ANGLING FOR BLACK BASS. 6/ 



Use a rod and multiplying reel, with about one 

 hundred and fifty feet of line on it, but the length of 

 line used in actual fishing is usually from forty to 

 seventy-five feet, depending on the depth of water. 

 In fishing in twelve feet of water, I would use 

 seventy-five feet of line, and put two No. I split-shot on 

 my leader. In still-fishing with minnow, and hold- 

 ing the rod in hand, hook the minnow through both 

 lips; fish near the bottom and -give it short starts 

 ahead. When still-fishing with a cork, measure the 

 depth of the water and place the cork on your line, 

 so that the hook will be within one or two feet of 

 the bottom, and hook your minnow through the 

 middle of the back, being very careful not to touch 

 the back-bone, and throw your line out as far as 

 you can. 



When the bass goes for your bait ne goes with 

 a rush, and when he strikes it, will probably go three 

 or four feet before he stops. Then he will turn the 

 minnow in his mouth and proceed to swallow it, and 

 as it is going down he will start to swim off slowly; 

 then is the time to strike. 



If you will follow these directions you will miss but 

 very few bites, but if you strike when the cork first 

 begins to bob, you will lose your fish more than half 

 the time. In hooking on craw-fish, insert your hook 

 through the under side of the tail, near the body, 

 and have the hook come out on the back. Lengthen 

 out your line so that it touches bottom, and it is a 

 good plan to cripple the crab by breaking off one 6l 

 his claws, or raise him a little off the bottom occa- 

 sionally. Otherwise he is liable to crawl under stones 

 and hide. 



