374 GAME FISH OF NORTH AMERICA. 



bottoms. It chooses for its abode deep holes, and the shelter of 

 logs and trees that may have fallen into the water. . 



Color. — Head and body dusky above, often with a greenish or 

 bronzed tint ; lower jaw and belly wliite ; opercle with a bluish- 

 green spot at its angle. Along the flanks runs a dusky band which 

 is more or less apparent according to the age of the fish. It is most 

 remarked in the young. Fins yellowish. This fish grows to two 

 feet in length, and has been tacken weighing twelve pounds. [For 

 specific characteristics, see Black Bass, in Northern Inland Fishes.] 



Bass fishing is habitually practiced in the Potomac in April, 

 and from April to June, at which time the fish run up the river to 

 spawn. We are not sure but that the first of May is about the 

 very best time for bass fishing in the Potomac. Black bass is 

 essentially a summer fish. They are taken up to November on 

 Southern waters, and in Florida all through the winter. But the 

 close season, as defined by the law of Virginia, extends from the 

 15th May until ist July. The laws of different States vary a fort- 

 night or so from this date. To find the most killing bait in your 

 locality you will have to experiment. Try the artificial fly of vari- 

 ous patterns, live minnows, a troll with spoon or spinning bait. 

 If your waters are large enough, use a sail or row boat and a 

 spoon on two hundred feet of line, with eight-foot rod and reel, or 

 if small ponds throw the spoon near the weeds with a stiff rod, and 

 diaw it sideways from the bow of the boat, or skitter with artificial 

 minnow. For still-fishing use the tail of crayfish, or hellgramites, 

 frogs, grasshoppers, beetles, worms, larvse, and the like. Professor 

 WiUiamson, of Leesburgh Academy, Virginia, has written the fol- 

 lowing interesting treatise on the habits of the bass of the Potomac. 



He says : " Considerable numbers are taken near the mouths of the 

 branches flowing into Goose Creek, in the creek itself, and in the 

 Potomac River, with live bait and with the fly. The largest have 

 been caught in the river ; those of the creek are smaller as a rule, 

 but not despicable in size, while those in the branches are the 

 smallest of the three. The largest bass captured in the river 

 weighed six pounds and over. The largest in the creek about 

 four pounds ; and one of a pound in a branch would be a "big 

 fish." I have no doubt from observations of ova taken from bass 

 of different sizes and at different times, that bass here spawn 

 throughout spring and early summer, prolonging their labors ac- 

 cording to the depth of water, etc., in their several sub-districts, 



