224 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



For its size, the kingfish is considered the 

 gamest of all salt-water fishes. It bites savagely, 

 suddenly, and with a vim and purpose that are 

 sometimes startling to the unwary angler. And 

 when he takes the proffered bait he stands not 

 upon the order of going, but goes at once, and 

 with a dash that is remarkable for its length in 

 so small a fish. When checked, he darts from 

 side to side with amazing quickness, or makes 

 straight for the surface, when the angler is sur- 

 prised to find him of so small a size. He is 

 multum in parvo, a large soul in a small body. 



In sheltered estuaries and bays where the tide 

 does not run strongly or swiftly, or during the 

 stages of slack water, the most suitable tackle 

 consists of a black-bass bait-rod and reel, one 

 hundred yards of fine braided linen line, a three- 

 foot leader, and Sproat hooks, Nos. i or i-o, on 

 stout gut snells, the leader being connected with 

 the line by a brass box-swivel or swivel-sinker of 

 small size. Where the rush of the tide is greater, 

 a natural bamboo chum rod or the Little Giant 

 rod is appropriate, as a heavy sinker must be 

 used to keep the bait near the bottom. To meet 

 the varying conditions of the tide, sinkers of 

 different weights are needed, and a landing-net 



