The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-04-18
HOME LIFE OF THE BASS.
NV Dear Buck:


bass, both large and small-mouthed,
is roamer. lively, active hunter for
the best place to gorge himself on the
choice minnows, crawfish and helga
mite, with a dessert from the surface
of the water of moths, flies and frogs
He is a great little traveller, and soon
becomes big chief of the waters in
which he lives. With such a varied
menu, you will find him ever ready for
fight, equally eager for fiy-hook,
trolling -spoon, live bait or plug, right
on the job to put up a struggle that
will test your skill. You can fish for
him night or day as he is 24-hour
feeder, but early morning and late
afternoon is the surest time to get him
right. He is an active rogue and
continually rising from the bottom to
the surface at times jumping above
the water in pursuit of his feed He
changes his home and feeding ground
as the season passes. In the spring
he is found in the shallow water in
the streams and rivers, below rapids
and rifles, as the water warns up he
moves to the deep pools lying along
side of windfalls and logs, rocky
lodges and weedy spots. During the
hot summer he migrates to greater
depths where the water is cool. Like
wise in the lakes, the bass are at
home in the spring. in the shallow
est places, lying off of the sand bars
and gravel formation, you can count
on good catch, close inshore in the
very low water. A little later when
the weeds lilies and reeds are well
grown you will find him in that vi
cinity. Both the large and small
mouthcd bass are often found in the
same lakes, but in different locali-
ties. The small-mouth favors the
! stony bars or shoals varying in depth
from two to forty or fifty feet, while
/ the large-mouth prefers the weeds and
| muddy bottoms.
East Wind Not So Bad.
Weather conditions have been
blamed since the time of Noah for an
empty stringer or creel. Rainy days
pleasant days, all kinds of winds and
| especially an east wind have been
cussed as the cause of "fisherman's
luck" Remember this, the bass
keeps on filling the feed-bag Just the
same, and an east wind is better than
no wind at all. You will get more
bass when the surface Of the water is
slightly ruf1led by breeze than when
fishing on a clear still day Last year,
at the opening of the season in Wis
consin, Jim and | landed 10 fine large
mouth bass from a little bay
in something less than an hour.
one casting while the other held the
boat off shore. There was quite a
stiff east wind blowing and the sur
face of the water was broken by a
continuous roll Of small waves The
bass ranged from two and one-half to
five pounds and were caught between
five and six o'clock, after we had
fished all day with very poor luck
These fish, Buck, We're caught witt
white Wilson wobbler with a red
head and with a .Jamison Coaxer plug
Bass Have Keen Sight.
While playing the game, don't for {
minute forget that bass has eyes
and he sure knows how to use them
Once he lamps you, your bait or lure:
are not for him, he has moved tt
other quarters. Don't stand in the
boat and open up with a personally
conducted sightseeing tour before
you cast. He also hears, and Otter
you will think that he is EXCEPTIONAL,
keen in both OF these senses. While
in a boat bear in mind that sound vi
brations carry farther in the waite
than you cast, and under water sound
mean frightened fish. Save useless
casts in a pool from which the fisl
have vamoosed, don't telegraph TIL
bass before inviting him to come il
out of the wet.
= A bass will always gorge his fooc
but there is quite difference i
his mounting of bats. If you ar
fishing with live bait, minnoN
crawfish or frog, he will strike withou
much force and will null the bal
around in his mouth bit before swa
lowing it, in fact with a live mir
now he will turn it around in hi
mouth and swallow it headfirst |
this case do not strike him too quicl
", but give him a little time to pla
the bait before striking. A bass han
dies a live bait somewhat similar t
the play of cat with a mouse it ha
caught. Many time l have torn
minnow in half through striking to
soon, having the pleasure of baitin
again instead Of landing the bass tina
had half hold on my bait If you ar
using a wooden minnow or plug, how
ever, strike quickly right after til
bass strikes, as he Immediately di
covers that it is not choice mors,
Of food, and disconnects.
DIXIE.