Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-05-28
BLACK BASS.

IA paper by Herbert +. Norris in the Report Of the
New Hampshire Fish aud Game COmpissioners for
1888.
This game fish, micr0pterus salmOides, or,
as classed by Dr. Henshall, micrOpterus d0l0-
mieu, the small outhed bass, now 30 well
known to every fisherman in central and
southern New Hampshire, was q stranger to
our waters but few years ago, and is to US
the substantial result Of the labors Of the fish
commission and that board of gentlemen
will pardon me II say that their introduc-
tion is the only practical result In which the
fisherman has shared the benefit. To be
sure, we have had IL demonstrated TO us that
the salmon will ascend our rivers through the
several winding hshways, and, being relieved
of their spawn, return again to the sea- but
he would be an erratic fisherman who would
whip our streams in the almost forlorn hope
OF capturing q specimen OF this excellent Ash,
while in nearly all Of our streams and lakes
he may well expect to meet With success in
bass fishing.
Bass were first introduced by the fish com
missioners to our waters from Lake Champlain
in 1868, Lakes Massabesic, Sunapee, Pena
cook and Echo, and Enfield, Wilson's and Co
checo ponds being well stocked. In 1870 and
1871, waters in Meredith, Canaan, Webster,
Canterbury, Harrisvile, Munsonville, Hills
borough, Warner. Sutton, New London, An
dover, LoudoD, Croydon and Concord we're
supplied. Previous to that time learn that
they had been placed by private enterprise in
ponds near Marlborough as early an 1864 or
1860, and at about the same time in Milton
Three ponds in Milton. Since 1871 about 80
waters have been stocked by the commission.
ers, including Black and Contoocook rivers,
until now every stream Of considerable size
south Of Grafton county, Is well stocked by
the fish running out from ponds and lakes.
All this has been accomplished without the
aid of artificial Matching. Indeed, az Seth
Green, that veteran authority on fishing and
fish, well says: Their natural increase is so
great, and their growth 80 rapid, that il has
never been an Object to fish cuturists to at.
tempt their artificial propagation"
That the wonderful increase and prosperity
of this gamiest Of fish should be a cause Of
congratulation to every true sportsman would
be expected, and that every lover of fishing
should rejoice at the result we could we'll be-
lievei but, strange to say, the grumbling and
croaktng OF some, either from malice or ig-
noranoe, have raised cry against the bass,
and prejudced many against the fi4h who
should be its warmest adherents and friends
have tried TO anayze the reason for this cry,
and can only reach one conclusion it is in
short, Sour grapes"
The traducers Of the fish are unable to
catch them, for no one who has felt the rush
OF the bass, listened to the click OF the reel
and kissing line seen the gleam OF the hsh as
back and forth be rushes to escape from the
cruel steel, watched him AZ be leaves the wa
ter with mighty bound, and with bristling
fms shakes his open jaws to relieve them OF
the hook, and thus in ever. varying devices
fights long and hard against his fate, till at
last, weak and exhausted, be rests in the
landing net, could ever Join the ranks Of those
who mourn the introduction OF this fish, that
10y his peculiar fitness for our waters must
ere many years be acknowledged the game
fish par excellence of America The time al
lotted to me is too limited to be occupied in
a criticism of those who say bass won't
bite, and fear that chubs, suckers, horn
pouts, pickerel and hAt-sides will be e1termi-
mated by them, except TO say that II, by care
full study Of the bass and the use of suitable
bass tackle, they are by and by led to see
their mistake, they will then be a. strong ad
herents to the right as they are now oppo-
nents. The habits OF the bass should be
well studied by the fisherman. Leaving their
winter quarters In deep water about a month
or six weeks before spawning, they can then
be found in shallow parts Of the lake or pond
in schools OF large numbers, but soon after
wards pair of and prepare for breeding. The
spawning season in this state have observed
10Th of June, varying according to the late
ness of the season, the spots selected for their
nests being gravelly or sandy bottom, or
rocky ledge, in from three TO six feet Of wa
ter. These beds or nests are saucer-like de-
pressions, usually about twice the length of
the parent fish, and formed by the bass by
tanning and securing from the bottom all
refuse and vegetable matter with the Ans and
tail Here the female deposits her eggs,
which are hatched in about eight to ~ days,
the young when hatched being almost per
fecty formed and about half an inch long.
The instinct of the bass amounts almost to
parental affection in the care OF its nest, and
later in the defence OF it's young. When
frightened from the bed, they at once return
and resent the presence Of anything thrown
upon it. Taking advantage of this chaTac-
teristic OF the bass, some worse than pot
hunters take them in large numbers by drop
ping the bait upon the nest and keeping it
there till the FISH as il in sheer desperation,
swallows u as il to get rid OF its obnoxious
presence upon its Matching ground. An in
stance Of this kind Of hshing came to my
knowledge last season, where a young man
caught 40 pounds Of fine fish in one after
noon in Waukewan lake in Meredith.
Leaving the spawning beds, the young
grow very rapidly bass of year old meas
uring from four to Ave inches, and at two
years weighing about pound, and gaining
about pound per year until it reaches its
maximum weight. Six or eight pounds are
said to be the limit OF their growth, but am
inclined TO think that under the most favora-
BILE circumstances they will grow still larger
as in large, deep pond or lake, we'll sup
piled with food.
In the winter season bass undoubtedly hi.
bernate, burying themselves in the mud, in
crevices of rocks, under weeds or sunken
logs, in deep water as you have all observed
that with the increasing cold they work into
deeper water, and upon the arrival of winter
are seldom caught.
Knowing this much Of the growth, increase
and habits Of the fish, to catch them one
should, for still or bait fishing, select some
gravelly or rocky point or ledge which runs
out boldly into deep water, large boulders,
shelving rocks and sunken logs and trees be-
ing favorte hiding places of large bass. Get
your boat into position quietly, making no
more disturbance than is absolutely necessary
in anchoring and fishing with the face to the
sun to avoid as much AZ possible the shadows
Of the rod upon the water, and then, keeping
quiet devote your whole attention to fishing.
l believe quiet and careful fishing to be i'm
portant II you would be successful
You would ridieule the man who started
out for trout accompanied by band of music
to escort him around the lake or down the
stream yet many good trout fishermen hsh
for bass as though the fish were both blind
and incapable of hearing. While less timid
than the trout, which daTts away at the sight
or sound of a strange object, the bass is hard
ly less suspicious, and, while standing his
ground boldly, he seldom, if ever, is captured
while his suspicious are aroused. For this
reason his opponents, fishing for hours, per-
haps, in full view of the fish, singing and
shouting the time away, when not swearing
at his obstinacy in not willingly and foolishly
coming into the boat, are heard on all sides
saying, Bass ought to be cleaned out they
won't bite" No reasonable man would ex-
pect game fish to do so under those oircum.
stances.
That they are thus wary makes a breeze
that will ripple the water almost a necessity,
and one OF The requisites of a good day for
bass fishing,
One other word about the time to Ash.
Don't fish the next day after a severe, cold
storm, when the water has been disturbed aud