POND-CULTUEE OF BLACK BASS 19. 



can safely do so. If lie captures them wMlei 

 the water is yet warm he is likely to lose many 

 of his best specimens through fungus. Be- 

 sides that, he does not want to begin taking 

 care of a lot of fish and providing food for 

 them untU he has to do so. If the fish are in- 

 troduced in the fall, as it is impossible at that 

 time to distinguish sex, it is better to have 

 more than needed. The trouble and cost of 

 caring for any surplus during the winter is 

 trifling. When spring arrives, and the fish 

 develop to the point where the sex can be 

 determined, sorting must begin and continue 

 xmtil the requisite number of males and females 

 is secured. 



Feeding 'Mature Bass. — ^For a day or two 

 after wild mature bass have been placed ia 

 a breeding-pond it is not worth while to at- 

 tempt to feed them. It is better to allow them 

 a little time to grow accustomed to their new 

 quarters, and also to become quite hungry. 

 One of the difficult tasks to accomplish is to 

 induce small-mouthed bass to take other than 

 live food, especially when there are no domes- 

 ticated fish already in the pond; if bass are 



