REELS, LINES AND BAITS 127 



very greatly increased and its use for bait-casting is 

 very general. A very favorable fact in regard to the 

 trolling spoons and fly-spoons is that while, perhaps, 

 they do not induce as many strikes as do the wooden 

 minnows or weighted phantoms they are more apt to 

 hold the bass when hooked than are the heavier baits; 

 this for the reason that, w r hen the bass comes out of 

 the water and shakes himself, the weight of a wooden 

 minnow or other comparatively heavy bait affords the 

 fish a very substantial leverage and he is quite likely 

 to free himself. The spoons and small spinners be- 

 ing light and with several loosely moving joints do not 

 give this leverage. For bass and other general bait- 

 casting No. 2 or 3 spoons are the best. Spoons are 

 furnished in a multitude of shapes, hammered, fluted, 

 tandems, etc., but, as a matter of fact, there is very 

 little choice between them; and, such being the case, 

 the angler should select a spoon which has no tendency 

 toward freakishness. Use only the very best spoons 

 you can find, for in this way only is it possible to get 

 hooks upon which you can depend. The cheap spoons 

 are fitted with very cheap hooks. A very fine casting 

 bait is a " bucktail " spoon, especially good for bass. 



The single-hook fly-spoons, small, light spoons with 

 very thin blades, used in connection with rather large- 

 sized bass flies of approved patterns, coachman, Mont- 

 real, scarlet ibis, royal coachman, silver doctor, and 

 others, are a necessary part of the bait-caster's kit. 

 The fly-spoons of this sort, made in a very adequate 



