AUGUST. 



During this month — and in man\^ localities even during July — the 

 waters of inland lakes, particularly through the pine land and \vooded sec- 

 tions of country, are "in bloom," as it is technically called, the surface 

 being covered with aquatic seeds and vegetation. In such localities, dur- 

 ing this period, the bass, pickerel and mascalonge fishing is poor. More- 

 over, the angler receives so many bites, even when the fish are not to be 

 found, that August is not a popular month in the calendar, except for sea 

 fishing in the East. 



SEPTEMBER. 



Blithe September is a better month for sea-fishing than for angling in 

 fresh waters — the season for brook-trout fishing having closed, in most 

 states, with the end of August. For striped bass fishing off the New Jer- 

 sey and Connecticut coast, September is a favorable period, and the blue- 

 fish, sheepshead, weakfish, etc., also bite well at this time. 



OCTOBER. 



The month of October is more favorable for the gun than for the rod 

 in the Northern states, though persistent anglers making their annual fare- 

 w^ell casts, either in the ocean surf or the lakes and streams, occasionally 

 make fair catches. The banging of the breech-loader, however, takes the 

 place of the humming of the reel to a great extent. 



NOVEMBER. 



With the beginning of November the better varieties of game fish in 

 the sea having departed southward for their winter sojourn, and the mas- 

 calonge, pike, pickerel and perch, — the only fresh water varieties avail- 

 able — feed principally in deep water, "on their own hook," instead of 

 taking other hooks, no matter how temptingly offered. 



DECEMBER. 



For all practical purposes December is a " closed time " for fishing in 

 the Northern, Eastern and Wiestern states. The inland waters are usually 

 closed by ice, and even when open the well-stocked lake or stream 

 would, at this period, prove to be a veritable " slough of despond " for 

 scientific angling. An}- wise Horace of the present time would vary the 

 familiar advice given by the late sage of the 1 ribune^ and say to the 

 December angling enthusiast : " Go South, young man, go South ! " 



