,libraries47        ,,black ,,bass4     
,,where ,,to ,,catch ,,them ,,in        
,,quantity ,,within ,,an ,,hour',s      
,,ride ,,of ,,new ,,york4     ,best     
,methods and ,baits fully treated upon1 
with salient   ,practical ,hints upon   
choice of ,rods and ,tackle4            
,weather ,prognostications and          
,atmospheric ,influences ,reviewed4     
,illustration 7handwriting73 ,charles   
,barker ,bradford     ,,new ,,york3     
,,the ,w4 ,p4 ,,pond ,,publishing ,,co41
   #cg ,w4 #bd,,th ,,street4            
,copyright1 #ahhh1 ,w4 ,p4 ,pond  ,co4  
,let me live harmlessly1 and near the   
brink       ,of ,trent or ,avon have a  
dwelling-place3     ,where ,i may see my
 fly or cork down sink1       ,with     
eager bite of pike1 or bass1 or dace1   
,and on the world and my ,creator think3
       ,while some men strive ill-gotten
 goods t'embrace3     ,and others spend 
their time in base excess       ,of     
wine1 or worse1 in war or wantonness4   
,let them that will1 these pastimes     

still pursue1       ,and on such        
pleasing fancies feed their fill1       
,so ,i the fields and meadows green may 
view1       ,and daily by fresh rivers  
walk at will4      --,ancient ,angler4  
,illustration3 ,black ,bass ,fishing    
,there is probably no more welcome news 
for one fond of black bass fishing than 
a description and general details of    
where good sport may be had2 and when   
the individual is a unit in the         
population of a large city and suddenly 
learns that this is obtainable within an
 easy distance1 the information is worth
 its weight in gold1 in his estimation1 
if in no one else's4 ,the main object of
 this paper on black bass fishing is to 
supply that knowledge to a large        
contingent1 and also to give a few hints
 to those1 who1 fond of fishing1 may    
still be open to a few practical hints4 
,there are possibly many fishermen like 
myself1 who1 while not unfamiliar with  
salt-water sport with rod and line1     
still know and fully appreciate the     

pleasure of fishing for the fresh-water 
black bass4  ,salt-water fishing is     
grand sport1 but there are many denizens
 of a city who have been reared in the  
districts of fresh-water streams1 lakes 
and ponds1 who have not had the         
opportunities of cultivating salt-water 
sport1 and who even when surrounded with
 every facility for its pursuit1 would  
still be elated at finding some         
well-stocked stream near at hand4       
,anglers1 as a rule1 are unable to go   
far a-field in search of fresh-water    
fishing1 and for six years past it was a
 continual thorn in my flesh1 mortifying
 me considerably1 that no information   
could be obtained of any good fishing   
that did not necessitate an absence of  
several days4  ,last season1 entirely by
 accident1 ,i ran upon a magnificent    
place within nineteen miles of ,new     
,york ,city4 ,it is a beautiful spot1   
easily reached without much expense or  
trouble and within an hour's ride by    
rail4 ,in all my search1 this is the one

 spot ,i care to recommend to my        
readers4 ,take the cars from ,jersey    
,city to ,rahway1 ,n4 ,j41 and upon     
arriving there walk to a small village  
called ,milton1 half a mile west of     
,rahway2 pass through this1 continue    
half a mile further west1 and you will  
reach ,milton ,lake4 ,an hour and a     
half's time covers the distance4 ,i     
generally take the one-thirty p4 m4     
train1 and return in the evening2 but   
trains run almost every hour to and from
 ,rahway4  ,milton ,lake is a body of   
water about a mile square1 with two     
outlets1 one falling over a picturesque 
stone dam twenty feet high into a stream
 about ten feet wide2 and the other     
outlet1 a small stream flowing through a
 mill-gate to the ,milton ,mills4 ,in   
each of these streams there are plenty  
of bass1 but in the lake proper and in  
the little brook that flows into the    
upper end of the lake1 they are in      
abundance4 ,i pass the lake itself and  
follow the little stream for about half 

a mile until ,i come to ,white's ,farm4 
,this ,i have found to be the finest    
fishing ground4 ,the stream is about    
eighteen feet wide at the narrowest part
 and from fifty to sixty at its widest4 
,it rises miles upon miles back in the  
country somewhere1 and runs rippling and
 chattering over the shallows1 surging  
silently over the pools until it empties
 into the lake4 ,i have never fished    
higher than ,white's ,farm1 being well  
satisfied with the sport obtained there1
 but the resident farmers tell me that  
there is even finer fishing up stream4  
,like the average fisherman1 ,i am more 
or less superstitious1 and having always
 had good luck at my favorite place 7the
 edge of a fine piece of wood1 which1 by
 the way1 contain a few woodcock71 ,i do
 not care to seek further1 and1 perhaps1
 fare worse4  ,here1 where the stream   
branches off from a wide pond-like      
section1 and slowly flows past two dozen
 or so fine willows on either bank1 ,i  
have made a rude seat in one of the     

trees1 and using a coat for a cushion1  
have spent many pleasant hours2 not     
always fishing1 but on hot summer       
afternoons1 shaded from the sun1 just   
letting my line run out in the water1   
careless about either rise or catch1 in 
quiet repose1 looking at the beautiful  
natural landscape around me1 fairly     
enchanted with its rural splendor4 ,then
 ,i feel that for a short space1 at     
least1 ,i have thrown off the burden of 
a busy life1 and can quietly absorb all 
that ,dame ,nature thus generously      
affords4 ,i see the silvery             
sky-reflecting stream winding its       
peaceful way through the rich pasturage1
 under the rustic bridge1 past the line 
of undulating willows1 that1 moving with
 the faintest breath of air1 seem ever  
bending down to kiss its ripples2 past  
the green banks and orchards1 on through
 clover patches1 and sedge-lined        
promontories1 flashing like burnished   
metal at the rifts1 black as night in   
the pools1 dappled and flecked by the   

