Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-09
BASS ARE SULKY,
Rain and Gold Weather Make Them
Seek Their LARS,

When the days are cold and wet. es-
pecially when there has been as much
rain as has fallen about Augusta dur
ing the past month, black bass often
lay back and sulk, ObstinateIy refusing
to take lures. They may be tried with
minnows. frogs, grasshoppers or all of
the various kinds of artificial bats. but
they continue to lie sullenly. refusing
| even to nose the lures. 1t is under such
| circumstances that the skill or the re-
| sourceful angler shows itself and the
| right man will take some fish. though
all others go day after day without a
| strike.
There is but one thing to do and that
is to continue to try the bass with
every form of bait within the reach of
the angler. 1t often happens that some
one thing will tempt them, and it is
the business of the fisherman to
search out and discover that one thing.
One of the most trustworthy of the
bats to be tried when all others have
failed is the despised angleworm. They
, may be obtained without special
trouble in any wet spot near a barn
or out house. Taken in all there are
but few better bats.
When bass refuse to bite they are
generally loafing around lily pads. They
are not hungry, are not cruising in
Scach of food and in the whole course
of q day will not move more than 20
feet from the lairs they have chosen.
The man who designs to woo them
with worms should rig for himself the
contrivances that in fishers parlance
is known as crazy bait. 1t consists
merely of a couple of NEEDLESS hooks
on smells foot long.
They should be tied on a line some
four inches apart. Neither sinker or
spoon is used with them. When they
strike the water and are reeled in one
of them travels about six inches in
front of the other and they rarely
tangle. Selecting spot where thu
water is deep and the lilies grow 50
close that their leaves almost touch,
the angler anchors his boat and puts 4
half dozen bigtworms on each Of the
hooks 1t is difficult to get much dis
lance with this sort of bait as it lacks
weight, but 80 feet will do admirably.
The cast having been made the line
is reelcd in slowly, pausing when the
line is over any small open space. Bass
have never seen angle worms SWIM
ming along in punches, but they Know
that there is delicate and desirable
meat within reach and they are. apt to
rise to it.
There is just enough of oddity, I'M
reason and incongruity about this lure
to make it successful when other lures
which successfully initiate live bait
have failed. The bass is inherently
contrary and will often strike at some
thing which outwardly seems to have
no attraction. T.
Another form of crazy bait which is
extensively used is made of two bits of
salt pork about an inch square. These
are hung on the hooks and cast either
among the pads or in open water. 1t is
a bait which should be reeled in swiftly.
1t stays on top of the water all the
time where it picks up tremendous
Robbery. 1t may be the disturbance of
the water which Anglers the bass, or
perhaps there is something likeable in
the appearance OF the ungainly lure
Judged from the bass viewpoint, but
the fact is that it takes fish sometimes
when even angle worms are of no
avail.
Indeed, there are times in the season
when bass appear to be lunaticS, TAX
ing everything they are not supposed
to take and leaving untouched that
which in sane reason should have
charms.