FISHING A RIVER FROM A BOAT 185 



on the current side. The rodster always casts 

 towards weeds and obstructions. 



I have been talking of down-stream fishing as 

 though there was no possibility of fishing against the 

 current. It is practicable to breast the current if not 

 too swift, but the boat will make more noise and the 

 boatman would have to be supplied with oars in order 

 to make much headway. Of course this would not 

 apply to many a sluggish river, but I am speaking 

 of those Middle West streams which "tumble down 

 hill," where the bass are not overly large as a rule, 

 but gamy to a degree. While I think the rodster is 

 in a better position to hook his bass, casting against 

 the current, most decidedly he is in the poorest posi- 

 tion to retrieve his lure. Should he back-lash, or for 

 any reason hesitate for a few seconds, the current 

 will have in the meantime thrown his lure up against 

 a snag somewhere. If the angler has considerable 

 time at his disposal, it would not be a bad idea to 

 work up-stream as far as he cares to go, fishing care- 

 fully, then float down with the current; he will find 

 that he can cover a given amount of water in one- 

 third the time, or less, when going with the river. 

 However, I must add that he will fish the water 

 more thoroughly going up ; taking more fish. In my 

 experience, at least, I have taken two bass on the up 

 journey to one when floating with the current. But 

 taking the matter by and large it is just as well for 

 the rodster to ship his boat to some up-stream point 



