Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-28
Bass-Fishing in the Delaware.
Fine Sport and Large Fish-The Resort of Many Anglers.
 From the N r. Times

Fine Sport and Large Fish-The Resort of Many Anglers.
 From the N. Y. Timesl
 MILFORD, Penn, June 24.-Previous to 1875 there were no black bass in the Dela-
 ware river, but during that year several thou
 sand young bass were deposited therein, at various places between the Delaware Water Gap, Penn, and Trenton, N. J., by the Fish Commissioners of Pennsylvania and New Jer- sey. Bass grow very rapidly, and in the summer of 1877, two years after the deposit was made, the river was literally alive with them, and they were caught in great numbers. The season for catching bass opens June l, and closes December 31. The law prohibits the taking of bass less than six inches in length, under penalty of $10 for each fish taken. Notwithstanding this, there are those who defy the law, and fish weeks before the season opens. Although the past two sea- sons have been very successful, it is believed that the present season will be far more suc- cessful and the fish much larger One of the largest bass ever taken from the Delaware
 was caught in 1877 at this place by Henry Barnes the proprietor of summer boarding house. Mir. Barnes, although past 80 years of age, took an old-fashioned rod and line
 and box of worms one morning, and walk
 ing to the Pennsylvania shore of the river,
 seated himself on log just at the water's
 edge The old gentleman baited his hook
 and whipped his line far out into the stream
 The hook had barely reached the water when
 ahugh bass gave leap and swallowed it. Mr.
 Barnes was not accustomed to using a reel,
 consequently he could not give the fish he
 had hooked any surplus line. The bass first
 darted toward the shore, then suddenly
 changed it's course, going toward the channel.
 When it had taken up all the slack line, it
 leaped several inches out of the water, and
 came near pulling the pole out of the aged
 anglers hands, But the old gentleman held
 on, and finally, after long and desperate
 cfr 1Ta1 Ina xrbi oh had
 over five pounds So elated was MT. Barnes
 that he ceased fishing at once, and, returning
 to the village, exhibited the big fish with
 great pride.
 During the month of June, for some cause,
 bass do not bite very readily, and it is rather
 tedious to fish for them. But during the lat
 ter part of July, and through the entire
 month of August, they take any kind Of bait
 eagerly Many noted New York anglers who have trolled for this gamy fish on the Della ware for the past two years are expected to be here during July and August this year.
 Many we'll trout fishermen say that for real genuine sport they prefer catching bass to taking trout It is certainly less per picking, for, being in boats far from the shores, there is no danger of the fsherman's lines becoming entangled among the trees and underbrush, as is the case when fishing the celebrated trout streams of Pike County. The best fishing grounds are at Delaware Water Gap, Bushkil, Dingman's Ferry, Mil ford, For Jarvis, Pond Eddy, Shohola, and Lackawaxen. Other than at these places lit- tie bass-fshing is done. Lackawaxen is as far as bass can get up the river, owing to a hugh dam built by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, and used feeder to the canal. While there are not near so many bass taken at Lackawaxen as at other points down the river, they are of larger size. During the season when bass take the bait readily it is an amusing sight to sit upon the high bluffs overlooking the river and take glance up and down the stream. Scores of fishing boats, containing from two to five persons, dot the placid waters for miles, and at almost every raise of the ishing-rod large wrie- gling bass is seen. The best time for catching bass is early in the morning or late in the evening, for at these hours the fish are hun gry and bite more readily. It is, too, far more comfortable fishing at these hours of the day. Various kinds of bait are used Some anglers use nothing but the common angle-worm others prefer crickets or fresh water crabs, while expert fishermen, as a rule, use the black clippers found along the water's edge generally under stones But it matters but little what kinds of bait are used; parties seldom leave the river without 8 fine basket of bass. One reason why bass fishing is indulged in so largely is because they can be taken free of charge, and the Metropolitan anglers are not received with a snarI and growl as is the case when they ask to fish the trout streams of Pike County.