The Black Bass of the Potomac River 
or the edge of a rippling eddy, is the 
proper manner to pursue in fishing for 
the gamest fish in the world. Live 
bait holds its place, however, in the es- 
timation of the majority, and it consists 
of minnows, cray fish, young frogs and 
pike smelt, while the humble worm has 
been known to exercise fascination of a 
remarkable sort on the fish at various 
times. The term live bait, however, 
may be taken to mean minnows alone. 
ties bait bucket, therefore,isia part of 
the equipment of nearly every angler, 
and much ingenuity has been exercised 
by inventors in perfecting the affair, for 
they must be so arranged as to keep 
their animated contents alive for a long 
time, as the minnows are almost invar- 
iably secured either in this city or at 
‘the point where the fishermen embark 
on the river. Some buckets are made 
to contain 100 or 150 minnows, and, 
with proper changes of water, the little 
fellows may be kept alive and lively, 
which is an important point, almost in- 
definitely. 
The bull minnow and the pike smelt 
are most favored by bass fishermen, 
and the cray fish has many admirers. 
A minnow is placed upon the hook in 
this wise: The point of the barb is in- 
serted in its back, about the middle fin, 
and pushed through until it emerges 
near the tail. This is apparently cruel, 
but the minnow doesn’t appear to mind 
it much. Minnow and hook are then 
tossed lightly through the air toward 
some inviting spot on the surface 
beneath whicha bass is likely tolie. The 
minnow upon striking his native element 
swims against the line which holds him, 
with tail rapidly moving, and if there 
is a bass in the immediate vicinity there 
is pretty apt to be a commotion in the 
water in a mighty little while. 
Many bass are lost by the over-anx- 
ryt 
iety of the angler to strike before the 
opportune moment arrives. They 
very particular fish, and when they are 
feeding they seize their food very much 
as a cat seizes a mouse, and spend a 
moment or two in exultation over their 
luck. When the minnow, for instance, 
first attracts the bass he rushes at it 
and seizes it in his strong jaws side- 
are 
ways. 
case. He will remain poised and trem- 
bling for a second, and will then move 
slowly off. Many anglers strike at 
this time, when they see their line 
going out, and merely pull the bait out 
of the fish's mouth. When he makes 
that first slow movement he is getting 
ready to swallow the minnow, and the 
way he operates is thus: The tongue 
of a bass is round and thick, like a 
man’s thumb, and with this member he 
slowly turns the minnow in his mouth 
until its head is pointing directly down 
his throat. Then with an extension of 
the tongue he draws it in, and proceeds 
to swallow it. As he starts again then 
is the time for the fisherman to quickly 
draw back his rod and make the victor- 
ious stroke. Between the most success- 
ful anglers and the bass, there appears 
to be a sensitive telegraphy by means 
of the line and rod, by which the fish- 
erman knows just when to strike, and 
the persons who possess this gift are 
fortunate indeed. It may be aptly 
termed nervous intelligence, and is 
similar to the power possessed by good 
billiard players and good shots, who 
perform such wonders with apparently 
no unusual exercise of care or aim. 
When the bass is hooked then the sport 
begins. The small-mouthed black bass, 
which is generally known as the Poto- 
mac bass, because the stream. is most 
favored by the species, both in number 
and in size, is a fearless, active, agile 
This is almost invariably the 
