The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-08-21
BASS THAT WON'T STRIKE.
Peculiarly of the Pink-Eyes, BrOnzed
Beauties of Boot Lake,
Wisconsin.

The small-mouthed or pink-eyed bass
is supposed to be as game as any fish,
and generally it is. Commonly it strikes
savagely at spoon or live bait, rushing at
the lure from 20 feet away and fighting
from the moment of impact until it is
hauled in conquered.
There are exceptions, however, and
one of them is furnished by Boot lake,
a beautiful body of water in the south
western part of Villas county, Wisconsin,
says the New York Sun. 1t would be
hard to say how many anglers have gone
to Boot lake and fished it according to
approved methods and come away dis
appointed, though they were assured
that its waters contained many fish and
knew afterward from it's appearance
that this must have been so.
The small-mouthed bass of Boot lake
are the real thing, beautifully modelled,
beautifully bronzed, of large size and
fierce. They do not differ in looks or
voracity from the small-mouths Of
streams which are famous for the sport
they afford. But they will not hit or
strike at anything.
In fishing for pink-eyed bass common
ly 1t is sufficient to make good cast in
favorable water with frog, minnow or
spoon and reel in slowly or swiftly,
trusting the fish to strike at the bait as
it comes through the water. 1t is an
axiom that bass can see moving lure
through 20 feet of clear water and will
strike at it from that distanceif hungry
or angered.
Upon any bait cast and reeled through
the water of Boot lake the pink-eyed
bass looks with indifference. There is
one way to get them and but one.
The boat must be rowed with much
slowness some so feet out from the bank
The angler sits in the stern and plays
out 80 feet of line. There must be enough
lead on the line to sink minnow or frog
to depth of eight feet.
With the boat moving slowly and
dragging the lure the pink-eyes will bite
This is really trolling at about one-tenth
of the usual trolling speed.
Even so, the fish bite, but do not
strike. There is nothing of the usual
impetuous rush and whirring of the reel
as the silk is snatched out.
Instead, pink-eyes, game as pebbles,
muscular and fast, weighing from two
to five pounds, and with the blood of
generations of fighters in them, ap-
proach the slowly moving bait cautious
ly, swim in its wake and then nibble at
it much as if they were perch. Time
must be given to them in which to de-
eide that they like it and time to take it
fairly within their mouths.
A Boot lake black bass after trolled
frog will consume five minutes in maxi
ing up it's miAd to grasp the morsel as
far up as the hook First it inspects the
gently. Then it takes the frog in it's
mouth as far up at the juncture of the
hind legs with the body.
Then it takes out ten feet of line lef-
surely; then it elects the frog for mo-
ment and instantly seizes it again, TAX
ing it in this time headforemost. Then
the angler may give the wrist-jerk that
sinks in the barb.
Once this is done there is no difference
between the behavior or Boot lake
pink-eye and any other pink-eye. 1t will
fight as swiftly and savagely and long,
come out of the water as often, be as
much trouble to capture and afford as
much pleasure in the combat.
There are many bass in Boot lake, and
on certain summer days the number a
man may catch is unlimited, provided he
knows how He will need guide or
friend to row the boat, which must not
travel faster than mile an hour. The
minnow or frog must be suffered to sink
deep, and the fisherman must have pa
thence to wait until the nibbler has taken
the bait fairly.
Already There.
She-I heard you complimenting her
upon her girlish appearance. What
did she say?