238 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



It also devours the spawn of other fishes, though 

 some persons contend that it does not, which 

 is absurd, when it is considered that almost all 

 fishes are addicted to this natural vice. I know 

 from my own observation that the carp is not 

 exempt from the habit. It grows to a length of 

 two feet under favorable conditions. One of 

 twenty-four inches will weigh about ten pounds. 

 As a food-fish it ranks below the buffalo or 

 sucker. It sells readily, however, to negroes, 

 Chinese, and Polish Jews of the cities. 



I have no love for the German carp, but as it 

 is now so plentiful in most waters, especially in 

 the Mississippi Valley, and is constantly increas- 

 ing in numbers, it may be well enough to devote 

 a small space to it as a game-fish. It is a very 

 poor fish at best, and as the poor we have always 

 with us, we will never be rid of it. In England, 

 where it has existed for centuries, it is considered 

 a very shy and uncertain fish to catch ; and the 

 larger the fish, the more difficult to circumvent. 

 The best success, and the best is very poor, is 

 met with on small, stagnant ponds, with compara- 

 tively small fish. English anglers use a small 

 quill float and split-shot sinker, allowing the bait 

 to just touch the bottom. They then stick the butt 



