54 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



the soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. It prefers 

 clear streams and lakes, and congregates in small 

 schools about rocky situations, gravelly bars, about 

 mill-dams, and in the vicinity of weed patches 

 in ponds. It spawns in the spring and early sum- 

 mer, making and guarding its nest like the black- 

 bass, and feeds on crawfish, small minnows, and 

 insect larvae. In size it usually runs from a half- 

 pound to a pound in streams, though reaching 

 two pounds or more in lakes. It is a good pan- 

 fish for the table, and is well thought of in the 

 Mississippi Valley, though held in lighter esteem 

 in the St. Lawrence basin, where it coexists with 

 larger and better fishes. 



The rock-bass is an attractive-looking fish, and 

 for its size is very pugnacious. It will take the 

 artificial fly, or natural or artificial bait. It bites 

 freely at small minnows, grubs, grasshoppers, cut- 

 bait, or angle-worms. It is capable of affording 

 considerable sport with light tackle, owing to its 

 large and strong fins, and its habit of curling its 

 sides in opposition to the strain of the rod. 



With a light fly-rod of four or five ounces, and 

 corresponding tackle, and trout flies on hooks 

 Nos. 5 to 7, the rock-bass is not a mean adver- 

 sary. It rises to the various hackles, and to such 



