i8o CASTING TACKLE AND METHODS 



water, its trailing branches sweeping the rippling 

 surface. I have a mental picture of a basswood 

 lying low over the water, its broad, heart-shaped 

 leaves, many of which was submerged, offering shel- 

 ter to foraying small-mouth. Indeed, so much 

 foliage was submerged that it deflected the current 

 to a certain extent, forming a little whirlpool at the 

 base of the trunk close in shore. The water was five 

 or six feet deep. An angler who possessed sufficient 

 temerity, plus skill, to let a lure down under those 

 menacing branches was sure of a strike, though it 

 was an even break as to whether or not he would 

 creel his fish. Under such conditions the rodster 

 should seek to coax the fish out into the open, resort- 

 ing to hazardous methods only when all sane expedi- 

 ents fail. To continue to write of the lurking places 

 of bass along a wadeable stream would be a pleasure, 

 but already this chapter is stretching out to unusual 

 lengths and I must reserve at least one paragraph 

 for a few words of advice regarding playing and 

 netting the fish, supplementary to the chapter upon 

 that subject. Be it said, however, ere we leave the 

 matter of hooking fish, the stream angler must be 

 possessed of considerable initiative, originality, and 

 yes, imagination. 



To attempt to say just what methods should be 

 employed in playing a fish would be presumptuous, 

 for there are unique problems to be solved in every 

 ichythic battle; no two struggles worth the name are 

 exactly alike, though there are certain suggestions 



