326 Book of the Black Bass. 



sops). As I took only black bass from the surface, they 

 caught nothing but white bass at the bottom. They could 

 not understand it, and I did not enlighten them, for I had 

 no desire to see my pet fish "yanked out" by tamarack 

 poles and tow strings. I left them, shortly, in the glory 

 of "snaking out" — as they called it — the unfortunate 

 white bass, wondering, meanwhile, why they could not 

 catch black bass like " that other fellow." 



But do we really know any of the conditions favorable 

 or unfavorable for angling? We are told that fish will 

 not bite when the water is rendered high and turbid by 

 freshets; during a thunder-storm, with heavy rain; on 

 dark, cold days, with a blustering east wind; and on 

 bright, still and hot days, when the water lies unruffled, 

 Hke a burnished mirror. If this be so, it is extremely 

 fortunate, and we can apply the rule of exclusion here, 

 and at once dismiss all such occasions from further con- 

 sideration; for I take it for granted that the reader has 

 no desire to " go-a-fishing " at such times. 



Fortunately, again, the season for angling is during 

 pleasant weather, in spring, summer and autumn; and I 

 have always observed that the pleasantest days for the an- 

 gler's comfort, were usually the most propitious and suc- 

 cessful days for angling. 



It matters little, for bait-fishing, whether the day be 

 bright or cloudy, or whether the wind is in the east, west, 

 north, or south, so long as it is a pleasant wind, and is 

 not too raw and chiUy. I have had "good luck" with 

 the wind in either quarter, and from a gentle breeze to 

 half a gale; on days that were hot, bright, and cloudless, 

 as well as on those that were cloudy and rather cool. 



To be sure, it makes some difference as to the character 

 of the waters; the pleasantest days are best for small 



