The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-02-11
THE
MAGIC BASS
By Paul II. Woodruff.
By Paul II. Woodruff.


1t was along in the latter part Of
March that | dropped in on Jack one
evening and found him inspecting a
short, fiimsy looking fish-pole.
You must have it bad" observed.
TO go fishing in March, with the ice
not all out yet"
Jack looked at me in mild astonish-
ment.
why, I'm not going fishing" he re-
piled, cant you know. Bass sea
son don't open til the 18th of May.
I'm just looking over my tackle a bit,
to be sure everything is ship-shape.
"In fact" he added, 81 may confess
that | will probably do the same thing
every day from now till the season
opens"
We'll, | suppose you have nothing
else to do with yourself" was my
scornful comment. IT'S a pity, Jack,
that you haven't got a mans work to
do, to make you remember you're not
Kid. How a grown. one hundred
and eighty pound man can spend val
liable hours-yes, days in trying to
fool and capture by strategy a little
four-pound fish that he don't need is
beyond me. But to idle away the
best of the year in gazing at the tools
he uses to delude and ensnare the
Shiny objects is-well, the limit" -
SO you call a four-pound bass lit
tie, do you? Shows you know nothing
about 1t. Pretty long remark for you,
though, doctor" said Jack, with a
grin.
That's the trouble with Jack. When
you get him with an unanswerable ar
gument he grins. One might as well
allow him his view of things, for he
will take it anyway.
We'll, Jack" resumed in a less in
dignant one, Il will concede that you
enjoy it. But should see the point
more clearly if you fishermen we're
adding anything to the worlds store
of knowledge. If you were discover
Ing new species of fish, or ways of
propagating them scientifically |
might be Interested"
I'VE are adding to the worlds store
of simplicity, and contentment, and
right living he replied seriously
But you bring something to my mind
that l am very curious about. Per-
haps wou would catalogue it as a sci
entific discovery.
The Indians call IL Media Mon-nuh-
she-gan,' which translated means
Magic Bass. He is said to be much
like other black bass I'm appearance.
But his peculiar attributes are these:
He must be caught by casting
with surface bait. so that you can
see him rise to It, He may be taken
In running water where the clear cur
rent foams over messy powders and
through gurgling. sunllt shadows:
OF in the silent pools where the forest
hangs darkly over the stream. He may
be taken at some still lakes grassy
marge where the water lilies build
him a green and white and golden
canopy; or In the open places when
the west winds magic turns the
CLASSY surface into silver.
But wherever you find him you
Will see that Nature rules supreme.
And whether in brawllng stream or
quiet pool, In some peaceful lilled bay
or just beneath the rippled broad ex-
panse. where the wild beauty Of the
spot makes your heart beat faster.
there may you find the Magic Bass.
"And this is his magic. That when
you have fought him inch by inch.
and have looked upon him as he lay
exhausted in your landing net. you
are his forever For wherever you 20
and whatever you do there will come
70 you ever and often a dream of his
first leap into the air, OF the Juggling
line and Of his body at your feet. and
indistinct behind IL all will lie the
sparkling water. and the forest and
the blue sky
In the dead Of winter you will OF n
Wden hear the soft splash OF the
bass rising To- your fly; you will feel
the sudden tautness Of the line, and
the snow outside your window will
melt into a summer landscape. When