256 CASTING TACKLE AND METHODS 



ing that it was an unusually large pike, I mentally 

 prayed that he would break loose and not take the 

 lure with him. Had the fish stayed in the weeds all 

 would have been well with him, but the pull of the 

 line was more than he could withstand. Out into 

 the free water he came, a strange, inert and logy 

 pike. Unresisting, save for dead weight, I reeled 

 him up to the boat, discovering what had taken all 

 the fight out of him. Fast to the lure and closely 

 wrapped about the fish was a great halo of weeds as 

 large as a bushel basket. Weeds and all I lifted into 

 the boat, and imagine my surprise when I discovered 

 in the midst of the weeds a 7 pound large-mouth, 

 the largest bass save one, ever to fall to my rod. 

 Do you wonder, reader, that I have given trolling 

 for bass a place in "Casting Tackle and Methods"? 



Just because it is "Not all of fishing to fish," and 

 my mind is haunting that sheet of water in Shawano 

 County, Wisconsin, known to anglers by the un- 

 euphonious title of "Mud Lake," I am going to 

 burden the reader with another "yarn." 



Upon another occasion Wife and I were visiting 

 the lake, for we were in the habit of fleeing to it 

 whenever the cares of our profession became too 

 arduous, which, by the way, was quite often during 

 the fishing season. Well, one morning, floating idly 

 near the shore where the conical peak of our little 

 tent showed above the green under-brush, intent 

 upon securing a mess of yellow perch for dinner, my 



