36 



THE SMALL-MOUTHED BASS 



Young Dog-fish 



the live minnow or the small green frog, the former of which 

 constitutes, in the life of the bass, its true diet, the. latter 

 being properly a luxury or bait. 



Either of these, used in conjunction with a small hook, 



an inch or an inch and a half in 

 length, will generally be found 

 effective. 



Any of the more attractive min- 

 nows may be used, but the delicate 

 silver shiner or the young of the herring are to be preferred . 

 The young of the dog-fish are excellent bait and possess 

 the advantage of being tough and hardy. They will live 

 for hours, even in comparatively warm water, and may be 

 kept in an ordinary wooden pail for days, if the water be" 

 renewed occasionally; they are, however, difficult to procure, 

 except in the early part of the summer, when they may be 

 seen in shallow bays, with mud bottom, wandering about in 

 shoals of two or three hundred. 



The river chub or creek chub may be substituted for the 

 shiner, being more durable, and not so much affected by 

 hot weather. 



At times, even a small pickerel or perch may be used to 

 advantage; but they should not be more than two or three 

 inches in length, the smaller the better. 



In the fall of the year, when the water begins to get cool, 

 and shiners and other 

 delicate minnows are 

 scarce, the small perch 

 furnishes an excellent bait 

 for bass, as it is very ten- 

 acious of life, and attrac- pi^gr chub 

 tive in appearance, especi- 

 ally if taken from clean water. But there is one objection to 

 using perch in the autumn, namely, the attraction which it 

 offers to pike. 



