The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-17
STRENGTH OF BLACK BASS.
ONE THAT TOWED A MAN IN A
BOAT FOR FIVE HOURS.

In Canadian Waters They Show Surprising
vitaIity-wm Rise to q Fly Even at
This Season-H0oked In Pairs, They
VIII Often Pull and Dive In Unison.
KNowLroN, Que, June 1A-Exoepting for
the fortunate few who can afford to pay
extravagant prices for salmon rivers, North
America has no finer sport to offer the fisher
man than fighting the small mouthed black
bass.
From the fair, light green little chaps OF
half a pound, up to the muddied black,
battle SCARED v%eteranof eight pounds, these
fsh are all full Of fight Just 30 long as they
retain their tenacious hold upon life.
A couple Of lads here, who were returning
from a uccessful days sport, let down their
string Of half a hundred fish for a washing
before their boat reached shore. As their
last fish had been caught twenty minutes
previously, they were justified in thinking
there was not a great deal Of animation in
the bunch. However, a couple Of three
quarter pound fish at once concluded to
make a further struggle for life, and made of
with the whole catch towing behind.
The floating mass was sighted next morn
ing, and after a chase taken up by the boat
Ncl Sh tiIS WV IN o. q = hNolJ
and vigorous and lived for some days In
the boatmen's fish box, until they were
wanted by one Of the hotels.
Just by way OF experiment a fisherman
once sat in the bow of a four Dared shr
holding a steel rod to which a four or five
pound bass had made fast and allowed
the creature to do what it would. For
the whole Of the June afternoon the boat
q. was never still. The powerful fish, with
the hook in his lower jaw. towed it around
and about. and varied his performances by
occasionally coming to the surface and
indulging In series of acrobatic leaps.
After five hours of this work the man
forced the fighting. and brought his prey
to the side. No sooner however, was the
strain relaxed than the hook slipped out
Of the elongated hole in it's jaw, and the
bass jumped gayly out Of the net, and was
lost after all.
In the clear spring water Of these noun
tain lakes the vigor Of the we'll nourished.
muscular build and great fin surface make
them superior to the members Of the salmon
family In resisting power, and their DASH
ing, splashing habit Of fighting il very
unlike the dignined. steady strain and
1t is decidedly unfair, however, to catch
them in the native way, with trolling hand
lines, or heavy bait rods, for the bass
seems made to be hooked n played on
something which will bring about an APP
and the angler.
II properly tried for, the bass will rise
to the artificial flies in the early part Of the
season. No doubt it is true that the water
may be covered with real f'es upon which
not II sign can be discovered Ct a bassmak-ng
an attack. 1t must be understood that he
is not always fond Of dry flies. but prefors
that they be submerged and move with fair
speed.
Just now the outfit required is a light six
or eight ounce rod, a good sized reel, a
hundred and fifty feet OF a light oiled silk
line, a strong leader and a brace OF flies,
one on a large. the other on a small hook.
than a silver doctor and a tiny yellow May
or ooachman.
The angler should keep out about a
hundred feet Of line and have the boat pass
along clio WY. thirty feet from shore or