ON THE HOME LIFE OF THE BASS 57 



it; in fact, with a live minnow he will turn it around 

 in his mouth and swallow it headfirst. In this case 

 don't strike him too quickly, but give him a little time 

 to play the bait before striking.. A bass handles a 

 live bait somewhat like the play of a cat with a 

 mouse it has caught. Many a time I have torn a 

 minnow in half through striking too soon, having 

 the pleasure of baiting again instead of landing the 

 bass that had a half hold on my bait. If you are 

 using a wooden minnow or plug, however, strike 

 quickly right after the bass strikes, as he immediately 

 discovers that it is not a choice morsel of food and 

 disconnects. 



STUDY THE PLACE YOU FISH 



Any nice pleasant day that you would enjoy on 

 the water makes a good day for bass fishing. The 

 big thing is to locate the spots where the fish are 

 likely to be, at the particular time you are fishing, 

 and to try out the bait or lure that pleases his fancy 

 at that time. What he rises to one day may be dis- 

 dainfully ignored the next. You simply must study 

 each location and condition. If you have only a 

 week-end trip, you naturally desire to get as much 

 actual fishing as possible, and you will find that you 

 will save time and get more fish by " talking it over " 

 with someone who is acquainted with the waters you 

 intend to fish, or better still, secure a guide if pos- 

 sible. 



