398 BLACK BASS FISHING. 



too, on the bars and shoals of our bay. Numbers run up the 

 larger streams in May, and bite freely at the worm, in the 

 middle and latter part of the month, in the Tonawanda. His 

 appearance is too familiar to need description. His colour 

 varies, though it generally approaches black. I think only the 

 smaller Bass run up the creeks. Those taken in Tonawanda 

 seldom overweigh two or two and a half pounds, and have a 

 greenish hue. In the river they attain a weight of four and 

 four and a half, and even five pounds ; and occasionally heavier 

 ones have been taken, weighing even eight pounds. The river 

 fish when fresh from the water is frequently banded, like the 

 Perch, with broad bars of a darker hue, which disappear, 

 however, and fade into the general colour of the fish as he 

 becomes dry. He seldom takes the hook, in the Niagara, 

 until June, He is always fine eating, but is fattest and best in 

 autumn.^' 



He is angled for in the usual way, and with the same arrange- 

 ment of tackle as the Striped Bass or Salmon ; and with some 

 enthusiastic Western sportsmen, is thought to give more amuse- 

 ment than either. But the most active and exciting mode of 

 pursuit is with the trolling rod and boat. We are indebted to 

 a friend who has frequented Lake George, for the folloTvdug 

 interesting communication : 



" This is a game fish, aff'ording the angler the very highest 

 enjoyment. These fishes are taken in various ways. When 

 collected on their feeding grounds, in August and the succeed- 

 ing fall months, they are sometimes taken in considerable 

 numbers. The usual mode of angling for them at this time, 

 is either with or without a float, and with live bait — a small 



