The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-08-22
FLT-CASTlNG FOR BASS.

My Dear Buck:
Going after the husky bass with the
light fly rod is sure the right system of
fishing, If you have desire TO cult
vate the tingling nerves and the
humping pulse. Nothing in the game
will give you more thrills than to have
a two or three pound bass take the
feathers and then try to shake 'ela
loose--that is, Of course, if you are
handling the working end of the rod.
And if this old bass is a stream-raised /
youngster, he will give you more fight |
than any other fish, weight for weight. /
Wading stream and whipping the /
water in semicircle as you 90 along !
is far more enjoyable than lake fly
casting, and at the same time a stream /
that can be Waded makes about the
best kind of bass water for the use of
the fly. The shallow pools above and !
below rifles or rapids is a likely spot
for the hungry bass as well as the cd
dies along the sides of rapids. Cast
into the swirl Of water as it passes
around a bowlder and off the edge of
the Windfalls, logs and brush heaps.
all of which locations are generally the
loatlng place of fine old bass.
In lake fishing with the fly the bright,
| sunny day is not for you. The bass
rise 10 the fly particularly on day
when the surface is broken by a slight
| breeze, and the best time for casting
is in the early morning and late in the
! evening. From sunset TO dark is the
best time when the day has been
bright-in fact, most any day. On the
/ lake cast your fly inshore on the bars
and shadows or lodges and off the
edges Of lily pads, rushes and weed
| beds, as well as alongside the half
submerged logs and windfalls along
shore. The fly should be allowed to
sink considerably and slightly jerliy
| crawl given TO it when working in the
line. This is done to fool the bass
into believing the object Of the fly
makers art is a struggling insect try
ing to get out of the wet.
Better to Fish Downstream.
On the stream it is preferable to fish
downstream, as the bass lie with the
iltttt uEtSLi Cttill anu VIII lIie
carrying your fly on its natural course,
the bass have more chance to see it
and thus become possible candidate
Ter the crcel. Then again, it is far
easier TO wade downstream than it is
going up.
For dark days and early evening use
light-colored flies, ana for the bright
| n no H., I'll
a subdued color tied on a No. 6 or {
hook is right for low, clear water on
bright day, while for after-sunset
and moonlight casting the gray, white
and brown flies tied on larger hook
q No. , or size, are more likely to
attract the fish than the smaller ones
For rough and turbid water the bright
~ colored feathers are best. In select
ing your flies don't overlook the black
, brown, gray and hackles; you will
often find that the old reliable hackles
, will bring a rise after you have triee
, every other combination in your fy
book.
Nearly every fellow who whips the
! light fly rod has his own particular
! selection of flies, and by these h,
swears like q pagan; however, for tn,
beginner, besides the hackles the fol
:. lowing selection will give q fairly va
h ried assortment that will pass music
until he creels the first fish and tn
!. fly used at that time will no doubt b.
i given the place of honor in his pet list
n | have found these flies creel filters
y Queen of the Waters, Lord Baltimore
+ Montreal, Grizzly King, Coachmar
s Professor, Red Ibis, Seth Green, Whit
1t Miller King of the Water Ferguson
r. McGinty, Emerson Hough, Silver Doc
e tor and Parmanchee Belle.
a. One of the essentials in bassing wit
E. the fly is to keep out of sight of til
n fish as much as possible. The bass |
ID every bit as scary as the trout, a
O. though once he sees you he will nc
e. dart away and disappear like the trou
but he will dash off little distanc
and stop, facing you. However, don
IS waste time trying to make him TAX
Of your fly, because he has case {
e. nerves" and you can cast it right owe
Id his nose and he merely gives it di
ct interested glance. On the small has
n streams keep entirely out of sight an
a on the wider waters make long cas-
IS the finer the water the more cautio
and the longer the cast. On castin
from the shore it is we'll to be screene
IL by bushes or any natural formation
ne Wading is the best method, howeve
re as the nearer you are to the water tt
VI less chance the fish have of seeing yo
NC and even at that you should be
81 quiet as possible and make it q poll
Go to avoid quick or sudden moves.
~ Cast your flies as lightly as possib
g and avoid letting them land with
!. splash by slightly raising the tip
80 the rod right before they touch the w
ter and let the current help you
allowing the flies to run with it.
. DIXIE.