South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-11

When the sun begins to come
north on its six months journey
and the cold winter days are fol-
lowed by the balmier air of the ap-
preaching season, we all get that
same desire to take a few hours or
more often a few days off and get
out on the river, lake or stream
and demonstrate our ability to bear
out some of the exaggerated state
ments We have <been handing out to
our fellow sportsmen during the
long winter evening talks around
the corner grocer's stove. All true
followers of Walton know the salts
faction that is realized when we tell
our friends how we landed that
big one after he had lodged under
the boat a few times and how after
a most desperate struggle we sue
Ceeded in getting him into the boat
just as he broke from the hook.
and how we have filled the mind
of some non-angling friend until ne
has decided that he will surely take
a fishing trip this season and enjoy
some OF the sport that he has long
been missing, according 10 our mar
ratiyes About the only cure for
satisfaction is TO get out for a few
days and try your luck. One of
the chief charms of angling is that
IL presents an endless field for argu-
ment. speculation and experiment.
In fishing the unexpected happens
as often or more often than the eX-
peCted. There are no rules in the
game of angling 1t pays any fish
erman TO make a study of the fish
he IS after and their habits. The
angler who fishes TO the continuity
Of depth and distance from Snore
line has a better chance of win
ming than the fellow who angles at
haphaZard. I can safely say that
the angler who works the hardest is
the most successful. The old rule
of persistence and common sense
wins out in the long run against
faint heart and poor Judgment
Everybody naturally starts out in
the spring after bass. but il is not
always this species that is found in
the creel on his return home. l
don't mind telling here about
trip taken in the early spring a few
years back with a friend, also a
bass fisherman. When we hit the
stream we separated, my friend GO
ing up stream, and I tried, failed,
and towards evening. not having
landed a single bass, I finally re-
sorted 10 worm fishing and was for
tunate enough 20 land "a pound
sucker. AS We met in the evening
I asked my friend what luck he
had met with and he replied that
he had only caught one. about
pound; but he did not offer 10 show
me the fish. After quite a spell he
popped the same question at me
and ] told him /. too, had caught
but one which hefted around
pound. Nothing more was said by
either OF US until we were about
TO part for our respective homes.
when my friends suspicion got the
better of him. and he asked to see
my bass 7 told him If he would
show his I would DO likewise. and
the showdown proved them both 10
be suckers.
We all have that natural instinct
20 SO 20 the wildS where all cares
are forgotten. and fishing certainly
furnishes a fine excuse. We do not
need the fish 10 sustain life. and
pork - really much cheaper when
we foot up our expenses at the end
Of the season. but fishing has that
charm OF making US forget our
selves and our cares and tribula-
tions. and boy doing so renew our
hold on life and happiness. which
is In my opinion. more important
than all the book learning and
money grabbing in the world. No
real sportsman can withstand that
strong impelling instinct that clam
ors for a fishing trip when he feels
-r-.r-n 49, - tho so, In Ia.