St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-04-12
Story Of a Black Bass.
AN INTERSTATE FISHING EXPERIENCE
THATA NEW YORK ARTIST ONCE HAD.

| AN INTERSTATE FISHING EXPERIENCE
THAT A NEW YORK ARTIST ONCE HAD.
A few years ago l was spending the
summer in Delaware valley. l went out
bass fishing one day, accompanied by q
| local fisherman as guide. Our boat was
floating slowly down the stream, when, as
we neared rock In the middle of the river,
had g strike on one of my hooks, and
next second a big bass sprang out of the
water at the end of my line. He was well
hooked, and began desperate fight We
foated on past the rock, the bass fighting
| so that it was necessary to keep the boat
going down stream, when suddenly the
| guide seized the oars and began pulling up
stream with all his might.
"Hold onp' [ shouted, 'Let her float!
''But we've got into Jersey" he replied
''We're in Jersey, and it's against the law
to fish there for two weeks YETI
l thought the man was going crazy, but
| ordered him to quit rowing, for [ wanted
to kill the big bass. He obeyed with 3
growl, and said that if Constable Van Ray
saw us it would be dear bass to me as
we'll as to himself. In the meantime the
bass was making a noble fight, and the
first thing | knew another bass seized a
hook on the leader, and had two to look
out for. The second was small one, but
he was fighter, and | had all | could do
to handle them, the guide was so stubborn.
We had caught a turn in the current fifty
feet or so below the rock, and the boat
hoated off toward the west shore Of tue
river. That was just the direction that l
wanted at that time, but we hadn't gone
ten feet before the guide grabbed the oars
again and went to pulling up stream with
all his might
drop the oars" l yelled, madden
than bull. ''Do you want me to lose
these fish? p
But we're in Pennsylvania whined the
native. ''Their haln't no place where it'll
go so hard with us for breakin' the game
laws as it will in Pennsylvany, and it'll be
three weeks yit before you can fish for
bass in Pennsylvany"
| then made up my mind that the guide
was surely little off, but just then both
bass shot up stream, and | shouted to him
to pull up stream as fast as he could. He
did it with will, and as he pulled the
boat up past the rock look of relief came
over his face.
Now, we're all right, he said "We're
back in New York ag'in, where it hain't
against the law 10 catch bass.
1ue ISL were 10" pIetty "SlI p1ayeu
out. | reelsd them in, but just as they
came within reach of the landing net the
big one turned and gave desperate lunge.
The leader snapped in two ana away went
the large fish. The small one was above
the break and | got him in, but | would
have thrown him back again if my guide
hadn't just then exclaimed
f'Well, there! That's the first time
ever knew a Ash to be hooked in New
York State, and fit all the way across New
Jersey and Pennsylvany back into New
York ag'in That won't be done sg'ln in
one while"
Then learned for the first time that
where | started in f hing was where the
three States come together at point in the
river, and | had fought the bass over all
three of them. Instead of throwing the
little bass away thought the novelty of
his capture warrented me i'll keeping him,
and had him mounted as a memento Of
my interstate piscatorial experience. "
7. Sun.