The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-25

weight of twenty-five pounds in |
Florida though in many localities it
does not exceed in weight five or six
pounds.
The largest-mouthed bass I have
ever seen taken by Dan s. Holt from
merry, and weighed eight pounds.
his private fish pond near Montgo- |
The largest large-mouthed bass of
which l have any authentic report of
ever having been taken in Alabama
weighed twelve pounds, and was taken
by Rudolph Willis in Miflin Creek in
the southern portion of Ralwin county.
This bass was seen at a certain point
in Miflin Creek many times and had
been hooked several times but had
broken up the anglers tackle. Mr.. Will
lis however equipped himself with "a
particularly strong casting line and
succeeded in landing the fish with a
wooden -minnow
Recently when I was in Florida. 1
had the pleasure of going fishing with
r. o. Collins of Tallahassee. who is an
expert angler, who informed me that
about a week before my visit to Flori-
da he had taken four bass in Wakaula
River which is twenty-five miles
south of Tallasassee, the largest
weighing fourteen pounds and the
smallest twelve pounds.
THE BASS AS A GAME FISH
Perhaps the most accomplished and
scitifil black bass fisherman of all
times is DR.. James A. Henshall of Gin
cinnati. who has written many very fine
books on the black bass. Concerning the
black bass as game fish, DIR. Henshall
says:
THE black bass is eminently an Amer.
lean fish; he has the faculty of asserting
himself and making himself completely
at home wherever placed He Is plucky
brave and unyielding to the last when
hooked He has the arrowy rush of the
trout, the untiring strength and bold
leap of the salmon, while he has a sys-
tenn of fighting tactics peculiarly his
own. He will rise to the artificial fly
as readily as the salmon or the brook
trout, under the same conditions and
will take the live minnow, or other live
bait, under any and all circumstances
favorable to the taking of any other fish.
| consider him inch for inch and pound
for pound, the greatest fish that swims.~
And from my experience with this
matchless fish l am prepared to state
that Dr. Henshall has not underestimate
the gameness nor the fighting qualities
of the black bass
CASTING FOR BLACK BASS
l believe am safe in asserting that
every red-blooded fisherman when once
he has taken a black bass either bait
casting or fly casting and has exper-
fenced the Incompatible thrills of match
ing his wits against the matchless quick
ness and pluck Of the black bass, will
ever afterwards not only become a de-
votee of scientific fishing but will also
develop into an ardent fish conservation
list.
+ The matchless charm found in the pic
turesque environment of lakes and
streams, the favorte haunt of the elu-
sive black bass, is the lode-stone which
draws men from their luxurious homes to
endure what otherwise would be to them
extreme hardship in order to enjoy the
thrill of feeling the shimmering silvery
mass at the end of their lines and to
witness the wonderful leaps the bass
makes into the air in mad and frantic
dash for liberty.
There is well recognized aphorisln
amongst fishermen that matter of
taste in fishing tackle is never debatable
BLACK BASS LURES
There are numerous rods, reels and
lines. which are perfect, any one Of
which will render black bass fisherman
excellent service and infinite pleasure.
For myself l prefer. when it is cloudy
or when the water is roily or when there
is strong wind. a light colored bait;
however, when the water is clear and the
sun is shining brightly and the wind is
not blowing. I prefer a darker lure.
have had my best success in casting
for bass with underwater lures. No def
mite rule, however, can be laid down for
the use Of lures, for it is a fact recog-
nized Of all scientific fishermen that fish
themselves are eccentric and will scorn
today the lures they took ravenously yes
terday, but 1t is a part Of the art Of fish
ing to ascertain by asking the fish
themselves what lures on . particular
day they prefer
HABITS OF BASS
During the winter months black bass
school up and when 1t is very cold go
into deep waters. In the spring. summer
and fall months when the bass are feed
ing and storing up for the winter, they
select each for himself a certain bunch
of lily pads, tree root. stump or
log, or some similar medium of conceal
ment and Turk within its shadow
for his prey eager to dart out and de-
your any unsuspecting minnow. crawfish,
or frog, which may pass his way.
When az big bass Is caught out Of a
particular hole within few days an
other will usually go into the same place.
have taken seven large bass from
under a particular clay root, during a
single Geason When a bass has estab-
lished his habitat in a particular place.
he will not permits any other bass to
encroach upon his territory. This Is
especially true in reference to large bass.
BREEDING HABITS
The spawning habits of the black bass
are splendidly set out in the bureau OF
fisheries document No. S2o. as follows
Black bass will nest in the spring
when the water temperature rises above
60 degrees F. Ordinarily So degrees F. will
bring about deposits Of eggs but if the
season is backward one. the fish may
spawn at So degrees f. On the other
hand an unusually advanced reason may |
not bring results until the temperature
exceeds IS degrees or IS degrees F.
Suitable temperatures for spawning
prevail in the more southeriy states as
early as February; in the latitude or
Tennessee, in March; in Southern I'LL
nois, during April; In Iowa. during May:
and In northern Minnesota. in June. The
spawning season extends over two or |
more weeks, and is usually marked by |
two periods of intense activity, following
a rise in tAmnaratnra after several days |