206 STRIPED BASS. 
In June, and throughout the Summer, the crab is a 
better bait ordinarily than the shrimp. I prefer the soft 
crab, because it does not dull the point of the hook, as 
will sometimes happen with a shedder that is not quite 
ripe ; it is easily cut up into proper baits, whereas the 
shedder has to be skinned, or, more properly, shelled — 
a long and nasty operation ; it is always in good order 
whereas others, unless carefully selected, and kept just the 
right time, will tear to pieces in the course of preparation ; 
and finally, the skin of the soft crab, especially as it 
verges toward the buckram, enables the hook to retain 
its hold. Judging from human nature, I fancy the fish 
must prefer a nice, soft, plump bait, to one that is jagged 
and half full of pieces of shell. 
Most writers say, fish with crab on the bottom, be- 
cause there it is naturally found ; I say, fish with it near 
the top, because no sensible fish can imagine that a quar- 
ter of a crab long since dead and dismembered has any 
control over its own motions. In fact there is no unbend- 
ing rule for fishing ; the only way is to try all plans, 
and if the fish will not notice your crab suspended in 
mid-water, take ofi" your float and swivel sinker, put on 
a running sinker, as it is called, made like a piece of 
lead pipe with a small hole in the centre, tie a knot in 
the line to prevent its going down on the hook ; use a 
single bait of a good-sized piece of crab, and cast well 
out from you, and the first eel that comes along will 
astonish, not to say disgust you. The line being free, 
though the lead lies on the bottom, you can feel the 
first touch of a fish, and strike at once ; whereas if the 
sinker were the old-fashioned deep sea lead he would 
have to drag its weight some distance before the fisher- 
