred. It is useless to troll in deep water, far from shore ; it should only be practiced in water from three to ten feet deep, following the trend of the shore, as far as possible, where the proper conditions exist, which are given in a previous chapter. trolling. 437 Trolling with the Hand-line. Trolling with the hand-line is a very tame and simple mode of angling; in fact, is the most simple method prac- ticed, there being no skill, whatever, required in luring or in manipulating the Bass after he is hooked. It is a very questionable style of sport, at best ; and, considered in this light, is exceedingly flat, and savors strongly of pot-fishing. It is indulged in on lakes, ponds and broad rivers, mostly by boys, and those unfortunates who can not, or will not, learn to handle the rod. With a good breeze and a fast-sailing boat, trolling for Blue Fish, Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel, and other marine fishes, with hand-line and squid, is fine sport ; but, on the bosom of a quiet lake, trolling for Black Bass, with hand- line and spoon, is a cruel pastime, and a wanton destruc- tion of a noble fish. It is only excusable when in camp- ing out, without suitable tackle, and when, like the boy digging at the tenantless woodchuck hole, one is "out of meat," which, in Southern parlance, constitutes "a ground- hog case," in which event, perhaps, the end justifies the means. The necessary tackle for this mode of angling consists of a strong hand-line of linen or cotton, from fifty to seventy-five yards long; braided lines are to be preferred, as they do not kink. The line should be large enough to prevent cutting the hands, and, at the same time, to with- stand the dead strain of a lively fish. Sizes C, or No. 2, and D, or No. 3, are the best and most suitable. Any of the numerous revolving spoon-baits, or spinners, will answer with or without the so-called "fly," or tuft of feathers, or braid; for the bright metal spoon is what lures 438 BOOK OF TPIE BLACK BASS. the Bass, and it can not bo made more attractive for liand- trolling by the addition of feathers, braid, etc. Abbey & Imbrie's New Fluted Spoon, No. 4; J. H. Mann's Perfect Revolving, No. 20, Oval, No. 16, Kidney, 'No. 6J, and Egg, No. oh; and L. S. Hill's Improved Spoon, Nos. IJ and 2, are all excellent trolling-baits for hand-lines. The ordinary original tin or brass spoon, with single hook soldered on, is about as good as any of the later inventions. A single hook is certainly preferable to the groups of two or three, usually attached to spoon-baits; the latter often being crushed or broken by the jaws of a large fish. Small spoons are more successful than large ones, for Black Bass. In the absence of a spoon-bait, the floor of the mouth of the Pickerel, cut into the semblance of a fish, is tough, white and glistening, and is a good substitute; a similar strij), cut from the belly of the Dog Fish, also answers a good purpose. One or two swivels should always be used with trolling-bait ; a sinker is seldom nec- essary. With this simple outfit, early in the season, before the aquatic weeds and grasses are fully grown, this mode of fishing is quite successful. The method of procedure is as follows: The angler sits in the stern of the boat, and, while the oarsman rows at a moderate rate of speed along and over the feeding-ground, he runs off forty to sixty yards of line; the spoon, revolving gracefully beneath the sur- face, i)roves an effective lure. A violent jerk on the line announces the fact that an unfortunate Bass has " hooked himself;" often he will leap into the air, vainly endeavor- TROLLING. 439 ing to shake the glittering deception from his jaws, but his efforts usually only serve to fix the several hooks more firmly in his mouth, and, provided he does not crush them, or tear them out and escape, he is ''hauled in," hand over hand, by muscle and main strength, without a single chance for his life — dragged to an ignoble death by a hand-line and spoon. This may do for the Pickerel; but, oh, gentle reader, an' you love me, spare the Bass this indignity ! CHAPTER XXV. SKITTERING AND BOBBING. " Then, if j'ou get a grasshopper, put it on your hook, with j'our line about two yards long; standing behind a bush or tree, where his hole is, and make your bait stir up and down on the top of tlie water." — Izaak Walton. Skittering. "Skittering" is best practiced with a long and light natural cane-rod, from twelve to fifteen feet long, and a strong line of nearly the same length. No reel is used, for, like "bobbing," this mode of fishing is only success- ful in grassy and weedy situations, Avhere the water is comparatively shallow, notably, in the lagoons and bayous of the extreme South, and where the fish must be landed as soon as possible after being hooked. To the end of the line is attached a small trout-spoon, or the skitter- ing-spoon, which is still smaller, being the smallest re- volving spoon made. The modus operandi is as follows : The angler stands in the bow of the boat, which is paddled or poled by the boatman as noiselessly as possible, just outside of or along the channels of clear water, among the patches of rushes, lily-pads or bonnets. The angler, by means of the long rod and short line, skitters or skips the spoon along the surface of the water with a jerky or vibratory motion, (440) SKITTERING AND BOBBING. 