28 THE BLACK /USS. 



larger than the Oswego species, which seldom ex- 

 ceed fifteen or sixteen inches in length, but is chubby- 

 shaped, being five inches broad, and two or more in 

 thickness. The black color of this fish extends the 

 whole length of the back and sides, growing lighter 

 as it comes towards the belly, and in some cases of a 

 yellowish and sometimes of a greenish hue. It 

 generally feeds on small fish, which it takes in head- 

 foremost, and it is this habit that enables the angler 

 to hook them easily. It will bite, at certain seasons, 

 at lobster, and muscles ; and a peculiar artificial fly 

 is also used, at times, with success. 



This fish begins to bite at Tonnawanda in the 

 latter part of May, and at Oswego early in June, 

 and at about the same time in the more western 

 lakes. They continue to afford good sport for a 

 couple of mouths, the time for fishing them being 

 early in the morning and after four in the afternoon. 

 In August they are spawning, and will not usually 

 bite at all, and if caught are poor affairs. In Sep- 

 tember and October they may be taken again, and 

 some fine ones are caught in the latter month. 



The tackle used for fishing black bass is similar to 

 that described for striped bass, viz. : a stout pliable 

 rod, with reel, and some two hundred feet or more 

 of flax or grass line, with a gut leader four or five 

 feet in length, and a Limerick or Kirby hook. For 

 bait, live minnows are the best for large fish. Fix 

 your hook through the eyes of the minnow with ex- 

 treme care not to touch the brain, and he will swim 



