The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-18

Iron the Amerlcan F1eld.l

A Chicago angler, Mr.. NJ. P. Riley, has
been in Florida for several weeks bait
casting for the big-mOuthed black bass,
which attain so great weight in the fresh
water lakes and river of the Peninsula
state. These waters have not been de-
pleted to such an extent Gas yeD as are
the more northern habitats of the Mi
cropterus salmOideS and the expert angler
can depend upon having fine sport in
F'lOridan waters at the proper season
From a letter recently written from Tai
lahassee by Mr.. Riley to a Chicago friend
We are permitted to append some account
Of the anglers experiences:
Having heard OF the large black bass
here a couple 81 weeks ago properIy
erIIinned IL sret one az them br.inEine live
headquarters at Mr.. ii N. Mabry's
ing on January . and 6shed more or less
daily until February with rather indif-
bass and pickerel every day soon dis
covered that this was not the proper fish
ISef not beeinning 10 fish much before
March or April. 1 stuck to It, though,
casting frogs, minnows and the spoon.
Saturday morning, February 2 they
seemed to be taking hold a little better,
and at about 10 O'clock a. m got
wicked strike In a large weed bed, on or
saw I had a large contract on my hands.
Mr.. Mabry was padding the boat for
water, where I played the fish on the reel
for about twenty minutes, finally landing
our return to land he was weighed and
registered a. fraction over eight pounds.
long He was caught on regular east
ing outfit, with a medium sized live frog
expressed him to my place of business
IS Fifth avenue, Chicago where it can be
OF the largest, II not the largest. pig
mouthed black bass ever landed on light
fba G n6 anq nys ssPe 9 T6fg q nse
also weighed by Mr.. T. B. Byrd, a promi-
nent merchant of Tallahassee. several
hours after being caught and found to
go over eight pounds
Il am going down on the coast. near St.
Marks. for the balance of the week, to
try my hand at sea fishing on the Gulf
of Mexico, and will report my success
Mr.. Riley is an expert in the use of a
oa1t-castlpg rig, ana can play a big nSh
70 a HnlSn- Out ms Trip IN Searcn OF the
big-mouths of Florida his first ex-
state, and ne did not have the good for
tune to reach the haunts of the really
big bass His fish IS a fine specimen Of its
species, and ne DID well TO boat It, with
out gan or net but the same day Mr..
Roland Morrill,. prominent fruit grower
Of Benton Harbor. Mich, caught a much
bigger bass in Florida Mr.. and Mrs.
Morrill, spent several months in the south
rin wrote from Jacksonville to his friend,
Mr.. w. w Mcfarland, the well known
his sport in Florida, from which we ex-
cerpt the following.
We have been having some fun down
the Kissimmee river. We went down there
for fishing and shooting; found the shoot
ing poor and fishing fine In our first
hour we had three bass-105k pounds, 70
pounds and - pounds-and SIX from to
10 pounds my wife getting a twelve
FOUNDER for her first bite. Last evening.
Just as we were quitting to take the boat
for home. / got one that weighed Is
pounds 10 ounces and the thought came
to me that wanted YOU to see it. /
really thought you would not believe my
story If you could not see the fish
T want you to take care of the fish and
get track of some taxidermist who can
put him I'D right, as I want him mount
ed
Ye fysshinge editor has had the pleasure
of scanning the noble proportions of both
these fishes at r. A Turtles taxidernal
laboratory. where they had been sent to
be mounted as trophies of the angle After
the big Morrill, bass had been sent out
Of the water six days 1t weighed 151z
pounds, its length was 275s inches, girth
measurement at the center of the dOrsal
I'm 22l4 inches. extreme spread OF mouth.
measured inside the jaws. Ga inches, same
outside the jaws, IA inches: size Of eye
orifice, Us inches This black bass is the
record bass, at least for Chicago taxider-
mists, and Is a genuine plymouth The
colDrs of both were well preserved and
they will make fine mounted specimens