441 causing it to spin and glance close up to the edges of the >veeds, where it is viciously seized by the Bass, who has been lying in wait among the water lettuce, or under the broad pads of the water-lily, for just such an opportu- nity. The angler has now no time to loose, but must rapidly draw the Bass along the surface of the water to the boat, into which he must be lifted at once, for he is as good as gone if he gets below the surface, among the weeds ; nor must the Bass be allowed to leap into the air with so short a line, hut he must be dragged quickly along the surface, with his head above the the water, until the line can be taken hold of close to the hook, or the finger hooked in the gill-opening, and the fish dextrously lifted over the side of the boat. In such situations, skittering is exciting sport, and is not without its attractions. The bright glancing spoon, the expert and skillful management of the rod, the mighty rush and splash of the Bass as he snaps up the shining bauble, and his subsequent lashing and floundering as he is irresistibly drawn toward the boat, vainly endeavoring to get either in or out of the water, and the final adroit manner of landing him, go far toward making this a legiti- mate sport, as it undoubtedly is, in the localities mentioned, inasmuch as reel-fishing can not be practiced for reasons before given. Bobbing. "Bobbing" is another style of angling peculiar to the section of country just mentioned, and though it can not be regarded as so artistic or legitimate, it is far more kill- 442 r.ooK OF the nr.Acic hash. ing tlian skittering. It is a mode of fishing especially adapted to the waters of the Gulf States, Avhere ii is much practiced. The imj)lements for bobbing are few and sim- ple, consisting merely of a strong rod from ten to twenty feet in length, t^^o or three feet of stout line, and the " bob," heretofore described in Cha])ter XVII. I can not describe this method of aufjlino- better than to quote from Bartram, who wn'ote of the " Trout " (Black Bass) of Florida and the way of taking them with the bob, in 1764, as follows: — ''They are taken witii a hook and line, but without any bait. Two people are in a little canoe, one sitting in the stern to steer, and the other near the bow, having a rod ten or twelve feet in length, to one end of which is tied a string line, about twenty inches in length, to which is fastened three large hooks, back to back. These are fixed very securely, and tied with the white hair of a deer's tail, shreds of a red garter, and some parti-colored feathers, all Avhich form a tuft or tassel nearly as large as one's fist, and entirely cover and conceal the hooks; that is called a " bob." The steersman paddles softly, and proceeds slowly along shore ; he now ingeniously swings the bob back- wards and forwards, just above the surface and sometimes tips the water with it, Avhen the unfortunate cheated Trout instantly springs from under the reeds and seizes the ex- posed prey." I have many times seen the bob used in Florida just as described by Bartram more than a century ago, and it is just as etfeetivc to-day as it was then. If there is any thing in the notion of certain angling authorities, that fish after a time become educated or accustomed to certain ar- tificial baits, as flies, etc. — becoming first suspicious, and SKITTERING AND BOBBING. 