The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-07-27
OBJECT LESSON BY a BASS.
nfn Ffsh ~ Dnrkened Corner shows
Fisherman Something 10
Hfn Advantage.


mine had On Lake Keuka, said steu-
ben county fisherman, reports lie
New York sun. 1T would seem that
II is not the prick Of the hook nor the
sensation Of being hauled out Of the
water. but the sight Of the fisherman,
that terriies fish and puts it to fight
II it escapes.
This friend Of mine had a boat
house at the edge Of the lake, beneath
which there was two or three feet Of
water There was an opening in the
floor large enough for him to hang his
bait-paiI through 70 the water. When
the door was closed the boathouse was
quite dark.
"One day he went to the boathouse
to see how the minnows in the pail
were faring. The door blew shut be-
hind him. Everything in the water,
though, could be seen as plain day,
owing to the darkness above it.
MY friend found dead minnow in
the pail when he drew It up. He took
the fish out and dropped it into the wa
ter Instantly big bass-a three
FOUNDER, he declared-rushed from
some lurking place beneath the boat
house floor, seized the minnow, backed
away a little, spat IL out, and then
seized II again and swallowed II
MY friend instantly baited hook
with a live minnow, and dropped ii into
the water. through the hole. The bass
rushed up, seized the bait, spat It ont
as he had the dead minnow, eyed ftEa
moment, then took it into its month.
"when the bass had taken II wall H.,
the eager angler yanked his line and
hooked the bass In his haste, though,
he brought the bass up out Of the wa
ter with swish, its head struck the
boards at one side Of the hole, the
hook broke, and back into the water
went the bass, retiring to its place be-
meath the floor.
Batting another hook, my friend
fished for the bass again. The old fell
low rushed ont as before. seized the
minnow, and went through the prev
ious performance with it.
"Again the bass was hooked, again
It was thumped against the floor. this
time parting the smell.
"a third time the bass was angled
for through the hole. II came out to
the minnow again, the piece Of smell
hanging from its mouth in which, also,
must have been the half Of the first
hook. This time, though. the bass
stopped within few inches Of the min
now, eyed It suspiciously, swan
around it as if taking its possibilities
from all sides, and then concluded that
it would leave IL alone.
my friend tried for half an hour,
but the bass would not tackle the min
now. All shove was, Of course, hidden
from the bass sight owing to the dark
ness Of the boathouse.
"The next morning my friend visited
the boathouse again, closed the door
TO darken the interior. and began 10
try for the bass as before. The old fell
low had evidently forgotten the do
inps of the previous day, although the
smell was still hanging from its
mouth. showing that the hook was
there yet, and it seized the minnow
with rush, spat it out for further in
spection. and then took It in for swal-
lowing.
sNMy friend seemed TO have a queer
collection Of tackle on hand, for this
time his smell broke again, letting the
big bass back into the water with two
hooks and a half Of hook somewhere
in its mouth.
"Using some language over the bad
luck he was having. my friend fixed
M another line, baiied it and three in
again
"Out from its lair rushed the bass
trailing the two pieces Of smell by their
hooks. and seized the minnow- In the
interval between the ejecting Of the
minnow and the moment the bass was
moving to take it for the serious part
Of the business. my friends son came
along, not knowing what was going on
inside, and opened the boathouse door
, letting in a flood of light.
like a fash the big bass made from
beneath the boathouse out into the
deep water of the lake followed by a
half dozen or so Of rock bass that had
kept it company under the house and
my friend saw it no more.
sAlthough greatly disappointed over
losing the bass, he accepted what he
had seen as a valuable object lesson II
the manner and method Of black bass
and has used its teaching TO great ad
. vantage in fishing for them since"
&
Enormous strength Of Mushrooms