FISHING FOR BLACK BASS. 139 



day especially in lake fishing and on streams on cloudy days. 

 The nice days are always best, ideal weather being bright, 

 mediumly warm days with a light breeze and water fairly 

 clear. Each angler, as a rule, has set ideas about weather 

 conditions, water conditions, time of year; etc., but all 

 rules are subject to failure in fishing. One thing is always 

 sure though, and that is that the fish are in more shallow 

 water early and late in the season than during the hot mid- 

 summer, when they retire to deep water if such is to be 

 found. Black bass in lakes and deep streams are less sub- 

 ject to "rules" than those of shallow streams. 



The favorite haunts of the small mouth bass are such 

 spots as above and below the riffles, in little eddies beside 

 rocks, under overhanging banks, and about the mouths of 

 the small streams, near driftwood, etc., and these are the 

 places to cast the bait. The minnow bait, also helgramites 

 and other baits of this kind, are allowed to sink about 

 halfway to the bottom, then drawn in or reeled in slowly. 

 It is not necessary to spend much time on any such place as 

 the bass, if he is there and inclined to bite, will do so at 

 once. When a fish takes the bait give him time to turn it 

 head about for swallowing, which he always does. Some- 

 times he starts off with it some distance before he tries to 

 eat the fish and if stopped gives a few little tugs at the bait. 

 If he does that, let him run a little farther when he will try 

 to eat the bait. When he pulls strongly it is time to hook 

 him. With other smaller baits he takes the entire bait in 

 his mouth at the first snap and you should hook him at 

 once. Crawfish and such bait are used mostly for still- 

 fishing. 



The same methods of fishing are used for both species. 

 The large mouths will be found mostly in quieter water, 

 near grass and lily pads, and sometimes lie in very shallow 

 water among the grass or rushes. 



What is fast becoming the most popular method of 



