tear out the hook. They must be handled carefully and 

 cannot be landed immediately, and if they are of any 

 considerable size will demand skillful play. They attain 

 a weight of six to eight pounds, but the average is far 

 less, hardly exceeding two. They are thoroughly a 

 game fish and should be introduced into all waters 

 adapted for them which are occupied by inferior fish. 



There is scarcely any prettier sport than taking black 

 bass by casting the fly. Trolling is far inferior in the 

 enjoyment it gives the true angler, being a coarser and 

 less artistic style of fishing. For very large fish the 

 leader may be of salmon gut, but for ordinary fish, trout 

 tackle will do. In trolling a number of flies of light 

 colors, especially scarlet and white, are tied on the lead- 

 er at short intervals with often a small trolling spoon for 

 a stretcher. It should have a swivel at the top and a 

 couple of shot lower down. This is trailed behind at 

 some distance from the boat which is rowed rather slowly 

 over the reefs and other places where the bass congre- 

 gate. In the St Lawrence river among the Thousand 

 Isles where a school of these fish is struck every fly will 

 hook a fish and the fortunate spot may be crossed again 

 and again with the same result. This is a good deal 

 like pot fishing however, and the landing of so many fish 

 at one time is annoying rather than pleasurable. As 

 they fight against one another, success in getting them 

 into the net is a question rather of strength of tackle 

 than of skill in the fisherman. 



In casting this is wholly different and everything de- 

 pends on ability to use the rod and to manage the game. 

 The flies are larger ordinarily than those for trout being 

 about the size of such as are used in Maine or on Lake 

 Superior, and are gaudy although on light days sombre 

 colors are often the most successful. Otherwise there is 



