TROLLING FOR BASS 251 



down, there to bask and dream, taking what food a 

 kindly Fate sends their way, really feeding on the 

 surface only early in the morning and perhaps again 

 at evening, sometimes only late at night. Now a 

 spoon, or underwater with flashing blades, trolled 

 over their lurking places, will stir them to attack. 

 Perhaps they are not hungry, we will not open that 

 question; to have them strike is all the angler asks. 

 Once connected, the why of the connection is of little 

 importance. Naturally the lure will run a-foul of 

 the weeds many times, that is to be expected, but 

 who would not run the chances of a "hook-up" for 

 the privilege of taking a bass or two when the other 

 fellows are failing? There is more or less human 

 nature about the average angler. 



Thus far I have been talking of lake fishing, for 

 trolling is essentially a lake sport, though sometimes 

 a sluggish river must possess little current will 

 offer considerable sport to the angler who is willing 

 to employ the method. We call this fish, "bass of 

 the banks," though it might be termed with equal 

 felicity, the "bass of the grassy bends." Where the 

 marsh grass grows out into the water, to the very 

 edge of the deeps, or the cat-tails march along, their 

 feet thick with sedge, there bass hang out when the 

 whim suits them. I have never been able to deter- 

 mine just when they preempt those spots. I have 

 taken them trolling at mid-day with a bright sun 

 overhead, I have taken them morning and evening, 



