The Black Bass 



plan of construction, and whether employed 

 by an expert or a tyro. The rod for min- 

 now casting, or indeed for any method of 

 bait-fishing, should be from eight to eight 

 and a half feet long and from seven to 

 eight ounces in weight, as larger fish are 

 taken with bait. For casting the frog In 

 weedy waters a short, stiff rod of five or 

 SIX feet Is used by many. A few words In 

 reference to the origin of this short rod 

 may not be amiss, especially as I wish to 

 make It a matter of record. 



At the time of the Chicago Fair, In 1893, The short Bait- 

 my old friend, James M. Clark, a good ^^ ^"^ 

 angler, was superintendent of the fishing- 

 tackle department of a large sporting goods 

 house in that city. He Informed me that 

 he had devised a rod especially Intended 

 for casting a frog for black bass and pike 

 on certain weedy waters not far from 

 Chicago. 



The said rod was made by reducing the 



regular eight-and-one-fourth-foot Henshall 



rod to six feet, and it soon became popular 



on the waters mentioned, for by casting 



27 



