74 Sporting Sketches 



has muskallonge, wall-eyed pike, pickerel, several 

 species of bass, mullet, carp, perch, drum, dogfish, 

 catfish, garpike, and others for his special amuse- 

 ment. Of these he takes great strings and enjoys 

 greater fun, for he is the true angler. He may or 

 may not take bass with the fly. He can do it, if so 

 inclined, for he knows fishing from gill to caudal. 

 He is wise in the matter of baits, and has as many 

 as the trout fisher has flies. He knows where, when, 

 and how to take one and all of his prizes ; how to 

 keep in condition the fattest minnows ; how to coax 

 worms to the surface during hot, dry nights ; how 

 to secure the crayfish, the bee-larvae, the white grubs 

 from sod or rotting logs; how to best use the small 

 frog, young mouse, grasshopper, cricket in fine, 

 how to use everything capable of tempting a fish. 

 He also knows exactly what to do with tempted fish. 

 These bait fishers are apt to be the shrewdest 

 students of fish-lore, for to be successful one needs 

 must be well informed. While the trout fisher exer- 

 cises much skill both in casting his lures and play- 

 ing his fish, yet he has comparatively few details to 

 master. Once he has learned how to use his tackle 

 and to recognize good trout water, he is upon the 

 highway, or waterway, to success, for he is after but 

 one variety of quarry. The impetuous dash of the 

 trout also simplifies matters. With the bait fisher 

 conditions are very different. He may be intent 

 upon the capture of specimens of half-a-dozen 

 species which differ in habits, haunts, and food. 

 During one day he may be compelled to employ 

 several distinct methods and many varieties of bait, 

 and be it known that an intelligent use of bait 



