QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 211 



ANSWER. The closer an object is to the water 

 the less chance a fish has to see it, particularly if the 

 fish be 30 or 40 feet away, as in wading. One can 

 be seen more easily by a fish if elevated above the 

 water, as on a bank or raised shore. Often you can 

 see the bass at some distance from the shore, but 

 seldom while wading. If you were 20 feet above 

 the water the fish for a radius of 60 or 70 feet could 

 see you. Of course fish close up could see you at 

 any time, but you seldom land those on the fly. 



QUESTION. Do you find both the small-mouth 

 and large-mouth bass in the same lakes? F. S. 



ANSWER. Not as a general thing; when you do, 

 the small-mouth will be found on the rocky bars, 

 near the spring holes at the outlet or inlet; if there 

 is a little current there, on the gravel bars; while the 

 large-mouth prefers the weedy bays, the lily pads 

 and rushes and where the bottom is soft. 



QUESTION. What is the best method of retriev- 

 ing the fly in casting for bass? F. L. 



ANSWER. Let the fly float a bit with the current, 

 then sink a little and retrieve with short, jerky mo- 

 tion. I like to give it a few little pulls, then let the 

 fly stop a couple of seconds, when it sinks a little 

 more then continue the jerking pull. It is well to 

 cast over the same waters if you don't get a strike 



