Bait Angling for Common Fishes 



doubtful what his reception would be at 

 home. Pole gone, line broken, hooks lost, 

 the only remnant of the morning's glory a 

 score of lean sun-dried perches and sunnies, 

 and mayhap a few eels and catfish ignomini- 

 ously strung through the gills upon a willow 

 withe. 



The sunfish grows to a length of eight 

 inches and a weight of half a pound. In 

 coloration it rivals the gayly tinted fishes 

 of the coral reefs in tropical seas. The pre- 

 dominating colors are yellow and blue, dark 

 blue-gray on the back, shading to a lighter 

 tint of greenish brown; the belly a bright 

 orange, and the face is streaked in yellow 

 and blue, with long ear flaps in black. It 

 is well armed with a fierce array of spines, 

 and shows a temper, especially after nest 

 building, unusual in small-sized fishes. 

 Consequently they thrive and multiply al- 

 most beyond belief in ponds and streams 

 too small for bass and too warm for trout. 

 It prefers clear and still water, living in 

 and about weeds and grasses. In the spring 



