The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-22

Club OF America. Inc. whose headduar-
tiers are at the Rsunt. jamaica Bay.
has the magical touch that can make
base open hts mouth and take the blood
worm or sandworm bait. -.
That may seem like an exaggerated
statement but II IL literally true. And
II proof be asked II might be stated
that Lou, who 10 also known as Come
Again." Sprung has every year except
one since the club has been in exist
ence taken on the standard line of the
organisation. No. ~ cotton thread, the
largest striped bses Of each season.
These prize striped bass taken on cot
ton thread have weighed from 8 pounds
Is ounces to pounds each. and II might
ce remarked that one day on cotton
thread he hung no three records that
have never been equalled, one Of thirty
striped bass another Of eighteen striped
bass and third Of twelve striped bass
In one day. All Of them were taken on
cotton thread. -
The day he took the thirty fish In one
day they ranged from y to 2 pounds In
weight, the smaii flsh being returned
TO tho waters. The day .tiiat he got
eighteen he never changed his line, but
used the same cotton thread, believing
that II It was strong enough to hold tho
last FISH II ought to make good with the
next one. So carrying out the idea he
stuck TO the line until he called II a
day by the bait being used UP.
Probably the largest striped bass that
be ever hooked on "a cotton thread
weighed In the neIghborhood of twenty
pounds. He had the fsh practically
killed under the boat When using cot
ton thread on striped bass II will take
sometimes ten and fifteen minutes to
bring the fish up sufficiently to use the
landing net, and at time like this
the slightest jerk will give the striped
bass its liberty.
Sprung got this FISH UP so close to the
boat that he could see Il; others In boats
near by got O glimpse Of the FISH and
thought It would go heavier. but Sprung
kas such knowledge of the striped bass
that he can estimate almost within the
fraction Of an ounce the weight Of FISH
when he sees Il In the water. He lost
this Ash steering away from the other
boats The thread broke near the lead.
Lou could steer the boat but not the fish
because of the swift current
Secret OF Taking Bass.
what IL the secret Of your being able
to win the championship every yearY' a
SrN man asked Lou. who by a magic
movement Of his wrist, when the bass
takes a FIRST nip OF the worm, "Ccme
Again" Sprung makes Mr.. Bass open
his mouth instantly and taks the whole
bait.
Instantly Lou Sprung. in mind. a;
least. transported himself to Jamaica
Bay. He held his hand in the position
Of circhng the slender resilient rod
the cotton thresders use, and he let the
line fall back just q tr1fie for second
and then snubbed. That was all to It
That's the way / do it." he said.
AS a matter Of fact, II has taken Leu
Sprung years TO know how and whcr
to do that movement Of the wrist that
seemingly drops the bait In tho fsh'i
mouth and then makes the hook pene-
trate. That's the secret OF II. A fish
Is nibbling, II believes for a second thai
the bait. a luscious sandworm or blood
worm, Is ready to drop into its mouth
1t therefore opens and 1t Is that psychic
logical moment, when the champion
bass fisherman OF the Cotton Thread
Fishing Club snubs the hook fast into
you're mine"
Come again" and you're mine" are
the four words that Lou Sprung make:
use of almost entirely when he is telling
you about that big seven FOUNDER, the
| Ave pound fifteen ounce fish, or even q
| FISH Of three and a half pounds that
put up such fight that IL gave hin
such pleasure that he remembers IL ever
| 10 this day.
Always Alert when Fishing.
Probably another reason why Lou Il
so successful Is the fact that he is al
ways on the Job. fishing. alert and keen
and while an angler in the same boa
with him fishing with cotton thread viii
lose his whole rig. or others fishing neal
by will lose theirs. Lou will come bacl
with the same rigging he went ou
with. and br.ng some FISH back besides
And IL anything should happen tina
he is not alert at the first nibble, a
| for instance when he got one Of hi
prize winning fish Che happened to b.
| filling his pipe at the moment) he dropped
| the pipe remarked 10 the fish: Conn
again." and as he felt the least sugges
| ton of nibbIe he let the bait drol
/ back Just n little, snubbed, and added
4 you're mine"
1t is rare that after Lou Sprung say
! You're mine that he does not maxi
good. When he does not make good
Il is infrequently the fault OF the angle
himself, but of other anglers. fshinl
near by, who are unwilling TO stop fish
ing or keep out of the way while Lou /
playing his Ash on the slender cottol
thread.
Space Needed for Thread Fishing
Angling with cotton thread require
much space and the angler cannot al
ways get It In such good striped bas
grounds as Black Wall, Hass5ck Creel
Raunt Channel, CaTtwheel, Hell Cat
and the Trestle. In angling for tn
striped bass. Lou awayH trolls from
launch and constantly keeps his mote
Roing. When he has Ash at the end Q
the line he Immediately puts In operatio
a plan of campaign to take that fish. HI
usual method being to let the engin
run and when the fish has come to III
end of its run to circle in toward III
fish In such a way as To take up slacl
This is after the first run. After this
he keeps the boat coming toward ii
fish 1t Is by the taking up of slac
and keeping a taut line that the chan
plon rarely loses fish or rig. An
no has had striped bIss make runs I
1900 feet.
Banter Makes Lou Cha m pion.
It was a spirit of banter that mad
Lou Sprung the champion bass fshe
man OF the Cotton Thread Flshir
Club. "I told these first members OF Il
club that I could take striped bass
trolling with cotton thread" remaIkC
Lou I'm telling the story yesterda
'They said 1t can't be done
"'Come on out and try cotton threa