Popular Fresh= Water Game Fish 



not seem to depend closely on temperature. Hav- 

 ing no opportunity of avoiding the cold, they sink 

 to deeper parts of their watery domain at the ap- 

 proach of winter, and if the chill penetrates to 

 their retreat, their vitality is diminished, their 

 blood flows more slowly, they feel no need of food, 

 and forthwith enter into a state of hibernation. 

 In deep lakes they sink beneath, below the reach 

 of surface chills, and are sometimes caught with 

 a hook through the ice. In the South their ac- 

 tivity never ceases. Any one who has seen black 

 bass feeding, must have been impressed with their 

 immense power of movement. They soon be- 

 come masters of the waters in which they are 

 placed; sunfish, chub, dace, trout, young salmon, 

 and even the ravenous pickerel, are devoured, as 

 are also the young of their own kind. They feed 

 at the surface on moths, flies, and frogs; 



Food ^ ev turn over stones m searc h f craw- 

 fish and insect larvae. In their stomachs 

 have been found mice, young rats, snakes, and 

 small aquatic birds. With such a varied menu, it 

 is no wonder that the angler finds them at the 

 proper season equally eager for fly-hook, trolling 

 spoon, or live bait, and ever ready for a struggle 

 which puts the rod and line to a severe test. They 

 are fished for at night, as well as day, so that it 

 may be assumed they are always feeding, the early 

 morning hours being considered (next to late even- 

 ing) the best time for angling. They are active, 

 roving, merry fish, continually rising from the 

 bottom to the surface, at times rising above it in 

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