220 BLACK BASS. 
July, when the eel-fly, the principal food of the bass, is 
just disappearing, and the artificial fly is then a luxury. 
In case a spoon is used, the shank of the hook is usu-ally 
wound with ibis feathers, and a Buel's patent is the 
favorite. It has been recommended at times to fasten a 
forked piece of pickerel tongue on the bend of your fly- 
hook, but like a similar direction as to a worm on a trout 
fly-hook, I have no faith in it. Another successful bait 
that has, in my opinion, more reputation than value, is 
the kill-devil^ a creature that is beyond my powers of 
description, and must be seen to be apj)reciated. 
The hours and days favorable for fishing are, in the 
main, similar for all fish ; if the water is deep or turbid 
there may be an exception, but generally a southwesterly 
wind, a cloudy sky, and the morning and evening hours, 
will yield the best sport. This is so for black bass, and 
the more wind the better, until it becomes difficult to 
row and manage the boat. In the western wilds, where 
deer are plentiful, an attractive fly is made by tying a 
white and red tuft of deer's hair along the shank of the 
hook ; the thread being passed round the middle of the 
tuft, allows the upper j)art of the hairs to be bent back 
by the motion through the water, giving an appearance 
of life to the bait. 
An ingenious mode of proceeding is suggested in 
Brown's Angler's Guide, that is worthy of young Ameri- 
can genius, to which it is attributed. A boy h?.ving 
caught a sun-fish, runs his hook through its nose and out 
at its mouth, covering the point with a lively worm. 
Other sun-fish, seeing their fellow have all to himself a 
fine, fat worm which he seems unable to master, collect 
