342 Book of the Black Bass. 



I think the large-mouth bass has the advantage. In a 

 letter from Count Von dem Borne, of Germany (who was 

 very successful in introducing and propagating the black 

 bass in that country), he wrote me that the large-mouth 

 black bass rose better to the artificial fly than the small- 

 mouth bass. My own experience rather favors this view, 

 and it has likewise been brought to my notice by anglers 

 in various parts of the country. 



The current but erroneous opinion that the small-mouth 

 bass exceeds the large-mouth bass in game qualities, has 

 been very widespread, and has been much enhanced by the 

 indorsement of several of our best ichthyologists, who un- 

 fortunately, however, are not, and do not pretend to be, 

 anglers, but who imbibed this opinion second-hand from 

 prejudiced anglers who ought to have known better. But 

 as the black bass is becoming better known, and fly-fishing 

 for the species is being more commonly practiced, this un- 

 fair and unmerited comparison is fast dying out. 



Fish inhabiting swiftly-running streams are always more 

 vigorous and gamy than those in still waters, and it is 

 probable that where the large-mouth bass exists alone in 

 very shallow and sluggish waters, of high temperature and 

 thickly grown with algae, it will exhibit less combative 

 qualities, consequent on the enervating influences of its 

 environment; but where both species inhabit the same 

 waters, and are subject to the same conditions, I am con- 

 vinced that no angler can tell whether he has hooked a 

 large-mouth or a small-mouth bass, from their resistance 

 and mode of fighting, provided they are of equal weight, 

 until he has the ocular evidence. 



I use the expression " equal weight " advisedly, for most 

 anglers must have remarked that the largest bass of either 

 species are not necessarily the hardest fighters; on the 



