THE STRIPED BASS 



should be nickel-plated or composed of German 

 silver and hard rubber. Fifty yards of the smallest 

 size braided linen line, with a three- foot single-gut 

 leader, or with two leaders (one of three feet and 

 the other two feet), and with Sproat or O'Shaugh- 

 iiessy hooks ranging in size from No. 1 to No. 3, or 

 even larger for the big fish, will be needed. A 

 swivel sinker for the attachment of the line and 

 leaders is part of the outfit. A landing-net will 

 be a very useful adjunct. 



When fishing over grassy bottom a float attached 

 about three feet above the sinker will be found very 

 useful. The sinker is to have two swivels, one 

 above for the line and one below for the leaders. 

 The weight of the sinker must vary with the 

 strength of the tide. 



Shrimp bait is fastened by passing the point of 

 the hook under the back plates. Shrimp and crab 

 are two of the most effective baits known to the 

 angler. Throughout the summer the crab will 

 usually prove the more useful of the two. The bait 

 must sometimes lie quietly on the bottom, but is 

 usually suspended in mid-water and kept in con- 

 stant motion by jerking the rod. Only a single 

 hook is used by some expert anglers. 



Trolling. Trolling with marine worms, min- 

 nows, natural squid, eel-tail, or artificial lures of 

 any kind, requires a fairly stiff but pliable rod 

 eight or nine feet long, braided linen line from 100 



205 



