390 Book of the Black Bass. 



ing the past twenty years, I have seen it employed in the 

 waters tributary to the Eed Eiver of the Xori;h, in the 

 Xorthem Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin, in nearly 

 all the Provinces of Canada, and in Florida, and in many 

 waters between. I have also seen it in numerous instances 

 made to apply as well to estuary or coast fishing. 



While minnow casting for black bass is the most popu- 

 lar method in vogue in the middle west, it is very gratify- 

 ing to me to see the favor with which it has been received 

 in the eastern states, and the remarkable progress that has 

 been made in that best of all modes of bait-fishing; for it 

 must be remembered that black bass fishing north of the 

 Potomac and east of the Alleghany Mountains is of com- 

 paratively recent origin, as it has not been many j'ears 

 since the black bass was introduced into eastern waters. 



As a member of the Committee of Arrangements of the 

 tournaments of the National Eod and Eeel Association, I 

 succeeded in having a special contest for "casting the 

 minnow for black bass '" admitted in the program of 

 events at the tournament of ISS-i, when the longest' cast, 

 with a half-ounce sinker, was made by Professor Alfred M. 

 Mayer, the same being 97 feet. 



At the subsequent tournaments the casting continually 

 unproved, until at the one, held in May, 1888, there were 

 three gentlemen who east upward of fifty yards; and out 

 of five casts made by Mr. A. P. Dresel, the successful 

 competitor, three of them went beyond fifty yards, and one 

 reached the extraordinary distance of 168 feet, i inches. 

 The weight of sinker cast was one-half ounce. The rods 

 used were about eight and a quarter feet long, and about 

 nine ounces in weight. 



Mr. P. B. Davidson, of Chicago, however, holds the re- 

 cord for the longest casts with a half-ounce sinker. He 