443 finally refusing them altogether, then the Black Bass of Florida must be very dull of comprehension, must have sadly neglected their educational privileges and opportuni- ties, or else the said " theory," like many another from "' across the herring pond," originated in the fertile brain of some unfortunate angler to account for an empty creel. CHAPTER XXVI. CONCLUDING EEMARKS. There is a right way, and, j)cr contra, a wrong way, to do every thing. I have endeavored in the preceding pages to point out the right way of doing things pertaining to an- gling, but I feel that my duty would be but half accom- plished, did I not give some advice relative to the proper use and care of fisliing tackle, before taking leave of my reader. I am the more impelled to do this from the fact that I have seen so many fine and elegant rods, reels, and lines improvidently ruined, through sheer carelessness, in most instances, and through ignorance in others. Every angler should, himself, look after the welfare of his tackle, and not trust it to the care of guides, boatmen, or servants. Every true angler should do this, con amove, as every true sportsman should, himself, clean his gun and feed his dogs at the close of a day's shooting, or every true sailor, himself, snug and stow his boat when the anchor is dropped. As a good workman is known by his jealous care and skillful use of his tools, so is a good angler known by the way he uses and handles his tackle, a good sports- man by the way he uses and handles his gun and dogs, and a good sailor by the way he uses and handles his boat. It is, therefore, essential that the new hand should know the right way, to avoid the wrong way ; not only on the ( 444 ) rONCLUDIXG REMARKS. 445 score of the fitness of thino;s, hut on the score of economy, for more tackle is hopelcssiv ruined by a hick of proper care, than by the most severe, though juclieious, use. Care of the Rod. The I'ight way to "joint up," or put a rod together, is to take the joints, or pieces, from the case, remove the plugs, or stoppers, and put them in the pocket; then attach the reel to the butt, and see that it fits firmly and securely, and will not be likely to work loose; next wipe the male, or inside ferrules of the joints, to insure their being dry, clean, and bright; then the tip and second piece are to be })ut together first, and the butt last. Be particular in "jointing up," to ])lace the standing guides, or rings, on a straight line with the reel (there are usually small marks or punctures on the male and female ferrules as a guide), and in fitting the joints, do so by inserting the smaller, or male ferrule into the larger, or female ferrule, and push home firmly, but gently, and be very careful to avoid a twisting, or screwing motion, especially with split bamboo rods, for this is not only liable to warp the ferrules, but also to separate the strips of such a rod. After the rod is properly jointed up, place the butt end carefully on the ground, reeve the line through the guides, or rings, and bring it down and tie it to one of the bars of the reel by a single bow-knot, until ready to attach the cast of flies, or the swivel and hook. The UTong way to joint up a rod, and I will describe it as I have seen it done, many times, is to put the butt and second piece together first; then drop the butt end on the ground and shove it to one side, or behind you, and 446 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. then put the tip on — the rod swaying and bending, in the meantime, rendering this somewhat diffieult to do, but which is finally accomplished by twisting or screwing it on, the butt boring a iiole in the ground, the while — and in case no one has stepped on your rod (which I have seen done more than once), hold the I'ou perpendicularly, and settle the joints by tanij)ing the butt-end on a stone, or piece of wood. The reel is yet to be adjusted ; to do which you may either rest the tip on the ground in front (using it as a boring instrument in this instance), or hold the rod horizontally with the butt against the pit of the stomach, to the great danger of some one stumbling over your rod, or of your striking it against a tree or rock while endeav- oring to ship your reel; and yet — "tell it not in Gath " — I have seen this very scene played over and over again by those who called themselves anglers ; and so they were, in the aggregate, or on the whole, l)ut not in detail. To hold the rod across the body, sitting or standing, or per- pendicularly, while adjusting the reel, is just as awkward and unsafe. Remember, then, to remove the plugs and put them in the pocket — you will have them then whenever you unjoint your rod, for the separated joints should never be left a moment without the plugs in the female ferrules; in this way you will preserve the proper shape of the ferrules, and your rod will always go together and come apart easily, ])rovided you keep them clean and smooth. Then, ship the reel; then put the smaller joints together first, and the. butt piece last. The right way to " unjoint," or take apart, the rod (I will spare the reader the infliction of a description of the wrong way) is first to remove the leader, or swivel and COXCLUDIXG REMARKS. 