The Sunfisb Family 71 



minute crustaceans, and is especially fond of the 

 eggs and fry of other species. It grows to a size 

 of eight inches, though usually from three to six 

 inches. 



Like all the sunfishes, it is an eager biter, and 

 with very light tackle much real pleasure can be 

 enjoyed by the angler who is not too particular 

 as to his preferences. It rises readily to small 

 dark flies, as the several hackles, black gnat, etc., 

 on hooks Nos. 10 to 12. For bait-fishing 

 nothing is quite so good as earthworms on 

 hooks Nos. 8 to 10. 



There are quite a number of other sunfishes 

 belonging to this family, but those named are 

 the most important. In the Southern states, 

 where the sunfishes are known generically as 

 "bream" or "brim" and "perch," they are more 

 appreciated than in the Northern states, where 

 the brook-trout is the favorite among the smaller 

 species. If fished for with very light and suitable 

 tackle, there is a great measure of enjoyment to 

 be derived from bream-fishing, north or south. 

 Certainly for beauty of coloration they are not 

 excelled, and as pan-fish they are preferred by 

 many to the dainty brook-trout. 



There is a certain fascination in fishing with 



