172 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



fish, buy the kind described, otherwise, use what you have 

 be content with it and enjoy your fishing, for you will not 

 enjoy it much if you are continually thinking of some other 

 person's fine tackle, and the common outfit that you have to 

 use. 



For bait fishing you may use the fly outfit described, and 

 snelled hooks of size 6, 8 or 10. For the crappie you can use 

 a No. 4 or No. 5 hook. Snelled Carlisle hooks are about the 

 best in my opinion, and a split shot sinker should be placed 

 on the leader, or on the line if you do not use a leader. Or 

 you may use the lightest bait rod, with a small reel, either 

 single action or multiplier, an undressed or an oiled silk line 

 of small size, or the lightest twisted linen line. I would 

 prefer a very small silk line, like the Kingfisher Special 

 Trout line, oiled or enameled. Or you can use a native cane 

 rod and no reel, but the same line, hooks and sinker. You 

 will get the most sport from using the lightest tackle, and I 

 think you will get more fish also, but you should not use an 

 outfit that is too weak to hold a large fish of some other 

 kind, such as a black bass for instance, for you can never be 

 sure what you will catch. The little silk line mentioned is 

 no thicker than a coarse button thread, but will stand a 

 strain of ten pounds, and that is strong enough for almost 

 any ordinary fresh water fish if it is handled in the right 

 way. 



The larger sunfish, such as rock bass and crappies, may 

 be taken on a live minnow bait ; the very small minnows with 

 a stripe on the side, those about two inches long, are the ones 

 to use. Hook them lightly just under the dorsal fin. Cast 

 the bait and let it sink well down, then reel in very slowly. 

 After all there is nothing better than the common angle- 

 worm. Use the smaller ones and bait the hook so that the 

 worm can wiggle. Soft-shelled crawfish, or the peeled tail 

 of a hard shelled one also makes good bait. A single gut 

 leader should always be used, and a split buckshot for a 



