18 FOUftTH OR MILTIMORE LAKE}. 



that portion of the water marked as suitable for fly- 

 fishing, and as there may be some enthusiastic votaries 

 of the fly-rod among the readers of the American Field, 

 I will here give a few hints relative to fishing for bass 

 with the fly. They are clipped from a small pamphlet 

 I prepared in 1893, on behalf of the Natchaug Silk Co. 

 for distribution by them during the World's Columbian 

 Exposition. As I have since had no cause to modify 

 my ideas relating to bass fishing with the fly, I will 

 reproduce them here: 



"The bass takes the fly at from six to nine inches 

 beneath the surface of the water. Repeat your cast 

 until you get the fly over the desired spot, then allow it 

 to ^all delicately upon the water. Let the fly sink to the 

 desired depth. Then, elevating the tip of the rod, by 

 a series of short, hesitatory jerks bring the fly toward 

 you. On feeling a slight resistance strike smartly. The 

 fly must light on the water without commotion and 

 with the least possible ripple. 



"While the fly is sinking the bass has opportunity to 

 investigate it; by the time the motion of the rod is 

 given to the fly the bass is anxious to seize it, and, per- 

 haps, is caught almost before the angler knows it. 



"Small bass you can catch in almost any bungling 

 manner, but large bass must be kept in complete igno- 

 rance of yourself, rod and line, otherwise you will sel- 

 dom catch them. Small fry in disporting themselves 

 do so without excessive violence. A frog in taking to 

 the water does so in a quiet, easy manner, marking his 

 submersion with a light splash devoid of any violent 

 agitatory action; a small water-snake, alarmed in the 

 act of swimming upon the surface, disappears almost 

 silently. 



"Everything obeys the laws of Nature. So perfectly 

 do bass recognize these laws that any line placed before 

 them in a manner foreign to that which their instincts 

 accept will be eyed with suspicion and left alone. 



"Seat yourself by the pleasant waterside and learn 

 these lessons from Nature. The study will well repay. 



