Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-08-13
BY A BLACK RAee

rHRASHED BY A BLACK BASS
How an Angler Baited Himself and SIM.
on His Hook.
I do not claim to be much of a fsh
evman," said Col. Jim Corven .,
Pulteney to a Hammondsport CORES.
pondent of the New York Sun. .Fish
ing isn't exactly in my line. but do
90 out to Lake Keuka once in wbns
to try my luck, and l had an ex.
perience with black bass once tina.
some people might think was unioua
It surprised me. ! know. Ihad rowat
out in front of Pulteney landing and
dropped in my hook. l hadn't anv
luck, and after fishing an hour or mora
l made up my mind that there was
something lacking. so l rowed up t,
Gibson. to see If could find out whv
the fish didn't bite. Jim Benson who
says he can tell the moment salmon
trout touches his hook whether it is !.
male or female. happened to be there
and knowing that he knew all about
fish asked him what he supposed wa,
lacking that l couldn't catch any fish
"What are you baitin' with?' Jim
asked me.
".Worms, l replied.
"No, what are you batting yourself
witho'
Il saw what he was driving at and
told him that l hadn't baited mvsel,
with anything.
".That's what's lacking. then. said
Jim, and he told me to go into Glib
sons tavern and take back with me-
One-half a pint or so of Gibson's bait
l did so.
land don't forgit to spit on your
hook!' shouted Jim as he rowed away.
Il anchored my boat again, baited
my hook. baited myself, spat on my
hook and threw in. The water was
clear and l 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 |
could see his eyes snap. l 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, but looked
around fondly at it. BY and by |
pulled up. The bait was all right and
SO baited myself again with Gibson.
bait spat on the hook. and chuckei
in again. The bass went through the
same performance as he had before.
and could see his eyes swapping more
and more BY the time had repeated
half dozen times the instructions Jim
Benton had given me 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 I'M
steady. Still didn't get on to what
allied the big fellow. and l was getting
mad because couldn't catch him. At
last my bait from Gibson was all gone.
After that the bass got madden and
madden He came clear to the top OF
the water and stuck his head out and
shook it fiercely at me- and 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 up in the air, and before
could get over my astonlshment 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 l was
stunned. and seeing the bass coming
up for me again cut my anchor rope
and pulled for home as fast as could.
! The bass followed me clear to the land
ing and tried to get at me again, but
he didn't seem to be able to steady
himself enough to do it. All that
failed him was that he had got crazy
fighting drunk, and when he found
that l had shut his liquor off he got
back at me by pitching in for regu-
lar rough-and-tumble fight. 1t was a
narrow escape for me- l tell you, and
ever since then l have been mighty
careful what l baited myself with when
fished for bass and spat ON my hook"