FISHING FOR BIG-MOUTH BASS 



ing rush of a big-mouth at such a moment, 

 when he churns the water over the frog and 

 goes down with the bait in his jaws, is worth 

 travelling a long way to see. The bass seizes 

 the frog crosswise in his jaws and goes to 

 the bottom with him. There he holds him 

 for a few seconds and then, shifting his prey, 

 swallows him. 



Then he moves away, feeling very com- 

 fortable. And as he starts, the line, which, 

 after the first rush has slackened, begins to 

 straighten out again. And then is the time 

 for you to " strike." A sharp twist of the 

 wrist and your bass is hooked. And then 

 comes trouble. It comes right away, and 

 in chunks. A three-pound big-mouth is a 

 fighter, although not so fierce a gladiator as 

 the " small-mouth " bass. He may dive to 

 the bottom and sulk awhile. He is sure to 

 cut the pace in a number of swift curves and 

 turns, and he may break your leader in 

 one of those mad plunges. He also has a 

 gentle habit of making back for the boat and 

 knocking the hook loose by switching the line 

 across the bottom of the craft; or by tangling 

 the line with an oar and flopping off. 

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