42 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



of half an hour; he weighed three pounds an 

 three-quarters, and was thoroughly game." An 

 again, " That evening was again devoted to th 

 black-bass, which took both the fly and spoo 

 greedily." 



During the period covered by the author 

 named, from 1849 to 1869, the anglers of th 

 South and Middle West were using light can 

 rods, Kentucky reels, and the smallest sea-gras 

 lines for bait-fishing, and trout fly-rods and trou 

 tackle for fly-fishing, rods and tackle as light, t 

 say the least, as those in use to-day. 



In 1866 I removed to Oconomowoc, Wisconsii 

 where there were thirty lakes within ten mile 

 abounding in black-bass of both species, wit 

 pike, rock-bass, crappies, perch, etc. On m 

 home grounds was a large shallow pond fe 

 from Fowler Lake. Becoming much intereste 

 in the black-bass, and finding but little informs 

 tion available in the books of that day concernin 

 their habits, I determined to give some stud 

 to the subject. Accordingly I cut a ditch fror 

 the pond to the lake, with suitable screens, an< 

 stocked it with black-bass of both species. Dui 

 ing their spawning period in the summer 

 watched them faithfully and constantly from 



