THE STRIPED BASS. 123 



are known to run, or on serf beaches, and in sea bays, it 

 will be worse than useless to use either, especially the 

 latter. 



In surfs, striped Bass will take the artificial squid, 

 mistaking it for the Spearling, AtJiernia Menidia, the 

 Sand-lance, or other small fry on which they feed ; and 

 in tide ways, such as Hell-gate and the numerous pas- 

 sages in that vicinity, they are frequently taken in great 

 numbers, and of very large size, with that hideous ma- 

 rine reptile, the living squid. 



In the early spring, and in general water, shrimp are 

 probably the most killing bait, shad roe excepted, for 

 rivers frequented by that fish. "When crabs begin to 

 shed they may be used indiscriminately with shrimp ; 

 the latter to be fished with from one to three feet from 

 the bottom, with a float and light sliding sinker. In the 

 early autumn, crab on the bottom is preferred by many 

 anglers ; and in some water the soft clam is very success- 

 ful ; but in swift streams, where the water is fresh, 110 

 bait, to my fancy, equals any bright, glittering fish, 

 spearling, minnow, killy-fish, what you will, at the end 

 of a hundred yards of clever trolling-line, with a bottom 

 of good, round single gut, two swivels, a ~No. 1 Limerick 

 through the tail, and a small perch hook through the 

 lip, and a skilful hand to keep him glancing through 'the 

 ripples, life-like, -till a ten-pounder strikes him with an 

 arrowy rush, and whistles away some seventy yards of 

 line oif your ringing click-reel, before you know what 



