The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-08-03
Black Bass in Name,
now TRUE sroRTsMEN ANGLE FOR TUE
.I .HH GAMEY FISH.



From the Portland Press
The habits of the black bass are un
like those Of any other Maine fish.
Early in May they make their appear
ancc from deep water, and are found in
the shallow water bordering the shores
of the lakes they occupy. These are
their spawning grounds Here they,
in some unexplained manner, scoop out
a saucershaped depression in the sand
or gravel on the bottom, from three to
four feet in diameter, aud in depth of
water seldom exceeding four feet. In
these they deposit their spawn, so it is
said. Almost any sunny day the fish
can be seen fitting about these places
Scare them away and they will ineyita-
bly, return After the spawn are hatch
ed the mother accompanies the young
fry for while, keeping a motherly eye
on them until they are of age to shift
for themselves; and never did mother
guard her offspring more carefully or
tenderly. Woe betide the offender who
dares to advance within the home circle
occupied by the little bass. Ii strange
fish, the mother starts for it with an
angry dart. We once knew one of
these parent bass to chase u sun-fish,
which had made itself too familiar, so
that it jumped two feet clear of the
water, Tie bass also appearing above
the surface. About the middle Of June
the bass retire to the neighborhood of
sunken boulders, rocky shoals, rapid
currents and lodges. Here are their
favorite lurking places here they de-
light to revel, playing hide and seek
among the hooks and crannies made by
the rocks. The muddy bottom and hly-
pads, of which pickerel are so fond,
they despise and shun. In September
they congregate together in large
schools and prepare to retire to deep
water; and large number of them
have been seen in Lake Cobbosseeconte
In that month, lying side by side in
shoal water The last CT September
they can only be found in deep water.
Anybody can bait hook attached to
a line with worm and lower it into
the water, but everybody cant hook a
four-pound bass and capture him in a
scientific manner. 1t requires nerve,
skill and long experience. The man
who could measure the distance of a
fixed star from the earth or produce a
painting might be burglar at bass
fishing. The favorite method of fishing
practiced by our local disciples of Isaak
Walton is trolling. A boat with man
to propel it is secured: the fisherman
seats himself in the stern, the man in
, the front part of the boat The flies
being adjusted and the line reeled out,
the fun commences A six foot leader
is the best. From four to six flies should
be attached as they attract the attention
of the fish much quicker than a less
number. The most critical point is
when the bass strikes and finds he is
hooked Then the fish makes a
desperate spring out of the water.
This peculiraity is something remarka-
BILE. Salmon and blue fish do so fire.
qdently, trout rarely, and other fish
seldom or never but black bass OF
any size will invariably make one OF
more desperate leaps. 1t is glorious
sight to see his full length in the water,
as he rises above the surface he shake.
his head violently in an effort to dis
lodge the hook. In falling he has
another trick of upon the line by which
manpuvre he often succeeds in getting
out the hook if the line is taut When
he attemps this the line should be slack.
ened by lowering the tie of the rod al
the bass falls back but instantly resum
ing It's tension by again raising the toy
when the fish reaches the water A
the fish darts hither and yon he i
steadily reeled in, the line being KEEP
constantly taut, and the pole well up
thus maintaining a springing arch. !
| the fish is large one he will require som
| time to reel him in, as he must be wol
ried until tired out The bass resist
and struggles until the last gasp, an
| does not sulk at the bottom like tn
salmon when he finds his efforts T.
escape foiled. When the fish has bee,
| led to within few feet of the boat tn
landing net is put under him and thu
| he is secured Like nearly all othe
| fish, bass take the fly best Just at nigh
or early in the morning,