The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-18
WINTER FISHING.
Fine Bass Caught in the Big Mis-
souri, Rivor.
Only tho Larger Fish BIte During tho
Geld Ncathcr-Bobbcrs md Floats
Usod Instead OF Poles ct
This Season

NSIo ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and Floats
Usod Instead OF Poles ct
This Season
The past winter has been the coolest
known in the Irondale (ATo.) 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 o great deal of fishing by people
who, under ordinary circumstances,
Dever go near the river The sight of
fifteen or twenty black bass lying ON
the ice ut one time is one to please the
most skillful angler, and this was by DO
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 it's banks being lined on
either side by towering bluffs OF solid
rock, and the bed is covered with big
powders, forming perfect clysium
for tho black beauties In the summer
tno ono can sec them calmly lying in
the shadows of these rocks, OF else
shooting up the currents In pursuit of
the agile minnow, which he is so an2,-
io,ls to SECURE for his dinner. Tho
only bait used for the bass by the ma
tive fishers is the "top-water" minnov,
which is remarkable for it's vitality.
living for hours where O minnow of any
other variety would die in few
minutes These minnows can costly be
obtained In the small creeks which flow
into tho river by setting net md driv-
ing them into it, as many as one hun
dred being caught at one time It rs
easy, even ut this time of tho year, to pro-
cure them by going near q spring where
the natural war1nncsS prevents it's freez-
ing. Instead of tho pole the fishers use
long line with cork attached to
regulate the depth OF limo to be let out
nnd to prevent the minnow from get
ting under the rocks on the bottom.
The other end of the line Is attached to
o heavy piece OF wood, which Is left
lying on tho zoe near the hole. These
holes are cut every few stops md have
a baitod line In each. The fisher stands
where no can watch his "bobbers," and
for tho fish arc always hungry aud bite
fast in. tho winter. Az soon as the
"bobber' disappears the fisher draws
IN his fish and bats again. He some-
times has two or three lines out at o
time on account OF tho bites
1t Is interesting to watch the fish
strike the bait. The wnter Is MS clear
as crystal, and one can lie down on tho
ice and SEQ the performance very plain
~. l have often noticed a school of
four or five bass como up TO q bait and
swim slowly around it as though de-
batting which should have tho first bite.
Directly one, generally the largest,
will mako 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 hopelcssly hooked. The others
will dart away when the struggle be-
gins, but when tho noise ceases they
will como cautiously back to see what
the trouble was The same perform
ahc,e 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
ly booking away time or two they
will suddenly dart away and be soon no
moro at that hook, but they are almost
sure TO be caught on some one OF the
others. 1t Is q curious fact that only
the larger fish will bite during the win
ter, very small one being scarcely
ever seen In the summer the large
ones will hardly ever notice the bait.
The largest bass over known to have
been caught in this vicinity was four
and ono-half-pounder. This is consid-
cred remarkably large one, us the
average is about one pound The fish
caught at this season are very nice in
the flesh, being firm and sweet, whilc
in summer they are soft and not good.