44 Bass, Pike, and Percb 



and efficient Fish Commission, Mr. H. D. Dous- 

 man being one of the commissioners. Colonel 

 Shears also experimented with black-bass culture, 

 and between us we reared many thousands to 

 the age of three months, before turning them 

 out. Near my pond was a shallow, marshy cove 

 to which the pike resorted in early spring to 

 spawn, giving me an opportunity to study their 

 breeding habits, also. There being so many lakes 

 and ponds in the vicinity, and their being so well 

 supplied with fishes of various kinds, my oppor- 

 tunities for the observation of fish life were as 

 great as fortunate. 



The differences of opinion among anglers, of 

 all men, pertaining to the practice of their art, has 

 become axiomatic. Some will differ even to the 

 estimation of a hair in the legs of an artificial fly, 

 while it is averred others will go so far as to 

 "divide a hair 'twixt south and southwest side," 

 as Butler has it. But, seriously, there are several 

 moot points which I have endeavored to discuss 

 in the following piscatorial polemic. 



Two friends went fishing. Both were famous 

 black-bass anglers, with the enthusiasm born of a 

 genuine love and an inherent appreciation of the 

 gentle art so common among Kentucky gentle- 



