220 BLACK BASS. 



July, when the eel-fly, the principal food of the bass, is 

 just disappearing, and the artificial fly is then a luxury. 

 In case a spoon is used, the shank of the hook is usually 

 wound with ibis feathers, and a Buel's patent is the 

 favorite. It has been recommended at times to fasten a 

 forked piece of pickerel tongue on the bend of your fly- 

 hook, but like a similar direction as to a worm on a trout 

 fly-hook, I have no faith in it. Another successful bait 

 that has, in my opinion, more reputation than value, is 

 the Mil-devil, a creature that is beyond my powers of 

 description, and must be seen to be appreciated. 



The hours and days favorable for fishing are, in the 

 main, similar for all fish ; if the water is deep or turbid 

 there may be an exception, but generally a southwesterly 

 wind, a cloudy sky, and the morning and evening hours, 

 will yield the best sport. This is so for black bass, and 

 the more wind the better, until it becomes difficult to 

 row and manage the boat. In the western wilds, where 

 deer are plentiful, an attractive fly is made by tying a 

 white and red tuft of deer's hair along the shank of the 

 hook ; the thread being passed round the middle of the 

 tuft, allows the upper part of the hairs to be bent back 

 by the motion through the water, giving an appearance 

 of life to the bait. 



An ingenious mode of proceeding is suggested in 

 Brown's Angler's Guide, that is worthy of young Ameri- 

 can genius, to which it is attributed. A boy having 

 caught a sun-fish, runs his hook through its nose arid out 

 at its mouth, covering the point with a lively worm. 

 Other sun-fish, seeing their fellow have all to himself a 

 fine, fat worm which he seems unable to master, collect 



