BAIT CASTING FOR BASS 



as a boat anchor while floating down stream. The 

 boat handler simply sits astern with the rake over- 

 board. It is easy to guide the boat by pressure on 

 this side or that, and easy to anchor it by pushing 

 the rake into the mud or gravel when one comes 

 to the place to stop. This is a tip worth remember- 

 ing, and quite novel, as far as I know. 



When you fish for bass in the summertime it is 

 best, if possible, always to have a cake of ice 

 wrapped up in a burlap sack and put in a box which 

 will not leak. When you catch a bass kill him by 

 putting the blade of a knife in at the back of the 

 neck, and then put him at once on the ice and keep 

 him cold until used. If the water is muddy or 

 weedy it is better to clean the fish at once and then 

 put it on the ice. The muddy taste is common 

 among black bass taken from weedy waters in the 

 summertime. It becomes much worse if the bass 

 is allowed to lie undressed, or if it is allowed to 

 get too warm. Sometimes skinning the fish instead 

 of scaling it is better. 



There is no fish which varies much more in 

 quality on the table than the black bass. It all 

 depends on the temperature and condition of the 

 water in which it is taken. The flesh of the bass 

 is high in proteids, much higher than that of most 

 of the sea fishes, so that it is a fine food fish. 



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