206 STRIPED BASS. 



In June, and throughout the Summer, the crab is a 

 better bait ordinarily than the shrimp. I prefer the soft 

 crab, because it does not dull the point of the hook, as 

 will sometimes happen with a shedder that is not quite 

 ripe ; it is easily cut up into proper baits, whereas the 

 shedder has to be skinned, or, more properly, shelled 

 a long and nasty operation ; it is always in good order 

 whereas others, unless carefully selected, and kept just the 

 right time, will tear to pieces in the course of preparation ; 

 and finally, the skin of the soft crab, especially as it 

 verges toward the buckram, enables the hook to retain 

 its hold. Judging from human nature, I fancy the fish 

 must prefer a nice, soft, plump bait, to one that is jagged 

 and half full of pieces of shell. 



Most writers say, fish with crab on the bottom, be- 

 cause there it is naturally found ; I say, fish with it near 

 the top, because no sensible fish can imagine that a quar- 

 ter of a crab long since dead and dismembered has any 

 control over its own motions. In fact there is no unbend- 

 ing rule for fishing ; the only way is to try all plans, 

 and if the fish will not notice your crab suspended in 

 mid-water, take off your float and swivel sinker, put on 

 a running sinker, as it is called, made like a piece of 

 lead pipe with a small hole in the centre, tie a knot in 

 the line to prevent its going down on the hook ; use a 

 single bait of a good-sized piece of crab and cast well 

 out from you, and the first eel that comes along will 

 astonish, not to say disgust you. The line being free, 

 though the lead lies on the bottom, you can feel the 

 first touch of a fish, and strike at once ; whereas if the 

 sinker were the old-fashioned deep sea lead he would 

 have to drag its weight some distance before the fisher- 



