The Sunfish 



of the year the female prepares herself a 

 circular nest by removing all grass and 

 other dead aquatic plants from a chosen 

 spot of a foot in diameter, so as to leave 

 bare the clear gravel or sand; she then digs 

 into the sand about four inches and deposits 

 her spawn, which she watches and cares for 

 like a hen does her chicks, till the small 

 fish appear. All fish, even those of her own 

 species, that intrude on her privacy, she will 

 drive from her nursery, and attacks shiners, 

 minnows and killies, often killing them in 

 defense of her home. Sunfish are gamey 

 and eager biters, and earthworms are 

 their delight; they will also readily rise 

 to a very small artificial fly with a vim and 

 dash much in the manner of the black bass, 

 their bold and larger cousins. Like the 

 perch, any old tackle will catch them at 

 times, but if proper angling outfit is used 

 to capture them, larger fish and more 

 gamey play is the result. If a boy has 

 a light rod, or better still, a regular eight- 

 foot bamboo, not too pliable or yet too 



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