193 THE THOUSAND ISLES. 
spinning tackle from the others. I then took out a 
twelve-foot salmon leader, or casting-line, as our friends 
across the water express it, and fastened on it, at equal 
distances, five large flies, the upper dropper and tail-flies 
being dressed with white and ibis feathers mixed on a 
large sized salmon hook, while the intermediate ones were 
small, dark colored salmon flies. This leader, thus 
equipped, being fastened to one line, and a similar one, 
except that a small, gay spoon replaced the tail-flj, to 
the other, they were trolled thirty or forty yards astern, 
so that they sank well as we moved slowly along. Then, 
leaving the quiet bays, with their sluggish current and 
weedy bottom, we struck out boldly into the rapid w^ater 
and sought the rocky shoals where black bass love to 
hide and wait. 
The wind had increased till there was quite a sea, and 
it was difficult to manage the boat; but that was soon 
forgotten in the excitement. The fish were numerous and 
in excellent disposition ; every shoal we crossed furnished 
us with several ; we often took two or three at a time, 
and occasionally had both lines engaged at once. They 
w^ere brave, vigorous and determined ; madly they darted 
forward on feeling the hook, and threw^ themselves high 
out of w^ater to shake it from their mouths ; finding that 
vain, they made rush after rush to escape, again and 
again they leaped in the air, resolute and courageous to 
the last ; not till they were in the net would they sur- 
render. 
Strange it was to note the difierent shades of their 
colors. Their deep sides, for they are an awkward-looking 
fish, and their shape gives little indication of their 
