The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-16


exceptions.
There are few bass in Curtis
Pond, that well known, near by sum
mer resort, and it would pay to pu
more in that water, since it is wei
adapted to them. Hardwood Fla
Pond, short distance beyond Wor
cester village, was stocked with bass
about 40 years ago and none hav,
since then put in, yet it remains good
fishing water. r. c. Barrows re-
members when that was a good trou
pond and he has caught many a good
sized trout fishing from a raft Bu
the big trout gradually eliminated the
small ones until only few were left
and bass were placed in the water
The pond appears better adapted tC
bass than trout. it is fished every
day in the season, more or less out
of season, and an occasional set line
is found there, yet there are plenty
of bass in the pond and at times they
may be seen jumping by the hundred
feeding on some small insects that
fall on the water. That is the exas-
perating experience for the fisher
men, for when the fish are feeding
thus freely there is no bait or fly
that will entice them. The pond is
fished so steadily that the fish have
no opportunity to grow to large size,
and the average bass taken there
probably weighs not more than a
pound and half, though some are
taken every season weighing between
three and four pounds.
SO one might go on and enumer-
ate the advantages and peculiarities
of the various waters in the vicinity
in which bass may be taken. Though
mouth blass bass is said to be not
more than two and half pounds and
fish culturists say they sometimes
reach weigh of five or six pounds,
one was caught in Dog Pond in Wood
bury some years ago that weighed
more than nine pounds. 1t was the
record fish of its kind at that time
and it is doubtful if that record has
ever been surpassed There are 30
or more ponds in Woodbury., most
Of them stocked with bass, so it is
plain that there is plenty of good
bass water within easy reach of
The bass is a peculiar fish. One
never knows where to find him or how
to catch him. Most or the books and
articles written about the
bronze backed beauty are written
from the standpoint of the Western
Or Southern fisherman and contain
little information for the New Eng
lander.
In fact there is little accurate in
to be had about the bass
Of New England waters. His move
ments are apparently erratic, though
possibly careful study might find a
reason and an explanation for them.
In the ponds he will sometimes be
found in shallow, warm water, under
the shade of lily pads, again by
some spring that boils up from the
bottom, or in the deepest holes in
The pond and at times a school of
Them will be found swimming about
with no apparent purpose You must
lake the bass as you find him. In the
rivers they will be found in the swift
water, in the deepest black holes, and
swimming about in comparatively
shallow water. A Montpelier fisher
man told the writer of trying all kinds
Of flies and bait while fishing a likely
looking place down the river one af-
-ernoon and when he was ready to
give up in disgust, seeing a three
pound fish within five feet of where
he stood, eating some vegetable growth
from the rocks, undisturbed by the
shadow of the man on the bank or
he noise he made in stamping about
when he failed to get bite.
The wide range OF the bass appe-
lite is one of the great difficulties in
the fish. One never knows
what he wants to eat. Worms, min
nows, frogs, grasshoppers, crickets,
liver, beef, and salt pork rind are all
taking bats sometimes, but one can
never tell when. Rats and snakes and
some varieties of vegetables have been
found in the stomachs of the bass. In
heir season crickets are one of the
best bats to be used in this vicinity
and the helgramite or dobson is al
way worth trying.
There is a story about the helgram-
tie that amused every one who heard
It, principally perhaps because it is
true. Joe English for some years ran
A sportsman column in the Man
chester IN. h Union. Some Manch-
ester boys found some helgramites
under rocks in the river and did not
know what they were. After talking
he matter over they agreed to go up
and ask Joe English. When they reach
I'd the foot of the stairs one of them
look the horny larva in his hand and
went M while the others waited