447 hook, reel the line on the spool slowly — T say slowly, for I have seen the tip of a rod snapped oif while the wet line was being reeled rapidly, or in a hnrry, by its catch- ing in one of the rings, or clinging in a coil around the tip. The reel is next to be nnshij)ped, and the rod wiped perfectly dry; all sand, dirt, or fish-scales must be care- fully rubbed oflF, and especially must the ferrules be rendered clean and bright, to prevent any foreign substance getting into them when the rod is being unjointed, for the smallest particle of grit or sand may spoil the fitting of the rod. The rod must now be taken apart in the reverse order in which it was put together; the butt first, and the smaller joints last ; in unjointing, pull the joints apart by using gentle and steady Ibrce, in a straight line, with the hands close to the ferrules, when they will separate read- ily. Be particular about this, for I have seen an angler with the joint against his breast, his hands widely separa- ted, pulling on the two pieces in a curved line, as if he would bend the rod around his body, which proceeding had a greater tendency to strain and warp the ferrules than to separate them. Having separated the joints of the rod, the plugs are next to be inserted, and the reel unshipped. Examine' each joint, or piece, and if bent, or warped, straighten it carefully, and place them in the case, large end down; in tying the case, tie it loosely, otherwise you may bend the small joints. Never put your rod away in a damp case ; should it be wet, dry it thoroughly after reaching home. When the rod is put together, never stand it in a corner, or lean it with the tip resting against any thing; better lay it down flat. In putting a rod away after the season, it should be laid on a shelf, or in a flat box. It should 448 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. be kept in a cool room, of uniform temperature, and never in a room heated by a furnace or a stove. A div atmosphere will cause the joints to shrink, and the ferrules to become loose, while a damp, or constantly changing at- mosphere will cause them to twist and warp. The wrappings of the guides, rings, or hand-piece should be frequently looked to, when in use, and the rod should be varnished once or twice during the season. Coach varnish is good, but the best, perhaps, is a saturated solution of shellac in al- cohol ; it should be put on quite thin and evenly, and one or two coats applied as may be needed, using a soft rag or sponge ; it soon dries and is perfectly waterproof. In Izaak Walton's day rods were painted, and he gives minute directions for preparing the sizing, the paint, and the man- ner of applying them. AVood, to preserve its elasticity, must be protected from the changes of the atmosphere. Care of the Reel. A fine reel should receive as much care as a watch, so far as this can be done, consistently, with its use. It should never be laid on the sand or bare ground, or exposed in any way to favor the introduction of sand or grit into the working parts. When not in use it should be kept in a box, or in a buckskin or chamois bag. At the beginning and end of each season it should be carefully taken apart, cleaned and oiled. After use, it should be always wiped clean, and rubbed with an oiled rag or chamois skin. A first-class reel will last an angler his life-time, with proper care. Especially is a multiplying reel to be well cared for, as it is more complicated, and has more gearing than a click reel. The screw that holds the movable CONCLUDING REMARKS. 449 handle to the crank shoukl be frequently noticed, to see that it is firmly screwed in, otherwise it may come out in castino- and both screvv and handle be lost. On this ac- count, this screw should never be oiled. The drag, alarm, click — or by whatever name the "brake" of a multiplying reel may be known — should be used only when really nec- essary, and as seldom as possible, for its frequent use wears out the gearing of the reel. See that the reel fits your rod perfectly and tightly, so there will be no shaking, wabbling or coming loose during a severe strain. If the reel-plate fits the rod too loosely, place strips of parchment or card-board between the plate of the reel and the groove of the rod, until the reel- band will just slip over the plate and hold it firmly. If the reel-plate is too long, or too thick for the reel-seat of the rod, one or the other, or both, must be cut to fit; at all events, see that your reel fits its seat firmly and securely. Always, if you can, use the reel " underneath," with the handle to* the right side, when reeling the line ; and always turn the crank, in reeling, "away" from you, or in the direction that the hands of a watch move. It may seem unnecessary to mention this latter precaution, but I have known it to be used the contrary