The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-13
BASS FISHING gN THE sssS.~
 DOAH.
IA. B. Richards, in southern Riuo,

A. B. Richards, in Southern Bivop,,, We entered the river at the foo, of .. island where many years ago a fish -dam had been built across the longer brsnrs
 The water nov flowed over it At evs.- point, passing with a swift current o~I. the shelving rock beyond. Heavy fin Der skirted the banks, often uro;.c,;.- far over the water. Occasionally a tsI Len tree remained half submerged I, vas just such a place as l imagined ,bs noble game fish most frequented. R~ membering it was the season when ,S. bass subsist much upon insects that ,.n into the water from the overhano;na bushes, determined to try my luck alons the shore, while my companions wers trying the nffles below the dam. Seeins fallen willow with its branches stili coy. ere l with green foliage projecting over spot where the swift current ended in pool, fancied there must be fish lurki,c beneath the shade of those boushs. So standing some forty feet out into ,h. stream. l cast my flies into the eddy ., the head of the pool. A well-ero wn 6a,. darted at the bait with such easernes. that he leared fully twelve inches into the air, carrying my "Ferguson in his mouth. For a moment his bright scales sparkled in the sunlight, then, falIino back with splash, he rushed directly tos ward me, making for the center of the stream with such rapidity that was una. ble to keep my line taut. Before he had passed my position he had thrown the hook from his mouth, feat the bass is almost sure to accomplish whenever the lne is slackened. saw 1 must maneu- yer for better position so 1 moved up the stream before again casting beneath the willow. From this point l landed six 6ne bass without moving from mv tracks. then passed down the stream. casting in near the shore as went, but meeting with little success until reached fence that had been built out into the water as a cattle-guard. Approaching this str althily and quietly looking beyond. saw quite number of bass of various sizes bAsking in the sunlight in the angle between the fence and the shore. Select. ing favorable stand, attempted to cast my flies into this angle. but agitated by the exciting prospect. my hand had be- come so unsteady that my flies actually dropped on the wrong side of the fence. Withdrawing them gently, and at the same time recovering my composure, 1 sent them in an artistic curve to settle as gently as thistle down over the very spot aimed at. It see ned as if every fish darted simultaneously at the tempting Actions, causing the water to foam in their fiery zeal. In an instant my "Gris- zly King" and "Governor Afford" were each deeply imbedded in the throat of a large bass. New the contest commenced with vim have never seen surpassed. At first they pulled against each other, desiring to seek safety in opposite di. rections; then they darted down the stream, side by side, like Kentucky thoroughbreds. With their united strength against me, could do nothing but give them line. The music of my reel was sweeter far than any chorus ever awakened by enthusiastic hunter. dared not attempt at 6ist to check them in their wild rush. My largesized reel was al. most empty, when 1 noticed the pressure lessening; they were again attempting to diverge in their course. Qiick to take advantage of their unskilliul tactics, l commenced to reel-in. The effort to re. gain my lost ground was slow at first.
 "In curving reaches,
 Back and forth they dart in conscious
 strength,
 Describing arcs and segments in the shad-
 ows of the riffied pool"
 But gradually and surely am forcing the fight at shorter range weaker and weaker becomes the resistance of the en- emy, until at last have the satisfaction of seeing the white bellies of both turned up in token of their equalization, and my heart .hrobs with thrill of victory as 1 see them submissively yielding to the landing net.
 No one witnessing a scene like this could ever doubt the appropriateness of Dr. Henshall's eulogy on this eminently representative American fish. This de. lightful author says: "He is plucky, game, brave, and unyielding to the last when hooked. He has the arrowy rush and vigor of the trout, the untiring strength and bold leap of the salmon, while he has a system of fighting tactics peculiarly his own. consider him, inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamest 1sh that suinev