104 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



BREEDING AND GROWTH 



The black basses belong to the Centrachidae or 

 fresh water sunfish family and breed in the Spring. 

 The small mouthed commences as early as April in 

 some waters and as late as July in the far North. The 

 spawning time depends mainly on the condition of the 

 water, the fish showing little interest in raising a 

 family until the temperature of the water reaches 50 

 degrees F. They spawn earliest in shallow waters. 



The small mouthed black bass prefers to make his 

 nest on sand, gravel or rocky ledges, the male fish do- 

 ing all the nest building. Sometimes he will merely 

 scoop out a depression in the sand and occasionally one 

 will roll pebbles into a cluster and carefully polish 

 each one although generally they are not as good house- 

 keepers as their smaller cousins, the common sunfish. 



When the nest is completed the fish sallies forth like 

 a knight of old seeking ye laydie faire. When he 

 finds her he exerts himself to make a favorable impres- 

 sion meanwhile driving the trying-to-appear-reluctant 

 charmer into the nest. Here he ascertains whether or 

 not she is ripe. If not he angrily drives her away 

 and seeks a more suitable mate. If she is ready to 

 expel the eggs he induces her to do so and fertilizes 

 them as they are ejected. Upon completing this func- 

 tion the female's interest in the family ceases forthwith 

 and the male proceeds to guard the precious eggs, 

 hovering over them diligently, fanning with fins and 

 tail to keep the water circulating over them and to 



