304 AMERICAN FISHES. 



his prey is fastened. The oarsman rests on his oars, to give the 

 angler full command of his line. The noble fish, after one or two 

 runs to right and left, suddenly rises and makes his splendid leap, and 

 plunging, again seeks the bottom, again rises, and then tries his last 

 experiment of dashing right towards the boat. He struggles long and 

 vigorously, but his strength is at last exhausted, and you trail your un- 

 resisting captive to the landing net. I have taken them of various 

 weights, the largest weighing five pounds nine ounces : this was done 

 last summer, 1844, in Lake George. 1 believe they are sometimes 

 taken much higher in the St. Lawrence river, and upper lakes ; but 

 my acquaintance with them is limited to the beautiful lake just ment- 

 ioned. 



' At Sherrill's capital hotel at Caldwell, every facility for enjoying 

 this delightful sport can be had, though the best fishing grounds are 

 down the lake. 



' An excellent house is kept by Mr. Garfield, twenty-two miles 

 down the lake, where the best fishing stations for the Salmon Trout 

 are situated. There is a good deal of fine ground for the Bass in the 

 neighborhood. 



' About ten miles from Caldwell, there is a place called the Narrows, 

 where there are numerous small islands, with shelving rocky shores, 

 and fine trolling ground. 



' Anglers will find good plain accommodation at a house kept by 

 Mr. Lyman, who'is very kind and attentive to his guests, and furnishes 

 baits, guides, &c. 



' In trolling for the Black Bass in Lake George, you will fre- 

 quently strike those of one-half to three-fourths pound weight, even 

 with the very large fly which I have described. There is so great a 

 difference, both in shape and color, between the fish of this size and 

 those of two or more pounds weight, that a stranger would never take 

 them to be of the same species. These small fish are very similar in 

 shape to the Blue-Fish of the salt-water, while those of the larger size 

 spread in width as they increase in size, so that a fish of two and a 

 half to three pounds, is of a shape between a Black-Fish, or Tautog, 

 and the famous Sheep's-Head. ■ In color they differ also greatly ; the 

 small Bass being of a light dull greenish color, while the larger grow 

 darker as they increase in size, the largest being nearly black on the 



