Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-11
FISH KNOW THEIR ENEMIES.
Overlooking Intelligence of Finry
Tribe Real Reason for Anglers
Failure to Catch Anything.

liSH nave iOfSottcn rlcutS lie expert
ences of yesterday and are incapable
Of anything resembling thought. AS a
matter Of fact, fish have very acute
SENSES of sight hearing, smell and
taste. they lack some of the organs
common to those senses. they at least
are capable of receiving Impressions
that usually come through eyes, ears,
noses and palatCs. And they have ex-
tremely tenacious memories of unplcas-
skS experiences. Also, they think,
whether or not they are aware of it
themselves.
A fish can see out of the, water much
farther than an angler can see into it.
Of.entimos. in streams and lakes too
"roily" for the human eye to perceive
an object an inch below the surface of
the water fish will be seen leaping at
insects or other food several inches
above the water. The writer once saw
a channel catfish in the muddy Mis-
souri, River leaping from the water re-
peatedly in an effort TO heize a dead
mouse lodged in a snag a foot or more
above the surface Of the river. Often
when casting in the clear streams of
the OzarlSs the writer has seen bass
Leap frcm the water to meet the lure
before ii had touched the stream. Yet
regardless of the fact that the fish have
all he advantage in seeing MIN frs,
and farthest the average angler will
take his station at the waters edge
wave mis- arms about, sit down, rise
up and in other ways advertise his
presence to every fish within a hun
dred feet of him. Instead of taking a.
position q s far as his tackle will permit
from the spot in which he desires to
| fish, he approaches as closely as pos
sble to it, preferably seating himself
| directly over il, where he can dangle
| his legs and expectorate in the water.
Fish have no external indications of
ears. but they are capable of receiving
cussion, that may come from a long
| distance. Many anglers, who never
speak above whisper while they are
| ffsning-"for fear of soaring the hsh"
will stomp heavily along the shore of
| a stream or lake, or rattle oars and
| clatter their feet on the bottom Of a
| boat IN which they may be fishing.
| Fish cannot hear spoken sounds, but
| they can sense the jar oil a football or
n blow on boat many yards away.
| That fish have faculties that cor
| respond to the senses of taste and
| small is evidenced by the fact that they
| Will discriminate unerringly between
| bats of identical character, except as
| to quality. and in a running stream
1 will be attracted long distances by the
scent of food carried down by tie flow
| ing water.
| Fish learn to know their enemies and
| RENE mber effort to do them harm. In
| lakes where cattle may stand in the
| shadows fish swim about them famil-
| iarlv. brit when man approaches there
l is an instant scurryine to distant
| depths And in like manner fish learn
| to kncw and shun lures that have
| prieked them in the past.
Without considering the idiesynera-
! cies of fish, which impel them at one
1 tine to bite" voraciously and refuse
/ at another time to manifest the slight
est interest in anything offered them,
! there are certain requisites in the mat
i ters of tackle and method of procedure
| essential To success in angling for the
sophIstieated deniZens of much fiShed
waters The time the place, the equip
| nent and the variety of fish sought, all
| must be given consideration. Here are
:. few pointers about fishing tackle
| and fishing that may seem ridiculously
| elementary to the skiilful anger, but
! which may be of some assistance to
| the many who often go a-fishing. but
seldom catch n fish:
j There is no basis for the theory, "the
bigger the fish sought the bigger the
halt should be-" large fish can see
1 - ftCh
| can. and the smaller an artificial lure
l is the more likely it is to catch fish,
large and small. Expert trout fisher
men seldom use a ffy tied on nook
larger tnan No. s. and in hard-fshed
| waters No. II and even No. IA hooks
are preferable no matter what the
size of the average run of fish.
A small hook will catch a large fish,
hut 4 large hook will not catch "A small
fish. Most inexperienced anglers choose
hooks too large for their purpose For
sunfish the smallest hooks made are
not too small and under no condition
should they be larger than No In
Sproat or Kirby shape. The Cincin-
natl bass hook popular with inexperi-
enced. fishermen seemingly for no 9TH
er reason than that it is bright and
"shiny) is not made in sizes small
enough to be of any account for sun
fish and other small pan fish. A No. {
hook is amply large for crappie. and
No. properly manipulated Will land
the largest bass that swims
Select fine and well made tackle. II
you are fishing with a bamboo rod that
is not intended to withstand strain
of more than three pounds there is nc
wisdom in rigging upon it a heavy
coarse line. Warranted to Withstand
strain of IL pounds or more. If by
any lucky chance You hook a very
large and heavy fish while angling fol-
small fry delicate tackle will land him
just as surely, # you do not attempt to
derrick" him out of the water.
Give the fish credit for some intelli-
Rence or at least an active guiding in
stinct.
There is no economy in cheap fishing
tackle 1t only makes big profit fol-
the dealer and q frequent patron OF
YOU. A good rod and reel. properly car
/ cd for will last kfati,no o,.1 oatol,