46 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



The Doctor, lightly equipped with only rod, fly- 

 book, and creel, sometimes relieved the Shiner 

 by toting his minnow bucket or minnow net. 

 They were fishing a rocky, gently flowing river, 

 characteristic of the Blue Grass section. 



They stopped at a broad, lakelike expansion 

 of the stream, caused by a mill-dam, and, in a 

 quiet cove at the entrance of a clear brook, 

 Golden Shiner proceeded to fill his minnow 

 bucket with lively minnows, using for the pur- 

 pose an umbrella-like folding net. This he 

 attached to a long, stout pole, and, after baiting 

 it with crushed biscuit, lowered it into the water. 

 In a short time he had all the bait necessary 

 chubs, shiners, and steelbacks. 



" The golden shiner is the best of all," said he, 

 " especially for roily or milky water; but the chub 

 and steelback are stronger and livelier on the 

 hook, and for very clear water are good enough." 



They then proceeded below the mill-dam, 

 where there was a strong rifHe, with likely-looking 

 pools and eddies. 



" The proper way to hook a minnow is through 

 the lips," continued Golden Shiner, " especially 

 for casting. One can give a more natural mo- 

 tion to the minnow on drawing it through the 



