The Simfisb Family 'j'j 



taken by black-bass fishers when casting the 

 minnow or trolling, much to their disgust. Of 

 course it is always the unexpected that happens, 

 in fishing as in other affairs of life, and the angler 

 who was casting a fine minnow for a black-bass, 

 viewed with disdain if not anger the unlucky 

 "pickerel," rock-bass, perch, or calico bass that 

 appropriated — or, as the English angler has it, 

 "hypothecated" — the said choice shiner. 



I was once fishing with General Phil Sheridan 

 and General Anson Stager for black-bass on a 

 lake near Oconomowoc. When the great teleg- 

 rapher, after a beautiful cast near a bed of 

 rushes, hooked a calico-bass, and was anathe- 

 matizing the " measly silver-bass " with all the 

 dots and dashes of the Morse alphabet, Sheridan 

 quietly remarked, " Oh, let up. Stager, it is one 

 of the fortunes of war; better luck next time!" 

 Stager smiled, gently unhooked the offending 

 fish, and returned it to the water, saying, " Good- 

 by, croppie, my regards to the rest of the family ; 

 but don't monkey with my minnow again." 



When cruising on the St. Johns, or camping 

 on some of the fresh-water lakes of Florida, I 

 have greatly enjoyed both the fishing with light 

 tackle and the eating of this fine pan-fish. It is 



