Arizona republican., 1895-04-19
WINTER FISHING.
Fine Bass Caught in the Big Mis-
souri, River.
Only the Larger Fish Bite During the
Cold Weather-Bobbers and Floats
Used Instead OF Poles at
This Season.

Used Instead of Poles at
This Season.
The past winter has been the coolest
known in the Irondale (Mo.) section for
many years, and Big river has been
frozen longer and more solidly than
was ever before known. This continued
freeze made the fish very eager for food,
being unable to obtain any in the deep
pools where they have taken refuge for
the winter All the minnows sought
safety in the spring branches for which
Washington county is noted. This fact
led to great deal of fishing by people
who, under ordinary circumstances,
never go near the river. The sight of
fifteen or twenty black bass lying on
the ice at one time is one to please the
most slcillful angler, and this was by no
means an unusual circumstance here
the past winter.
Big river, says the st. Louis Globe
Democrat, is an ideal haunt for bass on
account of its banks being lined on
either side by towering bluffs of solid
rock, and the bed is covered with big
powders, forming a perfect elysium
for the black beauties. In the summer
time one can see them calmly lying in
the shadows OF these rocks, or else
shooting up the currents in pursuit Of
the agile minnow, which he is SO anx-
ious to secure for his dinner. The
only bait used for the bass by the ma
tive fishers is the ''top-water" minnow,
which is remarkable for it's vitality
living for hours where a minnow of any
other variety would die in a few
minutes. These minnows can easily be
obtained in the small creeks which flow
into the river by setting net and driv-
ing them into it, as many as one hun
dred being caught at one time. 1t is
easy, even at this time of the year, to pro-
cure them by going near spring where
the natural warmness prevents its freez-
ing. Instead Of the pole the fishers use
long line with cork attached to
regulate the depth Of line to be let out
and to prevent the minnow from get
ting under the rocks on the bottom
The other end of the line is attached to
heavy piece of wood, which is left
lying on the ice near the hole. These
holes are cut every few steps and have
a baited line in each. The fisher stands
where he can watch his ''bobbers." and
it is very seldom he has to wait long,
for the fish are always hungry and bite
fast in the winter. As soon as the
''bobber" disappears the fisher draws
ficl n
times has two Or three lines out at a
time on account Of the bites.
1t is interesting to watch the fish
strike the bait. The water is as clear
as crystal, and one can lie down on the
ice and see the performance very plain
~. l have. often noticed school of
tDur or five bass come up to bait and
swim slowly around it as though de-
batting which should have the first bite
Directly one, generally the largest,
will make q run, grab the minnow and
start for some large rock or the bot
tom. By the time he has all the slack
line out he has the bait swallowed and
himself hopelessly hooked. The others
will dart away when the struggle be-
gins, but when the noise ceases they
viii come cautiously back to see what
the trouble was The same perform
ance is gone through again, and some
times until the whole school has been
caught, but frequently they become
suspicious and will not touch the bait
again. After moving up close and slow
" backing away q time or two they
viii suddenly dart away and be seen no
more at that hook, but they are almost
sure to be caught on some one Of the
others. 1t is curious fact that only
the larger fish VIII bite during the win
ter, a very small one being scarcely
ever seen. In the summer the large
ones will hardly ever notice the bait
The largest bass ever known to have
been caught in this vicinity was four
and one-half-pounder. This is consid-
cred remarkably large one, as the
average is about one pound The fish
caught at this season are very nice in
the flesh, being firm and sweet, while
in summer they are soft and not good.