6 THE SMALL-MOUTHED BASS 



against the comparatively bright background of the sky- 

 above, they may be seen taking flies from the surface of 

 still water. Their presence may be recognized by the char- 

 acteristic swirl which is always seen when they are feeding 

 in this way; they do not jump, like other fish, but move in 

 a semi-circle and seize the fly or insect without emerging 

 from the water. 



In very rough weather or during a violent storm, they 

 appear to become frightened, and seek deep water or hide 

 themselves in a muddy place, which they may not abandon 

 for two or three days; when they emerge from their hiding- 

 places they are ravenously hungry and bite freely, but do 

 not put up a great fight. 



And it may be said here that the fighting qualities 

 of bass depend largely on their environment. Those 

 which live in dead water, and have no access to running 

 streams, naturally will not have the necessary exercise 

 to make them active. No doubt, under such con- 

 ditions, where food is plentiful and exercise rare, 

 bass grow very large; but their flesh is not as delicate 

 and they certainly do not fight as gamely as those 

 of other localities which spend the greater portion of 

 their time in water which is in constant motion. In 

 inclosed lakes, without large inlets or outlets, the skin of 

 the bass is jet-black, and its flesh under the back fin often 

 filled with worms. On the contrary, those which live in 

 rivers, streams, and large lakes, supplied continually with 

 clean water, do not grow to such a size as in smaller confined 

 lakes, on account of the distance they travel in search of food 

 and the difficulty of obtaining it in rough weather; but they 

 are much more active, their skin brighter, and their flesh 

 infinitely more fit for use than in the case of those living in 

 dead water. Judging from my own experience of more 

 than twenty-five years, I may safely say, without the least 

 trace of exaggeration, that there are no black bass any- 



