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show with a grass line, while a good one will often have 

 his patience tried with a line of flax. 



These costly and delicate implements are only needed 

 for the higher kinds of bass fishing and for the largest 

 sized fish. For smaller fish and smaller sport, lighter 

 tackle will answer, but when the fish has the entire At- 

 lantic ocean to escape into, and the angler expects, prays 

 and hopes for a victim to his skill of fifty pounds weight 

 it is unwise lo use any but the best and strongest tackle. 

 In the innumerable salt water crieeks, coves and bays 

 where fish of Irom three to five pounds are taken, a plain 

 rod with a fioat and sinker and double snell of hooks on 

 gut leaders is all that is necessary. More will be said 

 on this subject hereafter. 



The grandest and most skilful method of taking the 

 striped beauties of the northern coasts, is with the men- 

 haden bait, cast into the boiling surf of the ocean, or the 

 larger bays, and this sport is universally enjoyed along 

 the rock bound coast of New England, from New Lon- 

 don to Eastport. This entire beach is one mass of rock 

 indented by innumerable bays or severed by inlets into 

 barren islands, where the tide rushes and the surf bieats, 

 and in every favorable locality are the bass taken with a 

 stout rod, a long line and menhaden bait. From almost 

 every bold rock, or prominent island can the angler cast 

 into the vexed water of some current made by the waves 

 rushing over the uneven bottom, and allure thence the 

 bass, who has been attracted from the ocean depths to 

 feed on the small fry that hide in the clefts and crevices, 

 and waiting with fins often visible above the tide to 

 pounce upon his prey, mistakes for it the angler's bait, 

 and after a brave struggle surrenders to human ingenuity. 

 Fishermen of long practice and great skill claim that 

 they can cast the ordinary menhaden bait one hundred 



