American Fisheries Society. 127 

Canada—and in competition with the incomparable trout of the 
aU. cor 
Nepigon. 
It is easy to understand why one should fall into the error of 
disparaging the Large Mouth Bass. Half the good of a health 
resort comes of the attention to hygienic rules, as easily practiced, 
but so often neglected at home. Half the pleasure of the sum- 
mer’s fishing trip 1s the change and effort. 
We value most what costs the most and are prone to disparage 
the cheap no matter how good. 
The Large Mouth Bass can be raised in anybody’s back yard, 
and is the best fly taker of any fish that swims—yet nine out of 
ten anglers at the Capital will assure you that there is no pleas- 
ure in taking it, that one Small Mouth will give you more fun 
than a dozen chub 

as they will persist in calling the Big Mouth 
in Virginia. Strange to say these bass are learning new habits 
in their new home, and instead of a fixed habitation as we have 
them in the Western lakes and rivers, the Large Mouth Bass of 
the Lower Potomac follow the lead of the anadromous fish, and 
run up the creeks in the spring, maybe for shallow grayelbeds 
to spawn, and wherever shad or herring are caught or dipped 
there too they take the bass. As soon as a chill strikes the water 
in the Fall they make another run from the river, and every 
small creek becomes literally alive with them—if they are not 
headed off with nets—just for what purpose this up-stream 
autumn pilgrimage is made is not apparent. It was thought, to 
seek the shallows to hibernate, until catching bass the year 
round rather exploded that theory—or that nearer the springs 

they found warmer water; at any rate, up they go—and when 
word comes to town in late September that the fish are “running 
up” the anglers who never go “down” at any other time, start 
out. ‘The water is chilled, the fish are sluggish, and deserve 
anything harsh that may be said of them—so the language is 
milder than that applied to the men who ought to know better. 
The Little Mouth is no better when his element is chilled, 
and big catches of these are made late in the season in the Upper 
River when the bait moves off as if it was asleep and the fish 
comes up as if it was dead. 
The fish is a cold blooded animal, and he only gets to be 
“hot stuff” when his element is warmest. 