way. When angling, and the fly or bait is in the water, never, for a moment, lay the rod down with a turn of the line around the crank of the reel to serve as a drag, for I have several times seen both rod and reel jerked overboard, and irretrievably lost, by just such inexcusable carelessness and stujpidity, and the savage "bite" of a big fish. 3S 450 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. Care of the Line. The line should be thoroughly dried, always, after use. This injunction is of the hiohest importance to the angler. The entire line — not merely the portion that may have been used — should be stretched between two trees, or around pegs or nails driven up for the purpose, and ex- posed to the sun and air; or, if at night, or if the day be damp, it should be coiled around the back of a chair, and placed near the fire. I can not impress the necessity of this care too strongly on the beginner, for he will see so many bad examples in those who ought to know better, but who habitually put away the reel and wet line, to the ever- lasting injury of both, because it is "too much trouble," or they are "too tired," to perform their bounden duty of drying their lines; such men are "pot-fishers," and will stand their rods, jointed, up in a corner all night. They are on a par with the "pot-hunter" who, after a hard day's tramp, permits his dogs to go supperless to bed, and his ffun to remain foul until morninof. Silk-lines are especially liable to mildew and rot if put away damp or wet. Even waterproof lines should have a ■good airing after use, or they will retain more or less damp- ness, which, in the end, will work their destruction. After drying a line, it should be rubbed, or reeled through a woolen cloth, to remove any sand, grit or mildew. The economy of this whole matter is one thing, and its ex- pediency another; the value of a line may be a small affair, but the breaking away of a good fish through a defective line is a serious event. I once knew a good fellow, but a poor angler, who, after a day's fishing, care- CONCLUDING EEMARKS. 451 fully dried a fifty-cent handkerchief for fear it would mil- dew, while he left a three-d(jllar line, wet, on a twenty- dollar reel and a thirty-dollar rod, standing in the corner all night, because he was "";oins2r a-fishin"- a<>:ain in the morning." The line shonld be thoroughly tested at the beginning of the season, during its whole length; and, if not found fully up to the standard, should be discarded. It should also be tested, occasionally, during the season ; in fact, the better way is to test it always before using it. A line that will sustain a dead weight of two pounds is strong enough, if used with a pliant rod, and no other should be used for Black Bass angling. By examining and testing the line, always, before using it, it may save much morti- fication, and many a fish. Though you can not loose a fish by the breaking of the line — for, as Father Izaak says, "no man can lose what he never had" — you can lose your temper under such trying circumstances, which is worse. It would be useless to give any directions for water- proofing lines, for it is a very difficult thing to do well; and, moreover, prepared lines are now so cheaply and well made, that it will pay the angler to buy. them, if he wants waterproof lines. If a line loses its color or tint, it can be soaked in strong green tea, or a weak solution of indigo, to be afterward well dried. To take the kink — so far as it can be done — out of laid or twisted lines, let them out their full length, and draw them loosely through the water, with- out hook or sinker, from the stern of a boat as it is rowed along; to be then stretched and dried. Never use a reel- line with a knot in it ; better, by far, make some boy happy by giving it to him to catch Perch and "Sunnies." 452 book of the black bass. Caee of other Tackle, Artificial flies should be closely looked after, summer and winter, to preserve them from their worst enemy — the moth. When put away for the winter, see that the fly- book, or other receptacle, is perfectly clean; dust out the leaves and pockets before putting the flies iu. See that the flies are perfect in feather and snell ; reject all that are much worn or seem moth-eaten, and those which have worn, frayed or otherwise imperfect snells. Place patch- ouly, or gum camphor, wrapped in paper, in the pockets and between the leaves, and inclose the whole, securely, in cotton cloth. Leaders should be carefully looked to, and only those that are perfect retained. Imperfect ones may be utilized for snells. Hooks should be kept sharpened, and free from rust; it is a good plan to wipe them, after use, with an oiled