Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-09-23
THRASHED BY A BLACK BASS.
Col. Jim Coryeil's story of How he Baited
Himself and Spat on His Hook.

Col. Jim Coryeirs story of HOW he Baited
Himself and Spat on His Hook.
81 do not claim to be much of a fish
erman," said Col Jim Coryell, of Pulte-
ney, a great hunter, who has the head
of the biggest moose ever killed in this
country hanging up in his library, he
having shot the moose in Kitsen coun-
ty, Mimi, few years ago. Fishing
isn't exactly in my line, but l do go out
on Lake Keuka once in awhile to try
my luck, and l had an experience with
a black bass once that some people
might think was unique. 1t surprised
me, | know. I had rowed out in front of
Pulteney Landing and dropped in my
hook [ hadn't any luck, and after fish
ing an hour or more made up my mind
that there was something lacking, so l
rowed up to Gibson's to see if L could
find out why the fish didn't bite. Jim
Benson, who says he can tell the mo-
ment salmon trout touches his hook,
whether it is a male or female, hap
pened to be there, and knowing that he
knew all about fish, asked him what
he supposed w2T lacking that couldn't
catch any fish.
What you baitin' with?" Jim asked
me.
Worms I replied
"'No, what are you baitin' yourself
with?'
II saw wha5 he was driving at, and
told him that l hadn't baited myself
with anything.
That's what's lacking, then said
no fol 70 ,,+o
sons tavern and take back with me
one-half pint on so of Gibsons bait.
| did so.
"'And don't forgit to spit on your
hookp shouted Jin as 1 rowed away.
81 anchored my boat again, baited
my hook, baited myself, spat on my
hook and threw it in. The water was
clear, and | could see down ten feet.
My bait hadn't been in the water long
before l saw a tremendous big black
bass working up toward it. When he
got to it he smelt of the bait, and I
could see his eyes snap. 1 supposed, of
course. that he would grab the hook
in less than no time But he didn't.
He just licked that bait clear around
and then moved away. He didn't make
another motion toward it. By and by
/ pulled up. The bait was all right,
and SO l baited myself again with Glib
sons bait, spat on the hook, and
chucAed in again. The bass went
through the same performance as he
had before, and l could see his eyes
swapping more and more. By the time
l had repeated half a dozen times the
- CT,
that big bass was tearing around in the
water like mad, and when he came up
to the bait he came up kind o. zig
zaggy and unsteady. Still I didn't get
on to what allied the big fellow, ana I
was getting mad because | couldn't
catch him. At last my bait from Glib
sons was all gone. After that the
bass got madden and madden. He
came clear to the top of the wa
ter and stuck his head out and shook it
fercely at me, and l tell you he looked
ugly. At last he steadied himself for a
moment. and then shot upward like a
flash. He came out Of the water and
up in the air, and before I could get
over my establishment he whirled
around and gave me whack alongside
the head with his tail that knocked me
clear over on one side of the boat. For
few seconds | was stunned. and seeing
the bass coming up for me again I cut
my anchor rope and pulled for home as
fast as | could. The bass followed me
clear to the landing and tried to get at
me again. but he didn't seem to be able
to steady himself enough to do it. All
that allied him was that he had got
crazy, fighting drunk, and when he
found that 1 had shut his liquor off he
got back at me by pitching in for
regular rough and tumble fight. 1t was
q narrow escape for me, tell you, and
ever since then / have been mighty care
full what [ baited myself with when I
tished for bass and spat on my hook. -
\. Y. Sun.
The first coffee plant which was
the parent of all those now in the West
l. i l. Il