ANGLING FOR BASS 143 



in this manner, the strike is usually made a moment 

 or two after the fish bites, as a moving bait is gener- 

 ally taken entire, the hook being in the mouth. 



All the preceding varieties of fishing refer partic- 

 ularly to the small-mouth bass. As the habits of the 

 large mouth are different, other methods are followed 

 to capture them. One of the best ways, and a favorite 

 one, is to cast a minnow, crab, or frog along the flag- 

 or weed -grown shore of a river. The boat should be 

 slowly rowed, and a long rod used. This allows the 

 bait to be carefully thrown in the shallow water with- 

 out frightening the fish. A line not much longer 

 than the length of the rod is used, permitting accurate 

 casts to be made. This is usually a very successful 

 way to catch these fish. Another method used in 

 early summer, before the weeds have grown under 

 water, is to drift as closely to shore as possible, fish- 

 ing with a minnow. A No. 1 or No. 2 hook should 

 be used, and the bait fastened through the lips. A 

 heavy sinker is required, and a cork float is fastened 

 to the line, about 6 feet above the hook. This should 

 be floated about 15 feet back of the boat. If pre- 

 ferred, the float need not be used, in which event the 

 sinker is omitted and about 30 feet of line are run 

 out. In either method the fish must not be struck 

 until some time after it bites, giving it ample time to 

 gorge the bait. A swivel must always be used between 



