368 Bass, Pike, and Percb 



is found. It grows to a length of two or three 

 feet, and a weight of twenty or thirty pounds. It 

 is a fair food-fish, though not held in much favor 

 in Florida where so many better food-fishes are 

 common. It is better flavored if skinned instead 

 of scaled. 



It is a strong, active game-fish, that, when 

 hooked, starts off with a rush that is dangerous 

 to light tackle, and its subsequent manoeuvres 

 require very careful handling when it is of a 

 large size. It has smashed many light rods in 

 the hands of anglers who were not aware of its 

 pugnacity. It will take any kind of natural bait, 

 and rises well to the artificial fly. 



A rather heavy black-bass rod or a light 

 striped-bass rod is required for the large fish of 

 the bays and estuaries, though ordinary black- 

 bass tackle will answer for those of less weight 

 at the mouths of streams, or in fresh water, to 

 which it often resorts. A good multiplying reel 

 and fifty yards of braided linen line are sufficient, 

 though one hundred yards will not be amiss, as 

 large fishes of other species are very apt to be 

 hooked in Florida waters. Sproat or O'Shaugh- 

 nessy hooks, Nos. i-o to 3-0, on heavy gut 

 snells are required, with a brass box-swivel to 