rag; those that are rusted should be thrown away. All tackle, in short, should be kept neat and clean. It is a great pleasure to the angler to overhaul his tools and tackle several times during the winter, to see that every thing is all right. A little attention to these details, and a following of the advice given in this chapter, will more than pay the angler for the price of this book, and may inculcate hal)its of order and econo- my in the novice, which will certainly promote his pleas- ure and happiness, and may save him many a dollar, if applied to other walks in life. Parting Words. And now, in taking leave of the angler — or he who CONCLUDING REMARKS. • 453 has mentally resolved to become an angler, and who has followed me through the pages of this book — I do so with regret; for it has been to me a labor of love to describe, in my way, the methods and the delights of angling. It has revived the memory of many happy hours, spread over many years of checkered sunshine and shadow. The bright pages in the book of memory stand out like the flashing stream in the bright sunlight, while the sorrows are hid in the deep shadows of its thickly-wooded glens. "With thee conversing I forget all time." I live, again, in scenes forever past, but never to be forgotten; with rod and reel, again I wander along the upland streams, among the cedars and chinkapins, and on the tide-waters and salt-marshes of "My Maryland;" on Long Island's sea-girt shore ; on the broad bosom of the St. Lawrence, with its clusters of emerald isles, and on the charming lakes of the Empire State; among the low green hills of "the valley," the broom-sedge of the " Piedmont" section, and on the broad bays of the " Old Dominion ; " in the coves and bights of the stormy Huron, the treacherous Michigan, and the great inland sea, Superior, with its crystal waters and great hills, crowned by the scarlet banners of the mountain ash ; by the pine-clad rivers of the " Old North State; " along the rocky streams of Ken- tucky and Tennessee, flecked with the roseate tassels and snowy disks of the redbud and dogwood ; among the moss-covered rocks of the highland rapids, and under the fragrant magnolia and feathery cypress of the silent estu- aries of the " Palmetto State " and Georgia ; on the clear, sparkling lakelets of Wisconsin, glinting and dancing amid fields of golden grain and broad green pastures, or hiding in sheltered nooks,.among the tamaracks and black 454 ■ BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. birches; on the broad Susquehanna, the blue Juniata, and among the hemlocks and maples of the Pennsylvania hills; under the moss-draped live-oak and stately palm, amid the orange-groves and myrtles, the mangi-ove and sea-grape, on the sluggish streams, the broad lagoons, and amonir the coral-reefs and sunnv kevs of Florida ; 'under the cool beeches and broad sycamore, the graceful elms and lofty cottomvood, of the quiet streams of Ohio, Indi- ana, Illinois and Missouri ; in the cold, crystal streams, gliding among the everlasting hills, clothed with tangled forests of balsam and pine, in Michigan. It has taken me back even to the days of lang syne, when, Avith a bit of cock's hackle, tied on a pin-hook, and a willow wand for a rod, I first essayed the angler's art, and made sad havoc among the minnows, chubs and "gudgeons." I can only hope that the reader will experience as much pleasure in perusing the foregoing pages, as I have done in penning them; and he will please remember, that, though he may diflPer with me on each and every page, I will not quarrel with him; but, should we ever meet, as brothers of the angle, in some sequestered spot on lake or stream, we will, while smoking the pipe of peace, talk the matter over cooly, calmly and dispassionately. But he may rest assured, that, though all roads lead to Rome, and though there are many ways of catching a Bass — I have traveled some of the roads, and tried most of the w^ays — if he faithfully follows in my footsteps, he will never regret it, and never have cause to wish he had tried the other way. And now I leave you, with this injunction ; and, though I have mentioned it before, I do so at parting, that it may be the more impressive : CON(-'LUX;lNG REMARKS. 