40 



THE SMALL-MOUTHED BASS 



The sensation is that of a steady pull, and not a series 

 of jerks, as in the case of many other fish such as the rock 

 bass, perch, sunfish and pickerel. 



When angling with frogs, similar precautions must be 

 taken to ensure capture. 



The hook, which should not be more than an inch in length, 

 is passed first through the under jaw and then through the 

 upper jaw of the frog, as closely as possible to the edge of 

 the mouth, and the frog is thus 

 able to swim about quite freely. 

 When a bass strikes such a 

 bait, it will generally close its 

 jaws on the frog's head just as 

 in the case of the minnow, and 

 then, shortly afterwards, turn 

 the bait around in its mouth 

 by a quick, indescribable move- 

 ment; and the hook and the 

 frog enter the mouth of the bass 

 together. 



But the chance of losing a 

 frog is much greater than that 

 of losing a minnow, on account 

 of the much greater width of the 

 frog's head and its peculiar shape. 



It requires much greater skill, therefore, to be successful 

 when using frogs as bait than when angling with minnows 

 or worms. 



And the larger the frog, the less the chance of getting 

 the fish. 



The only safe rule to follow is to give the fish plenty of 

 time to get the bait well down his throat and trust to ex- 

 perience. With a light rod and small tackle and bait one 

 soon learns to seize the opportune moment. But, even 

 under the most favourable circumstances, one can calculate 



Rock Elm 



