The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-11-22
oosLlNos FOR BAss BAIT.
Thirty-One Big Fish LanIetl, and the Hook
Baited Only Three Times.

A letter from a st. Louis gentleman,
who has been for some time up at
Green Lake. Wis, has Just been re-
ceivcd here, and it contains the ac-
count of fishing exploit that is re-
markable.
81 went out early the other evening"
writes the gentleman, ''in the hopes of
cncounterin@ some of the famous
pickerel of this resort when they were
Just coming up from their messy beds
after a morsel for breakfast. trnlicd
for half u mile without strike.
was passing Il farm house, in trout of
which were an old goose and a lot of
moSlings Il month or SO old. They
were swimming around, dipping down
under the water, and chaliering away
in high glee. just as | was opposite
them there was Il splash. and one of the
| gosiEgs disappeared. Almost instant
| ly another one went in the same way,
| the mother @ooSc never seemed to heed
their absence. | thought it strange,
and pulled over toward the flock, but
| before | reached them three more were
| pulled under the water. | stopped
rowing close to the spot where the
fowls had disappeared, and watched
from close range to see if L could dis
cover what agent was atwork destroy
ing the farmers gOslings. One of the
| little fellows was separated from the
! other three, for that's allthat were left.
| was close to the single goslng watch
inr him, when saw monstrous black
bass shoot through the water, grab the
| bird that | had my eye on, and give
the water II tlrt with his tail as he dis
appeared with his breakfast. Before
the surface had become calm or my as
t0nishment had been overcome the re-
mairing three of the gosling brood
were in the capacious maws of the hum
CRY bass.
BY this time the old goose, who had
been TRANQUILITY swimming about, began
to think that something was wrong,
and when no little ones came at her
call she became frantic. | stood right
there for some time, expecting that
some audaciouS bass would walk off
with the old goose, but they didn't.
Il went up to the farm house, told
the fate of the goslings, and was met
with no expression of surprise.
.s'That's no uncommon thing said
the farmer. I'll bet I've lost thou
sand young geese just in that way.
thought those were too big for bass
bait. keep my youngest geese in a
pond back of the house until they get
big enough to take care of themselves,
as [ Thought the ones you saw gob-
bled up We're"
IAN idea struck me, and bargained
with the farmer forthree goslings from
the pond back of the house. | would
focl the bass. He soon came in with
three nice. downy little fellows, and
took one, tied my line about the cen
ter of his body, and fastened gang OF
hooks under the goslings breast Sc
they hung down about three inches.
Then took long rod from the boat,
q attached the line, and gently dropped
the swimming bait into the water
The little gosling swan around fol
about half minute, when there was ;
rush, a tug at the line, and l had M
hungry fish safely hooked. 1t was
whopper, aud it took me twenty min
r.cs to bring him up to the boat. Th'
bass had struck the hooHs, as l intend
ed, before he reached the gosling, ant
| succeeded in landing thirty-One hi:
bass with my three before they wer
used up. They were the biggest bas
| ever saw before. averaging a trifl
over pounds apiece, one of thei
weighing q pounds. When 90 aftc
bass now you may be sure | so wit
goslings for bait. st. Louis Globe
Democrat.