455 Always riii- yot'r fish as soon as taken from the water; and ever be satisfied with a moder- ate creef,. By SD doing, your angling days will be happy, and your sleep unJisturbei; and you, and I, and the fish we may catch, can say, with the sweet singer of Israel : " The lines are fallen to nie in pleasant places." THE END. INDEX SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. Agassiz, Prof. Louis, 15, 26, 34, 56. Aplesion, 24, 35. Aplites, 24, 35. Baird & Girard, 15, 27, 34. Black Bass, Scientific History of, 11. Bodianns achigan, 13, 23, 33, 36, 45. Bosc, M., 12, 22. Calliurus, 24, 35, 42, 57. Calliurus punctulatus, 13, 24, 25, 35. Centrarchus fasciatiis, 14, 15, 26, 27, 28. Centrarchus obpcurus, 14, 26, 28, 33. Chronological Catalogue of Species, 81. Cichla, 25. Cichla fasciata, 13, 25, 33, 56. Cichla floridana, 14, 25, 34. Cichla minima, 14, 25, 33. Cichla variabilis, 13, 44, 53, 57. Cichla ohiensis, 14, 25, 33. Contrasted Differential Characteris- tics, 18. Cope, Prof. E. D., 15, 28, 55. Cuvier & Valenciennes, 14, 25, 34, 43, 50, 51. BeKay, Dr. ,Jas. E., 14, 26, 33. Dioplites, 24, 35. Dioplites nuecensis, 15, 16, 29. Dioplites salmoides, 16. Dioplites treculii, 16, 34, 39 Dioplites variabilis, 16, 34. Etheostoma, 24. Etiieostoma calliura, 24, 33. Garlick, Dr. T., 15, 27, 34. Generic characterizations, 68. Aplesion Raf., 71. Aplites Raf., 70. Calliurus Raf., 68, 69. iJiopUtes Girard, Ti. Dioplites Raf., 70. Etheostoma Raf., 70. Grysleini Bleeker, 75. Gi-ystes Agassiz, 72. Grystes Cuvier & Valenciennes, 71. Gi-ystes Giinther, 73. Grystes Holbrook, 72. Grysles Swainson, 71. Hm-o Blocker, 75. Huro Cuvier & Valenciennes, 71. Huro Gun t her, 73. Htiro Swainson, 71. Lepomis Raf., 69. Micropterus Bleeker, 75. Micropterus Gill, 73. Micropterus Jordan, 75. Micropterms Lac., 68. Micropterus V. & B., 76. JVernocanipsis Raf., 70. Generic Description of Micropter- us, 67. Gill, Prof. Theo., 15, 18, 30, 34, 47, 48. Girard, Dr. Chas., 15, 27. Goode, Prof. G. Brown, 16, 30, 35. Gunther, Dr. Albert, 28, 39. (457) 4o8 INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC HISTORY. Grystes, 14, 15, 22, 26, 27, 28, 35, 39. Grystes fasciatus, 27, 28, 56. Grystes raegastoma, 15, 27, 28, 29, 34. Gry.stes nigricans, 15, 27, 28, 56. Grystes nobilis, 15, 27, 29, 34. Grystes nuecensis, 15, 27, 28, 34. Grystes salnioides, 14, 26, 28, 42, 49, 50, 53, 54, 56. Grystes " salmoneiis,'' 27, 57. Holbrook, Dr. J. E., 45, 55. Huro, 26, 35, 39. Huro nigricans, 14, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 49, 56. Jordan, Prof. D. S., 16, 30, 31, 36, 39, 40, 50, 52, 54. Kirtland, Dr., 15, 34. Labre salm'oide, 12, 62. Labrus salraoides, 12, 22, 26, 29, 33, 36, 37, 43, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54. Lacepcde, Count, 11, 12, 22, 32, 51. Le Labre salmoide. 62. Lepomis, 24, 35. Lepomis achigan, 15. Lepomis flexnolaris, 13, 24, 33. Lepomis pallida, 13, 24, 33, 45. Lepomis notata, 13, 24, 33. Lepomis salmonen, 13, 24, 33. Lepomis trifasciata, 13, 24, 33. Le Microptere dolomieu, 60. Le Sueur, Chas. A., 13, 25, 33, 34. Microptere dolomien, 60. Micropterus, 12, 16, 24, 29, 35, 38, 42, 46, 57, 65. Micropterus, synonymy of; 65. Micropterus acliigan, 15, 28. Micropterus dolomieu, 12, 16, 22, 33, 35, 38, 41, 45, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, 84. Micropterus dolomieu Lacepede, synonymy of, 84. Micropterus dolomieu Lac, Siiecific descriptions of, 86. Micropterus fasciatus, 28. Micropterus floridanus, 16, 30, 35. Micropterus nigricans, 15, 28, 30, 31, 34. Micropterus nuecensis, 16, 38, 40. Miciopteius pallidus, 16, 30, 31, 35, 37, 40, 47. Micropterus salmoides, 15, 16, 30, 31, 37, 38, 40, 47, 49, 57. Micropterus salmoides, (Lac.) Hen- shall, synonymy of, 110. Micropterus salmoides var achigan, 16, 36. M_icropterus sal moidesrar salmoides, 16, 36. Micropterus variabilis, 16, 38, 48. Morphological, 23. Morphology and Nomenclature, 65. Nemocauipsis, 24, 35. Nomenclature, 29. Nomenclature and morphology, 65. Notes on Fishes from Florida, 39. Notes on Typical Fishes in Paris Museum, 41. On Species Micropterus, Gill, 18. Rafinesque, C. S., 13, 23, 33. Scientific History of Black Bass, 11. Scientific Names of Black Bass, 31. Specific Descriptions of M. dolomieu Lac, 86. BocHaniis achigan Raf., 87. Calliurus punctulatius Raf., 87. Centrarrhus fasciatus DeKay, 98. Ccnfrai-chus fai-ciatus Giinther, lOo. Centrarchus fasciatus Kirtland, 97. Ccnl rarchusfascialiis Roosevelt, 105. Centrarchus fasciatiis Storer, 101. Centrarchus fasciatus Thompson, 10:3. Centrarchus obscurus DeKay, 100. INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC HISTORY. 