Casting the Minnow. 403 



spot, it should be left for a longer or a shorter time, depend- 

 ing on the nature of the water fished, and upon the abund- 

 ance, scarcity, and mood of the bass. As the line slackens, 

 it should be slowly reeled until the entire line is retrieved. 

 Sometimes, when fish are plentiful and biting eagerly, it is 

 best to make frequent casts, reeling in rapidly after each 

 cast, especially in rather shallow water, so as to give a rapid 

 swimming motion to the bait. 



When the bass takes the bait, the angler should let him 

 have it from two to ten seconds, according to the mood of 

 the fish. If he bites eagerly and wickedly, the angler may 

 hook him at once; but if he seems shy, ofE his feed, and 

 inclined to toy with the bait, let him have it a few sec- 

 onds, and give him line as he takes it, keeping the thumb 

 upon the spool as a drag, however, so as to feel every mo- 

 tion of the fish. At the proper time the angler should 

 check him by a stronger pressure of the thumb, when, if 

 the bass pulls strongly and steadily, and seems inclined to 

 run away with the bait, he should be hooked at once by a 

 slight turning of the wrist, but not by a violent Jerk, or 

 by " yanking " the rod. 



If, however, upon cheeking the bass, he gives several 

 tugs or a succession of slight jerks, it is better to let him 

 run a few seconds longer, for he has the bait crosswise in 

 his mouth and does not feel the steel; finally, when he 

 pulls steadily, hook him as before described The bass 

 should never be given time to gorge, or swallow, the bait. 



From the time he first " bites " until he is in the land- 

 ing-net, he should never be given an iiich of slack line, 

 under any circumstances. The rod must be held by the 

 butt, with the thumb upon the reel, or, if the rod is held 

 in the left hand, the line must be held against the rod, 



