IN FLORIDA. 79 



who is more alive to the contents of a stream than 

 to its air of gloom or brightness, broke the silence. 



"Now," he said, as lie began setting up his rod, 

 ** I will show you my favorite rig for catching big- 

 mouthed bass. Look at that trolling spoon, it is 

 something of my own invention, although the tackle 

 shops are getting them lately." 



He had a special arrangement of feathers and tin, 

 not be described on paper, but long experience has 

 made me skeptical about new all-killing inventions, 

 and possibly my countenance betrayed my thoughts, 

 for he went on, as he saw me getting out a cast of 

 bass flies. 



" I know" he observed, throwing his lure over- 

 board, " that other rigs will take some, but you see 

 now, I shall have one within a minute." 



I had no choice, as I was seated in the bow of the 

 boat, and could not have used a trolling spoon if I 

 had wished, as our lines would have fouled. I had to 

 put on flies and fish by casting. 



" That is all very well," I replied, '' at certain 

 times, and in a stream like this, but if we had a 

 large, deep river, I would rather use a number of flies 

 on a long leader." 



" There," said Mr. Green at that moment as he 

 struck a fish, '' what did I tell you. If you want 

 to take black-bass, particularly this kind — " 



He never finished his observation, for at that mo- 

 ment a four-pound fish seized my fly, and it took 

 our joint skill and attention to keep from fouling. 

 He managed, however, to get his fish in quickly, as 



