Popular Fresh-Water Game Fish 



not seem to depend closely on temperature. Hav- 

 ing no opportunity of avoiding the cold, they sink 

 to deeper parts of their watery domain at the ap- 

 proach of winter, and if the chill penetrates to 

 their retreat, their vitality is diminished, their 

 blood flows more slowly, they feel no need of food, 

 and forthwith enter into a state of hibernation. 

 In deep lakes they sink beneath, below the reach 

 of surface chills, and are sometimes caught with 

 a hook through the ice. In the South their ac- 

 tivity never ceases. Any one who has seen black 

 bass feeding, must have been impressed with their 

 immense power of movement. They soon be- 

 come masters of the waters in which they are 

 placed; sunfish, chub, dace, trout, young salmon, 

 and even the ravenous pickerel, are devoured, as 

 are also the young of their own kind. They feed 

 at the surface on moths, flies, and frogs; 

 Food*^^ they turn over stones in search of craw- 

 fish and insect larvse. In their stomachs 

 have been found mice, young rats, snakes, and 

 small aquatic birds. With such a varied menu, it 

 is no wonder that the angler finds them at the 

 proper season equally eager for fly-hook, trolling 

 spoon, or live bait, and ever ready for a struggle 

 which puts the rod and line to a severe test. They 

 are fished for at night, as well as day, so that it 

 may be assumed they are always feeding, the t irly 

 morning hours being considered (next to late even- 

 ing) the best time for angling. They are active, 

 roving, merry fish, continually rising from the 

 bottom to the surface, at times rising above it in 

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