459 Centrarchus obscurity Gtinther, 105. Centrarchus obscurns Storer, 101. Cichlafasciata Klrtland, 97. Cichla /asciata Le Sueur, 90. Cichla minima Kirtland, 97. Cichla minima Le Sueur, 93. Cichla ohiensis Kirtland, 97. Cichla ohiensis Le Sueur, 92. Elheostonia calliura Raf., 90. Grisles salmoiedcs Herbert, 104, Grystes fascialus Agassiz, 101. Grys/es fasciatus Putnam, 106. Grystes nigricans Garlick, 104. Grystes nigricans Norris, 105. Grystes salmoides Cuv. & Val., 93. Grystes salmoides Delva5'', 98. Grystes salmoides Storer, 101. Grystes salmoides Jardine, 96. Grystes sal inonoides Giinther, 105. Lepomis achigan Gill, 106. Lepomis flexuolaris Raf., 8iS. Lepomis notata Raf., 89. Lepomis salmonea Raf., 89. Lepomis irifasciata Raf., 88. Micropteriis dolomieu Lac, 86. Microplerus fasciatus Cope, 107. Micropterus salmoides Gill, 107. Micropterus salmoides Hallock, 109. Micropterus salmoides Jordan, 109. Micropterus salmoides Uhler & Lug- ger, 108. Synonyms of Micropterus, 65. Synonyms of M. dolomieu Lac, 84. Synonyms of M. salmoides (Lac) Henshall, 110. Synopsis of Species of Micropterus, 82. Specific Descriptions of M. sal- moides (Lac.) Henshall, 113. Cichla floridana Le Sueur, 113. Diopliles nuecensis Girard, 125, 126. Grisles nigricans Herbert, 129. Grystes megastotna Garlick, 125. Grystes nigricans Agassiz, 121. Grystes nobilis Agassiz, 121. Grystes nuecensis Baird & Girard, 121. Grystes salmoides Holbrook, 122. Grystes salmoides Norris, 130. Huro nigricans Cuv. & Val., 114. Huro nigriqans DeKay, 119. JIur,o nigricans Giinther, 126. Huro nigricans Jardine, 115. Huro nigricans Richardson, 116. Huro nigricans Storer, 120. Labrus salmoides Lac, 113. Lepomis pallida Raf., 113. Micropterus nigricans Cope, 130. Microptei-us nigricaixs Gill, 1.30. Micropterus pallidus Goode & Bean, 1.S2. Microptenis pallidus Jordan, 132. Vaillant, Dr. Leon, 38, 40, 48, 53. Vaillant & Bocourt, 15, 16, 34, 37. Varieties of small-mouthed Black Bass, 16, 36. INDEX TO LIFE HISTORY AND ANGLING. Aerating water, 190. Angling, as an art, 353. Angling, best season for, 365. Angling, effect of wind on, 366. Angling, philosophy of, 349. Angling, time of day for, 374. Artificial baits, 307. Artificial flies, 294. Artificial flies, care of, 452. . Artificial insects, 315. Artificial minnows, 315. Asli, for rods, 197. Baits and Baiting, 429. Baits, artificial, 307. Baits, natural, 318. Bamboo, for rods, 200. Bass, black, as a game fish, 377. Basswood, for rods, 199. Bethabara, for rods, 19S. Biting of fish. Conditions governing the, 356. Black Bass as a food fish, 185. Black Bass as a game fish, 377. Black Ba.ss bait-rods, 207. Black Bass fly-rod, 229. Black Bass rods, difference in, 209. Boat fishing, 421. Bobbing, 441. Bob, tlie, 317. Breeding of Black Bas.s, 162. Calcutta bamboo, 200. Cane, 200. Capture of the Bass, 382. Care of lines, 450. t4ti0) Care of reel, 448. Care of rod, 445. Care of tackle, 452. Cast, rigging the, 389, 414. Casting-lines, 273. Casting, overhead, 394. Casting, sideways, 396. Casting the fly, 390. Casting the fly, general instructions, 398. Casting the minnow, 409, 415. Casting the minnow, general instruc- tions, 421. Causes of color in fishes, 147. Cedar, for rods, 198. Chubs, 318. Clearing ring, 339. Click reel, 238. Coloration of the Black Bass, 145. Coming Black Bass rod, 211. Common names of Black Bass, 142. Concluding remarks, 444. Conditions governing the biting of fish, 356. Corks, 335. Corydalis, horned, 321. Crawfish, 323. Creel, 329. Crickets, 324. Details of split bamboo rod, 228. Depth of water for fishing, 362. Differences in color, 136. Differences in game qualities, 140. Difierences in fins, 138. INDEX TO LIFP: HISTORY. 461 Differences in mouth, 13S. Diflerences in scales, 138. Dimensions of tlie Henshall rod, 215. Disgorgei-s, 339. Diversities in liabits, 139. Dobson, 322. Dublin bend hook, 289. Extinction of brook trout, 380. Fish ba.sket, 329. Fish hooks, 283. Fishing lines, 252. Fishing, perfect day for, 370. Fi.shing reels, 237. Fishing rods, 195. Fishing, still, 428. Flies, artificial, 294. Flies, rules for using, 296. Floats, 335, 414. Fly-books, 327. Fly, casting the, 390. Fly, maniigenient of, 399. Fly-fishing, 387. Fly-fishing, caution in, 403. Fly-fisiiing, lines for, 265. Fly-fishing, main rules in, 405, 407. Fly-fishing, remarks, hints and ad- vice, 402. Fly-fishing, rigging the cast, 389. Fly-fishing, striking aud playing, 401. P^ood and growth, 164. Forest and Stream rod, 211. Frogs, 324. Game fish, Black Bass as a, 377. Cieneral and Specific features, 135. General instructions in casting the fly, 398. General instructions in casting the innmow, 421. General instructions in still-fishing, 430. Geographical distribution, 154. Giving the butt, 402, 426. Grassiioppers, 324. Greenheart, for rods, 198. I Growth of Bass 164, 167. j Gut, silkworm, 270. I Habitat of Black Bass, 135. Habits of Black Bass, 162. Hackle flies, 297. Hjind-lines for trolling, 267, 437. Hatching, 162. Heating, sense of, 181. Helgramite, 321. Henshall rod, 212, Hibernation, 170. Hickory, for rods, 199. Home-made rod, 221. Hooks, 283. Hooks for bait-fishing, 413. Hooks, sproat, 287. Hooks, various kinds of, 290. Hooking minnows, 319. 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