140 FAMILIAR, FISH, THEIE HABITS AND CAPTURE 



Live bait is required, including minnows, soft-shell 

 crabs, dobsons, angle worms, and crickets ; the first 

 two being usually the best, though there are times 

 when some one of the others only will be taken. 

 Unless one desires to cast a small spinner, either with 

 or without a minnow attached, or a minnow fastened 

 to a plain hook, he will always get more sport by 

 using a 6- or 7-ounce fly rod for bait fishing as stated. 

 For spinner or minnow casting an 8- or 10-ounce rod 

 is required, the latter being the best. In bait fishing, 



Spinner with Minnow. 



Nos. 2, 3, or 4 eproat or Kirby snelled hooks are the 

 proper ones to use, and, if the line is to drift down 

 across the bar, only sufficient weight of sinker should 

 be attachecj to keep the bait under water, but not 

 deep down. A fly rod used for this fishing makes 

 the sport as keen as though a fly were used. It is 

 catching a hard-fighting heavy fish on a light rod, but 

 should not be attempted until one is thoroughly pro- 

 ficient in handling such a rod. 



In fishing with bait, either liy ha\'ing it drift with 

 the current in a river, or in deep water in a lake, 

 ample time should be allowed the fish when it first 

 bites before striking it. This is os|ie{'ially true in 



