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piercing a turbid and discolored medium than ours. At 

 such times which are the best for the purpose, as the 

 flood, which causes the roiliness of the water, carries 

 down worms, grubs, and other food, it is apparent that 

 they must rely wholly upon the acuteness of their powers 

 of smell. On such occasions it is wholly useless to use 

 artificial baits of any kind that only appeal to the sight, 

 and flies, trolling spoons, or artificial minnows, are out 

 of place. 



Then, again, when fish are scattered, and are to be 

 attracted to a special spot, recourse must be had to similar 

 means. It is a well known plan in striped bass fishing 

 to use chopped menhaden to cause a "slick " or floating 

 streak of oil that will be carried long distances by the 

 tide or waves. The same thing is done with still fishing 

 for blue-fish, and without this assistance but few of either 

 of these varieties would be taken on the sea coast. The 

 same idea may be utilized in other ways, and prove how 

 fish may be allured to their destruction by their noses as 

 well as their palates. 



It is possible that strong smelling substances can be 

 employed advantageously on baits. This has been main- 

 tained by many writers on angling. Assafoetida has been 

 recommended among other things for 'the purpose, but 

 we cannot say what its value is, having never tried it. 

 The main point to be borne in mind is, that in endeavor- 

 ing to catch fish as much attention must be paid to the 

 scent as to the sight. They must be hungry indeed, or 

 of the coarsest varieties, if they will take stale, rotten 

 and offensive bait, and it is not to be supposed that be- 

 cause our noses are not available under water, theirs are 

 not. The fresher the bait the better it is, as many a bass 

 fisherman has found out in a blind sort of way with his 

 shedder crab or his bony-fish, which are successful when 



