The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21
MONT FISHING ON LAKE KEUKA.
A Novel Way OF Cstching Big Black Bass
Practised ut Thi. Season.

HAMMoSDsPoRT. n. ", Oct 2O.-when the
cold weather comes on in the fall the Lake
Keuka lover of angling looks forward to what 10
to him the most enjoyable sport of all the year,
although the average angler elsewhere would
not be apt to see much pleasure In 1t. This Is
fishing for black bass at night. The fishermen
along the lake discovered long ago that the big
gest black bass seek the deep water In the fall.
and do their FEEDING mostly at night. II has also
been discovered by them that the bass have pc
altar ideas about what they are willing To eat
at night. In fishing for black bass during the
uay the angler on Lake Keuka meets with little
success II he fishes with any Of the bats that
are usually killing elsewhere, such as dob
son crawfsh. These bats Lake Keuka
black bass will rarely notice, and he is not par
tial to young frogs. The best bait for bass in
this water is a little minnow. which is caught In
a creek that flows into the lake. II Is called the
streaked side. The minnows natural TO the lake
sinners and other kinds-are indifferently
taken by the bass. During the day the angler
drifts slowly in his boat along the shores. The
fishing is done in comparatively shallow water.
along the outer edges Of the thick growths OF
submerged water weeds. II any sinker is used
it is a very light one. The minnow must be al
ways lively, or the day-feeding bass will not
come near 1t.
At night the fishing is done in an entirely
different manner. Then the fisherman seeks
water that Is thirty or forty feet deep. Instead
OF single hook, lie uses gang of eight or ten
tied in pairs an inch apart. The hooks are but
little larger than ordinary trout fly hooks. Until
last season the lure used was either dead
lake sinner or little brilliant fish known as
the sawbely. or q piece OF fat pork cut in a mar
row STRIP and wound temptingly about tho
gang OF hooks Last season some one made the
discovery that the bass, as IL to keep up and
add 10 their reputation for capriclousness
especial sSdity. The fly that seems 70 be vi" the
most Killing is big fuzzy thing , as long as
Il a6 Sh very ssE s Oh
long shank. According to u local angler of
OF much observation. this queer-loOking lure
resembles closely an insect that abounds az this
time of year on the weeds that grow on the bot
tom Of the lake, and upon which the bass spend
il the fisherman uses the gang of hooks and
sinner sawbelly' or piece OF pork, the bait Il SO
through the water il viii whIri The leader used
Is six feet long. When u Is fastened TO the line
another line, two or three feet long. is tied;
sinker OF about four ounces in weight. This is
let 10 the bottom. The gang and It's alluring
length Of the sinker line. This rig is used at
the end OF hundred feet of line. The boat
II the fv Is used, il Is sunk to the bottom in
the same way, three nies being used as the
i Sr in Phe Lake Rsata sssFs
is practised with good success in the day time
as well as at night. The gang rig never takes
bass except at night.
The black bass caught at night In the unusual
ly deep water are in almost every Instance very
large. A catch OF twenty made one night at
Blum Point weighed sixty-five pounds. Frank
Griswold caught ten one night last week that
weighed twenty-five pounds. Blum Point, a
bold promOntory rising more than 500 feet
above the lake at the junction Of the west
branch with the lake proper, Is the favOTite
II person Is rugged and tough. and likes a
his surroundings, he will enjoy black bass hsh-
ing at night ON Lake keukA. There Is a chill In
the Wind that sweeps the lake, almost tpyari- |
ably from the north, that goes straight TO the |
marrow. The numbness OF fingers that follows
the handling of . wet line and the adjusting
anew OF bait, Is not calculated to give Joy to the
angler unRccustOmed 20 this kind OF fishing |
but the natives 70 the manner born seem
10 dOte IL. The shadows Of Blum Point |
are dark, and the front OF the blum itself |
rises like a grim spectre on the scene. |
The cry OF the loon. wailing. demOniacal and !
blood curdling. sometimes bursting upon one |
almost At his side. and then coming from afar |
with the chasing waves Is among the attendant I
the cheerfulness Of the surrOg ldinss That |
this novel way of fishing Is popular on Lake |
kenka however, was well testified To the other !
night when no less than nifty boats were drifting |
about in the shadows Of Blum Point alone. each /
from two "a three fishermen. The /
catch OF big black bass that night ran far up /
into the hundreds. Ordinary every day black /
bass fishing. always good On Lake Keuka. Ia /
hne this fail