276 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



mackerel flavor, but one peculiarly its own for 

 richness and sapidity of savor. It is a game-fish 

 of high degree, and worthy of the angler's high- 

 est regard. Its manner of fighting, when hooked, 

 is mostly on the surface of the water, darting 

 here and there with dazzling rapidity, in straight 

 and curving lines, leaping into air, and bounding 

 over the water with a velocity and nimbleness 

 that is diflficult to follow with the eye in the 

 bright sunlight. 



In northern waters it is usually taken by troll- 

 ing with a small mother-of-pearl squid, or one of 

 block tin, using a long hand-line, as the fish is 

 rather shy and difficult to approach with a boat. 

 In Florida, however, great sport can be had with 

 a light rod, both in fly-fishing and bait-fishing, 

 from the sand-spits at the entrance to deep inlets, 

 and from the long piers and wharves that extend 

 to deep water. The angling is done in March 

 and April, when the fish are running into the bays 

 in great schools on the flood tide, often in com- 

 pany with the salt-water trout. 



A black-bass or trout fly-rod of seven or eight 

 ounces is very suitable for fly-fishing, with a click 

 reel and a braided linen line of pretty large size, 

 say D or E, in order to give weight enough for 



