Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-23
BLACK BASS.
THE PRIDE AND JOY OF EVERY AMBITIOUS
ANGLER
The King Of American Waisrs-Likes. Ds.ikeS
Tastes Strength and Canning Of One Of the
Modest Of Fsh-The Water he lnhab;S
and the Bait That VIII Tempt Him.


habit the streams Of the Eastern, Middle
and Western States. There is scarcely a
city. town or village in these sections
which Is not within walking or riding dls-
lance of some lake, river, outlet or creek IN
which the black bass dwells.
How can he be caught! What is his
natural food. What bait viii attract him:
What measures OF strategy or deception IS
necessary 20 tempt him from his lalr ana
make him captlvet
There is plenty Of true sport about Dait
fishing. Great care should be taken IN the
selection OF the outfit. If possible. get a
iointed rod weighing from ten to twelve
ounces. IL is convenient for carrying about
and is easy 20 handle A very fair one can
be bought for from y 10 -. and from those
figures as much higher as YOU please A
hamboo rod costs from 20 tO6O cents. twill
do very well If not too long, heavy and I'M
wieldv. ANY kind of a rod should nave a
reel attached for the proper manipulation
and safe landing Of a fish after he IS onece
hooked The line should be tine, and there
should be seventy-five or one hundred ieet
oft. 4 hook into Ihe bend OF whlcn
silver iive-ceut piece Will M Is ample III
size for any black bass that SwlmS. You
may take along some sln6ers, nut never
place one on the line unless fishing IN spot
will not sink A minnOw, hellgramlte
a ,rlwfsh. a grassh0pper or a frog VIII
not of its own accord plunge suddenly 10
the bottom and remain there, and the pass
is quick 10 take alarm az any unnatural
movement of its prospective prey. No Sug-
gestiOns are necessary as 70 the foXeS or
pals in which bait is carried, except tnat
minuOws must have constant and ire
Queutly renewed supply OF tresh water
otherwise they will perish and then they
are useless. No black bass VIII "Olte u
dead minnow The best minnows are OF
the club variety, as they are the most I'VE
ly aud tenacious OF me- lhey may pc
caught I'm almost any running brook, either
with a net or a small baited hook attached
10 linen thread or light rod. They are
very shy. however. being as easily lrlsut-
cned asa trout. and hence must be approach
ed cautiously. silently and under cover OF
some bush or rise of bank. have expert
errcd as much excitement and difficulty IN
obtaining supply OF minnows rs m cap
turing the uObler game which they We're IN
tended 20 decOv Crawiish are found III
shallow water under fiat stones ir0ss IN
staQuant pools or i'm marshy shadows, anu
crasshoppers I'm fields OF grass or gram.
The heilgramite dwels m beds OF gravel
either under water or on the banks OF run
uing streams. He also is found under
large round stones I'M narrow channelS
where the current IS swift and turbulent.
4 good way 90 capture this valuable Oalt Is
for one person 10 hoe up the stones, While
another stands a short distance below
with "a net or coffee sack held
open bv hoop The hellgramites,
disturbed by the hOeing. try 10 escape, ana
are quickly carried by the current into the
trap prepared for them. This manner OF
securing them is laborious. but NJ Is swift
and sure.
When using the miunOW for Oait, pass
the hook upward through the lips, close to
their edges; hook a crawhsh 10y the tai,
helleramite through the middle, a frog by
one leo. and q grasshopper i'm any way that
viii permit himtO kick. The respective
methods allow more natural freedom OF ac-
ton than any other, and hielike move
ment of bait is Indispensable 10 successful
ba fishing.
. creek. river or outlet. to offer suita-
Dl. habitatiOn for the black bass, must be
of varying width, depth and bottom IL
must abound in rocks and gravel, with oc-
casi0nal weedv spots frequent deScentS
over which the water lashes itself into
foam. shallow areas where there are gentle
ripples over beds Of stone. and long placid
stretches of water from four 20 ten feet IN
depth / have In my mind an ideal bass
stream-the outlet of "a lake IN Western
New Nork-which winds its way for TWEEN
Or miles. with "a rapid succession OF the
characteristics described. besides several
mill-dams.
Deep holes. large or small. under the
shadow of rocks. trees or high banks, are
the lav0rite retreats OF black bass The
approach must be made cautiously, for You
might as well try 20 coax robin % eat out
of hand as 20 persuade a black bass 10 take
YOUR bait. If he gets sight at you. He IS
the most cunning, prudent and suspicious
fish that lives, excepting the trout
Make YOUR cast quietly, and keep Us lar
as possible from the spot where the pant Is
10 6e thrown Then LEI the minnow dart
about. the crab squirm, the helgramlte
wriggle, the frog swim, or the gl'lsShopper
1ick-as the case may bee. Unless the BASS
is unusually hungry. be viii be rather de
hberate about taking the omt. ou may
have 20 wait while, but be patient. The
bass is a food searcher ana is constantly
moving about.
The first warning Of "a bite viii be a slow
moving away of the line. Let 1t move.
The bass. on Selling his prey, does not I'M
mediatelv swallow IL. He swims short
distance before beginning that operation.
Therefore keep your line slack and let
YOUR victim carry 10 along ten or twenty
fee, Then give "a short, sharp pull. But
do not be- i'm "a hurry. a lively battle IS IN
store. which win require GOODNESS, Skill
and patience. The bass Will fight Tor his
life. he will display astonishing strength,
strategy and pluck. III YOU attempt 10
haul him i'm suddenly. something Will break
and your captive will escape Therefore,
be- firm. but gentle Temper determine
tiou with deliberatiOu Let YOUR nerves be
of steel. albeit sensitive as "a magnetic
needle Watch the moods OF YOUR fish. He
viii rash this way and that, he viii pull
like draught horse. he viii jump out of
the water he will alternately attempt 70
escape by main strength and try 20 fool You.
You must humor him. without letting him
get an advantage
The battle will Dee am exciting one The
SPRING. of your light elastic rod Will tell
terribly on the strength and endurance
of the noble fellow who franucally
eudeavors 10 escape, but he Will not
give up until completely exhausted.
TO tire him out viii take from five
totem minutes. possibly longer When he
finally surrenderS. draw him toward YOU
and get him on land as quickly rs possible,
for YOU can never be sure that he has
not a final flop" In reserve. When the
victory is won YOU viii have IN eXhiliar-
atiug sense of triumph, and VIII be eager
Tor another fray.
When fishing I'm a small stream. il is best
10 40 prepared 10 wade up 20 the breast,
otherwise many good spots viii be out of
reach You should carry several kinds of
bait. as the black bass is very capricious
I'm his likes and dislikes He may turn
contemptuOusly from one kind after an
other. and finally yield 10 temptation when
d morsel is presented that suits his
fancy. I have i'm my mind a day when
the sky was cloudy, the temperature
warml the Eir filed with a grayish haze,
and q storm, twelve hours distant, sending
I'm advance its faint breath. II was an ideal
fishing day. l was AT "a favOrite point of
the stream where the bass loves TO assem-
BILE and nothing could be Surer than that
they were there. But minnowS, crawtiSh
and hellgramites failed To beguile them.
This was diScOuragiug. for my bill of fare
was exhausted Twas reluctant 10 leave
the spot without making cap
ture. and stood for a few mo-