The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-02-07
A TRXAs BAss sTREAM.
Ideal Winter Fishing to Be. Had in
the Nueces Canon.

The east iOIk Of the Nueces river
in western Texas makes its way past
Bullhead mountain down through
the Nueces canyon to the main stream
and thence to the gulf. In its upper
part it is a bold Ian rocky stream often
so yards wide, and ideal bass water.
The northerner, says the New York
Sun, who loves the sport and hates
the time when the ice locks up the
lakes and rivers Of his home can go
down there with the certainty Of get
ting plenty Of fish and communion
with primeyal nature together.
No tourists visit the east fork of the
Nueces. 1t is so miles above the line
of the Southern Pacific railroad and
reaching it is a matter oflabor.
To traverse its canyon wagons
must be taken from the little town Of
Uvalde and while there the anglers
will be jewellers in tents. They will
find ample and excellent camping
grounds, however, and air that is like
strong drink.
The best of the fishing is in the
canyon, which lies like an open barrel
with its ends pointing north and
south, and through it the winter
winds whistle in half gales. Tents
must be strongly guyed and pegged
down to the last notch, and even then
the sleepers will find canvas on topof
them many times.
AS for the number Of fish a man
may take that will depend almost
wholly upon how many he wants. Lit
orally he Wilt be busyf from the time Of
his first cast in early morning until
he drags his stiffened body to campat
night.
The stream alternates in bright
shadows, semi-rapids, from 50 to 500
yards long, and deep still pools which
no man may cast across, which con-
tain the fish. Though the water is as
clear as crystal in the sunshine, these
pools are nearly jet black in hue and
the big bass may not be seen nosing
about the bottom.
They are all green or large
mouthed bass, but wonderfully game
for their kind. The element in which
they live is of an icy GOODNESS for the
most part, they fight swift current
through much Of their lives and get
their muscles trained and they give
plenty Of work to wrist and forearm.
Like other southern bass, which
feed steadily all Of the year, they far
surpass their northern brethren in
size. A fish Of four pounds is not
worth mentioning; those Of five
pounds are common, six-pounders are
plentiful and from this weight they
run up to seven, eight, nine and even
ten pounds.
The big ones seem to be as frisky
and vicious as the little ones. Be
ginning with the cool nights and
mornings Of October they feed vora-
ciously and keep it up all through the
winter months, stacking only after
the spring freshets. In December
there are parts Of the Neuces river
wherein the bass will strike at a red
leaf when it hits the water.
With fish in such a humor it makes
little difference what lure is used.
Spoons, phantom minnows, rubber
frogs, spinners, ~go-deyils, bats which
wiggle, bats which skip, bats which
sink and bats which float, are all one
to them. Anything which simplates
a little fish they want between their
jaws.
Like many other west Texasrivers,
the Nueces has a habit of disappear
ing underground. The stream ends,
apparently for good, and miles of dry
bed are below the terminus; then it
reappears and flows onward merrily,
and for some reason the fish gather
most thickly near the points Of reap
p%earance. Probably that is because
they make the underground passage
and hang about the place where they
first see the welcome light again.