Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-03
Black Bass in Maine.
How True SPortsmen Angl~ for {
 Gamey Fish.

! How True Sportsmen Angle for the Gamey Fish.
 .. From the Portland Press
 The habits of the black bass are unlike ! those of any other Maine fish. Early in May ! they make their appearance 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 sau- | cer shaped depression in tAe sand or gravel on the bottom, from three to four feet in ! diameter, and in depth of water seldom ex- ceeding four feet. In these they deposit ' their spawn, so it is said. Almost any sunny | day the fish can be seen Hitting about these places. Scare them away and they will in- variably return. After the spawn are matched the mother accompanies the young fry for 8 while. keeping motherly eye on them until they are of age to shift for them selves; and never did mother guard her off, spring more carefully or tenderly Woe be- tide the offender who dares to advance within the home circle occupied by the little bass. If a strange fish, the mother starts for it with an angry dart. We once knew one of these parent bass to chase sun-fish, which had made itself too familiar, SO that it Jumped two feet clear of the water, the bass also ap- bearing above the surface. About the mid dle of June the bass retire to the neighbor- hood of the sunken boulders, rocky shoals, rapid currents and lodges. Here are their fayorite lurking places; here they delight to revel, playing hide and seek among the hooks and erapnies made by the rocks. The mud dy bottom and lily pads, of which pickerel are so fond, they despise and shun- In Sep tember 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 in shoal watef. The last of September they can only be found in deep water.
 Anybody can bait a hook attached A line with 8 worm and lower it into the water, but everybody can't hook four-pound bass and capture him in scientific manner. It re- quires nerve, skill and long experience. The
 man who could measure the distance of 8
 fixed star from the earth or produce paint
 ing might be bungler at bass fishing The
 fayorite method of fishing practiced by our
 local disciples of Izaak 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 resled out the fun com
 mences. A six foot leader is the best. From
 four to six flies should be attached, as they
 attract the attention of fish much quicker
 than less number. The most critical point
 is when the bass strikes and finds he is
 hooked Then the fish makes desperate
 spring out of the water. This peculiarity is
 something remarkable. Salmon and bluefish
 do so frequently, trout rarely and other fish
 seldom or never but 8 black bass of any
 size will invariably make one or more desper-
 ate leaps. It is glorious sight to see his
 full length above the water. AS he rises
 above the surface he shakes his head violent
 ly in an effort to dislodge the hook. In fal-
 ling back he has another trick of falling upon
 the line, by which manouvrs he often
 deeds In tearing out the hook if the line is
 taut. When he attempts this the line should
 be slackened by lowering the tip of therod as
 the bass falls back, but instantly resuming its
 tension by again raising the top when the fish
 reaches the water. AS the fish darts hither
 and yon he is steadily reeled in, the line being
 kept constantly taut, and the pole well up,
 thus maintaining springing arch. If the fish
 is large one it will require some time to reel
 him in, as he must be worried until tired out.
 The bass resists and struggles until the last
 gasp and does not sulk at the bottom like
 the salmon when he finds his efforts to es-
 cape foiled. When the fish has been led to
 within few feet of the boat the landing net
 is put under him and thus he is secured.
 Like nearly all other fish, bass take the fly
 best just at night or early in the morning.