Oiiiida Lake I'islus 503 



Jordan and Evermann ("03. p. ^^if) consider that "As a ganif-fish it is rather dis- 

 appointing. It takes the hook with vim and energy and l)egins a most vigorous 

 fight which, however, it usually tails to keep up. It can usually Ik; caught at any 

 season and at any time of day : good fishing may l)e had even at night. Any kind 

 of bait may |je used, hut small minnows, white gruhs, and anglewoniis are best. 

 It will take the trolling s]Mx>n (juite readily and the si)inner ami the bucktail also 

 are successful lures. Minnows m.iv lie used either in still-fishing or in trolling. 

 During the summer grasshojjjiers are a gotnl bait, and ])ieces of freshwater mussel 

 or yellow perch are excellent. In the fall still-fishing with small minmws usually 

 meets with success. Casting with the artificial fly is not a comnnjn metho<l for 

 catching the rock bass, yet we have had many gootl rises and have taken .>ionie fine 

 e.xamples in that way ; We have also taken it on the artificial frog. Small crawfish 

 also are a temjning l«it." Hensley ('15. p. 40) considers it notorious for <lestroy- 

 ing bait intended for other fish. Bean ('03, p. 470) says that it fights vigorously, 

 but its endurance is not great, and suitable liaits are white grubs, crickets, grass- 

 hopjKTS. crawfish and small minnows. Common earthwoniis also are good bait. 



Henshall ('03. p. 54) gives detailed notes on angling for Rock Hass. some of 

 which are as follows: "With a light tly-rmi of four or five ounces, and correspond- 

 ing tackle. an<l trout Hies on hooks Xos. 5 to 7, the rock lass is not a mean atlver- 

 sary. It rises to the various hackles, and to such flies as coachman, brown drake, 

 gray drake, and stone fly. esjiecially lowanl evening. The flies nnist l»e allowed to 

 sink with every cast after fluttering them awhile on the surface. For liait fishing 

 a trout l)aif-ro<l of the weight just mentioned, with a reel of small calilier and the 

 smallest braided silk line, will l»e alK)ut right. Sproat hooks Xos. 3 to 4 on light 

 gut snells tie<l with re<l silk are the Ik-sI. Live minnows alniut two inches long, 

 carefully hooked through the lips, are to be lightly cast and allowed to sink nearly 

 to the lK>ttom and slowly reeled in .ngain. Or if a float is used, the minnow niav 

 l)c hooked just tnider the dorsal fin. .\ small float is necessary when white grubs, 

 crawfish, cut-liait, or wonns are useil as Iwit. ( )n lakes it is readily taken bv troll- 

 ing with a very small s|xM>n. aliout the size of a nickel, with a single .'^jtHiat or 

 O'Shaughnessy himk \o. i attachecl." 



References. .Mien, '13; Haker. '16, "iS; Bean. 03: Bensley. '15: CoIlK-rt. 

 '\C>: EmlKxly. '15: Kvennann ami Clark. "15: Faust. 'iS; ForU-s. 'So. SXa. "S^b: 

 Forties and Richardson. '017: (itHKle. '03; Crcelcy. "^7; Mankinson. "08; Hav. '44; 

 Henshall. "03; Johnson and Staplcton. '15; Jonlan and Fvcrmann, '03: UnRuc. 

 '14; I.efevre .nnd Curtis. '10: I.inton, 'iy<; Marshall ami CiillK-rt, 05: X.T^h. *<Vl: 

 Page, '00: Pcarse. '15. '2\: Pratt, '23; Reigbanl. '15; .^nuih, "o," 

 Wilson. '11. 'lia. "16. '19: Wright ami .Mien. 13. 



Pomoxis sparoides ( I -ncej)e<le > . Cm. no B.\ss Calico Bas- 1 i i- .-13 1 

 apiK-ar l«i Ik- rather cnniniDn in 1 )neida I.ake It is a handsome fish and looks well 

 on the string; and its good <|uality of flesh makes it desirable for the table. For 

 these reasons it is nuich sougiit after by anglers in regions where it is abundant. 

 In sha|ic. it is much like other simfish. but is easily distinguishe<l from other ccn- 

 trarchi«ls of the Oneida I -ike region by its thin ImkIv. large un|>aireil fins — the dorsal 

 nnd the anal liciiig much alike in sijte an<l -.ha|>e— an<l a jietnliar color-pattern 

 'if -lark niottliiii:- "ii .1 vilvrr\ iTinind 



