BASS. 171 



^ort Royal to the Pallisades, where many Groupers 

 and Snappers are caught, and frequently Mullet. The 

 tackle is similar to what is used in Europe in fishing 

 •for Wliiting, which is held over the boat's side and 

 suffered to descend to the bottom, from which you 

 raise it a few inches again, letting it touch the bot- 

 tom, so continuing till you feel a bite. The baits 

 generally used here are Shrimps, pieces of Fish, and 

 the small shell-fish. 



Bass, 



This Fish is generally considered a sea-fish, though 

 they will live in rivers and fresh waters : they are 

 much like Salmon in shape, a Perch or Dace in colour, 

 especially the smaller or young Bass, at which time 

 they have some few black spots on their backs, and 

 large white scales on the sides, silvery belly, and a 

 blueish back. The Bass are taken from five to fifteen 

 pounds weight, and are thought by some persons a 

 well-flavoured Fish ; but I think them indiflferently 

 tasted, and certainly much inferior to Salmon : they 

 are caught in the Severn, and around the coast near 

 Bristol, &c. chiefly with nets, but are sometimes 

 killed by the Angler when he is fishing for Mullet, as 

 they frequent such places as are agreeable to the 

 Mullet, and will take the same baits. fSee Mullet J 

 Great numbers of small Bass are taken in the river 

 *Taw, near Barnstaple in Devonshire : those small Bass 

 feed freely during the months of April and May 3 they 

 vary in size from one to ten or twelve ounces each. 



