Natural Batt vs. Flies for Black Bass, 259 
reel in you notice there is a demand, 
usually a very gentle one, for more 
line. In this case you supply it, ex- 
peditiously but quietly, until there is 
no further call. Then, you cautiously 
take up your slack until you can ‘feel 
him breathe.” He may lie still for a 
time and then move off slowly. Let 
him go. He has not swallowed the 
bait yet. He may start with a rush. 
moll i say let him go... Presently he 
stops, and all is quiet for a few seconds. 
Possibly he moves towards you, and 
you are kept busy getting in that slack. 
When you think, and this ‘‘think”’ has 
got to be from long experience, then 
be sure you have your line straight and 
taut from his mouth to the tip of your 
rod and let him have it. 
Does not the band play then? 
What I am trying to demonstrate is 
that there is lots more fun in seeing 
your line run away with a ‘‘don’t know 
what” weight of bass on the end, and 
the uncertainty as to whether you will 
be able or not to judge the proper 
moment in which to set the steel into 
him, than to know instantly (as with 
the fly) that you have or have not 
got him and what the ‘‘ heft” of him is. 
I’m not running down the fly-fisher- 
man, for I do it myself when they 
won ttake the minnow, just thesameas I 
troll or use any other /eg7fz7mate means 
when demanded for a day’s fishing. 
Did any one ever give you an idea of 
how we fish in our rivers for bass? 
We use a broad, flat-bottomed boat, 
sometimes pointed at the bow, some- 
times square, in the bow of which the 
angler stands and casts on all sides as 
the boat floats down stream. The boat- 
man puts you from one side of the 
river to the other as you go along, so 
that you try a// the places. The cast- 
ing is done ‘‘Henshall” fashion (so- 
called), from below up, and is made for 
distances varying from 50 to 150 feet 
(this last distance may be disputed, so 
please refer to the black bass casting 
record as published by you, showing 
what was done at the New York tourna- 
ments). After allowing the minnow to 
sink a short distance, the line is reeled 
inand anothercast made. This is done 
continuously over from seven to ten 
miles of water as a day’s work, and if 
any fisherman (fly or bait) thinks 
there is no work in this, let him try 
it. 
There is one other advantage in bait- 
fishing for dass which, while it is a 
minor one, is treated with more or less 
disdain by the fraternity, and that is 
the wezght of the catch. It has never 
been disputed, to my knowledge, that 
the bait-fishermen get the biggest bass, 
and this my own experience, one of a 
quarter of acentury exclusively devoted 
to this fish, fully demonstrates. 

