142 Fish and Game Warden. [Bull. No. 1. 



Feeding Black Bass. 



Black bass will feed on live grasshoppers, crayfish, frogs 

 and minnows — in fact, almost any live fish small enough for 

 them to swallow ; they are especially fond of goldfish. If they 

 are in a feeding humor, they will take such food as fast as it is 

 thrown in the water, and will frequently follow the person who 

 feeds them along and near the shore while waiting for their 

 food. We have had them grab a goldfish that we were holding 

 by the tail and pulling through the water. They learn to take 

 various kinds of food, but seem to prefer live grasshoppers, 

 crayfish, frogs, minnows and young fish in preference to any 

 and all other kinds of food. 



Young bass will learn to eat the above kinds of food when it 

 is cut or ground fine enough for them to swallow, or they will 

 take it whole as soon as they are large enough to handle it. 



Feeding Crappie. 



In a general way crappie, both old and young, eat about the 

 same kinds of food as the bass. However, they are more shy 

 and do not come to feeding places so readily, and usually keep 

 pretty well out of sight. We have seen them take live grass- 

 hoppers and small minnows that were thrown to them. We 

 consider them a hard fish to feed on artificial foods. The 

 larger fish will eat small minnows and young fish greedily when 

 the little fish and minnows are turned loose in the pond with 

 them. Young crappie, judging from the dissections we have 

 made, seem to feed largely upon small insects, crustaceans and 

 various forms of larvae that are found on aquatic vegetation. 

 They also grab small land insects that may fall or get blown 

 onto the surface of the water. 



Feeding Sunfish. 



Sunfish are the best feeders of them all when it comes to tak- 

 ing artificial food that is thrown to them. They will take all 

 kinds of insects and crustaceans and other forms of life. Al- 

 most any kind of meat (except turtle) chopped or ground up 

 seems to please them. They will come right up to the shore any 

 time of day and feed greedily. They soon learn to take such 

 food as bread, oatmeal and corn chop, and can gradually be 

 taught to eat almost anything that is food for them. 



Feeding Catfish. 



Catfish are in a measure very much like the sunfish. They 

 can be taught to eat almost anything, but prefer some kind of 

 meat or fish chopped or ground up. The bullheads, supposed to 

 be bottom feeders, will frequently come to the surface to get 

 bread, meat and other kinds of food. 



