Hanirs or tre Brack Bass. 283 
the end of the lateral line at the joining of the tail, and has 
no red in the eye. Its flaky meat is soft and watery, and its 
common weight is from five to ten pounds. 
Like the black bass, this fish is taken by casting the arti 
ficial fly, or by trolling with the feathered spoon, with a min- 
now impaled on a gang of hooks, and forming spinning tackle. 
This fish inhabits most of the lakes in the interior of the 
State of New York, and the waters of Ohio, Kentucky, and 
‘+The lakes which are tributary to the Seneca River are not all supplied 
alike with fish. The waters are very different. The Cayuga Lake from Au- 
rora to the head is very similar to the Seneca Lake, and is stocked with the 
following varieties, to wit: Lake trout, white fish, herring-silmon, pike and 
pike-perch, black and rock bass, perch, suckers, eels, ete., ete. ; while the low- 
er end of the lake, very shoal and weedy, terminating in a marsh, is supplied 
with large catfish, small ditto, maskinongeé, rock bass, pickerei, Oswego hass, 
black bass, pike-perch, perch, ete., ete. 
“The Oneida Lake abounds in all the above-named varieties excepting 
the trout, whitefish, and herring-salmon. 
“¢The Skaneateles and Owasco Lakes have very few, but excellent varie- 
ties, to wit: Lake trout, brook trout, yellow perch, and suckers. The water 
cold and spring-like. 
“The Seneca and Canandaigua Lakes are supplied with lake trout, white- 
fish, herring-salmon, pike-pereh, black and rock bass, yellow perch, catfish, 
and eels. 
‘**The Crooked Lake has fewer varieties. We find the lake trout, white- 
fish, yellow perch, pickerel, catfish, and eels. About forty years since this 
lake was stocked with pickerel from the head-waters of the Susquehanna, and 
they are now very abundant. 
‘Our finest sport consists in trolling with the fly and minnow, the latter 
being preferred. In the Seneca River, at Oswego, the fly is preferred. Great 
numbers are taken throughout the season. Many sportsmen throw three or 
four flies, and often take as many bass. The manner in which this is done 
is to hook one fish, and, while giving him the necessary play, others take the 
extra flies. 
“<A word in regard to our method of taking the lake trout and pike-perch 
may interest your readers. We use one hundred and fifty yards of cod-line, 
with from six to ten leads—the first attached to the line about fifty fect above 
the hook, the others at intervals of from eight to twelve feet—weighing in 
the aggregate twelve to twenty ounces, regulated to suit the depth of water. 
Pike-perch are taken at twenty to forty feet deep; lake trout at sixty to one 
hundred feet deep—always at the bottom, rowing moderately. We use the 
silver spoon or spin the herring. In the Canandaigua Lake the minnow is 
considered the best bait. In the Seneca and Crooked Lakes the spoon is the 
most successful.” 
