and the Maritime Provinces. 231 



their breeding and feeding-grounds. They are not seen about the reefs 

 again until after several cold, northeast storms in autumn, when they again 

 congregate about the reefs before going into them for their winter rest. 

 This is usually in October or the latter part of September, and when the 

 temperature of the water falls below fifty degrees the bass suddenly disap- 

 pear into their winter quarters. This is a fact not generally known, the 

 popular belief being that the bass frequent the reefs in May and Septem- 

 ber to feed and spawn. But this view is erroneous, as the bass do not 

 spawn in Lake Erie before June or July, a month or more after leaving the 

 reefs. They, moreover, spawn but once a year, and their breeding-grounds 

 are on the gravelly shoals in the shallow water of the bays or tributaries. 

 Then, again, there is no food for the bass about the reefs, crawfish and 

 minnows being found only in the shallower waters. 



The bass fishing about the reefs of Pelee and the other islands lasts 

 from about a week to three weeks, both in spring and fall, though it is 

 usually of longer duration in autumn than in spring. It ceases suddenly 

 with the occurrence of a " hot spell " in May, and of a " freeze " in Octo- 

 ber ; but while it lasts the bass bite freely, and in the spring, ravenously. 

 This explanation of the peculiar features of the black-bass fishing about 

 Pelee and the other islands was reached by me after investigating the matter 

 for several consecutive summers, while fishing and yachting in those waters, 

 and I am fully satisfied that the theory is a correct one. 



On Pelee island, ten miles from Put-in-Bay, in Canadian waters, is 

 located the club-house of a number of black-bass anglers of the United 

 States, and of which my old fishing friend, Volney Turner of Chicago, was 

 its president for several years. A number of other old fishing friends were 

 likewise members, among them the late General Phil. Sheridan, and Gen- 

 eral Anson Stager. The club represents more wealth, perhaps, than any 

 similar organization in the world. The house is quite spacious and com- 

 fortable, and the grounds and surroundings are very pleasant and beauti- 

 ful, while the fishing in spring and fall is unexcelled. 



The reef fishing of Lake Erie presents, as stated, some unique and 

 peculiar features. As the bass lie close to the reefs in from ten to twenty 

 feet of water, it is important to get the bait (minnows) down to the rocks, 

 and to keep it there, and for this purpose heavy sinkers are used, in a man- 

 ner somewhat similar to that practised in the tide-ways of the coast in salt- 

 water fishing. This necessitates the employment of a stiffer rod than is 

 generally used in black-bass fishing, and as may be premised, there is no 

 fly-fishing whatever. Some Lake Erie anglers attach one or two artificial 

 flies to their line, above the baited hook, and after a bass has taken the 

 minnow and rushes about dragging the flies rapidly through the water, they 

 are often seized by other bass, but this is not fly-fishing. 



A few years ago I devised a rod for this peculiar fishing, being a mod- 