mirrored clouds1 kissed into cat's paws 
by the faint breeze2 on it goes until   
its farther course is lost in the shadow
 of the olive-green woods that tower in 
massive darkness against the soft       
amber-colored clouds and pale blue sky4 
,the watchful kingfisher1 perched on the
 other side of the stream1 eyes me      
askance but has no great fear at my     
presence1 the splash of a disturbed     
turtle or the heavier fall of a diving  
frog calling for his more earnest       
attention4 ,bass are leaping in every   
direction2 far up on the hillside sounds
 the bell of a cow2 nearer still calls  
,bob ,white2 robins are piping2 the     
wrens are chirping2 a hungry crow       
dismally cawks1 and all these sounds    
mingle with the music of the millions of
 trilling nameless tiny insects         
concealed in the deep grasses below me  
and in the fluttering leaves over-head4 
,what greater pleasure can a busy man   
wish for than to now and again leave    
life and the world behind for a few     

hours and amid surroundings like these  
smoke and chat with a congenial friend1 
in pleasant shade1 until the sun sinks  
towards the ,west1 and the work of      
fishing begins4  ,one can fish equally  
well from bank or boat4 ,the stream     
sides are grass-bound and flower-decked 
to the very water edge1 affording dry   
and safe footing1 with here and there a 
fence to lean against1 or hang your     
impedimenta upon4 ,a little to the left 
of the farmhouse is the orchard1        
succeeded by a wood of nut and oak      
trees1 which slope to the banks of the  
lake1 and under whose shade bass may be 
caught at any hour of the day1 be the   
sun ever so hot4 ,the water here is deep
 and cool1 and ,i use it as a swimming  
ground4 ,it is also a fine place to cool
 drinks in4 ,a bottle of ,piper         
,heidsieck or a bottle or two of beer   
slung into the depths of the pool with a
 stout cord1 can be drawn up an hour    
later cool as a snow stream in the      
mountains4 ,a little distance above a   

rustic bridge spans the stream1 under   
and on either side of which1 just in the
 shadow line1 a dozen or more fine bass1
 weighing up to four pounds each1 may be
 seen at any time4 ,as one crosses the  
bridge they raise their weather-eye and 
look up1 but do not move1 whilst        
hundreds of young bass1 an inch or two  
in length1 shoot from the innumerable   
crevices like so many fresh-water       
shiners4 ,the very foundation of the    
bridge seems to be alive with them4     
,there are also a number of giant       
sun-fish here which seldom refuse a     
bait4 ,at daybreak on fine mornings1    
when camping there for a day or two1 ,i 
have caught in less than an hour half a 
dozen two-pound bass1 not counting other
 fish and small bass which ,i tossed    
back4 ,i used one of ,chubb's ordinary  
silk trolling lines and one of ,abbey's 
spoons1 which1 by the way1 to my fancy  
spin more freely and better than any    
others ,i have used4 ,this ,i worked    
sometimes from a small bark canoe and   

sometimes from a wooden one1 which ,i   
keep at the farm1 and use to paddle up  
and down the stream between the willows 
and the bridge1 or upon the lake itself4
  ,many men prefer a boat and oars1 but 
,i find a light canoe infinitely        
preferable4 ,the double paddle makes    
less splash than the oars1 and if one   
can use the ,canadian single blade1 it  
does not make any noise at all4 ,added  
to this it is easier managed1 one sees  
where one is going1 and it can be lifted
 with one hand from stream to lake1 and 
lake to stream4  ,the fish under the    
bridge are very tempting1 but also very 
wary1 and the residents say they are but
 seldom caught from the bridge itself4  
,one day ,i cast a yellow-body fly1 7a  
clumsy affair1 but the best ,i had1     
having lost my fly book on the cars7 and
 as it fell on the water ,i let it drift
 under the bridge1 more in carelessness 
than by intent1 and as it reached the   
rich bank of green weeds out of my      
sight1 ,i felt the tug and magnetic     

vibration that every angler knows so    
well4 ,quick as a flash ,i dropped from 
the bridge to the bank1 ran knee deep   
into the stream1 and fighting the fish  
clear of the structure and reeds1 landed
 a three-pound five-ounce beauty at my  
side on the bank4 ,that's the first fish
 ,i've seen caught from the bridge1 said
 an admiring native1 and it was the only
 one ,i ever caught1 although my line   
has dropped there many times before and 
since4  ,now ,i know the trick4 ,i made 
a stout cord fast to a stump above the  
bridge1 and let my canoe float down     
under and through the bridge1 then ,i   
cast my fly1 and a boy sitting in the   
bows slowly pulled me through again up  
to the stump4 ,the fish seeing no       
splash1 only the passing shadow of the  
silent canoe1 took my fly readily1 and  
in the early morning ,i was sure of a   
fairly good catch4 ,if fished for from  
the bridge1 they will lie there1 and    
never move a fin2 the current is weak1  
and if scared away by a stone or twig1  

they will return in a second or two1    
almost to the same spot4 ,i fancy the   
first one ,i caught was not a regular   
bridge bass1 but was one swimming up    
stream at the edge of the weeds in      
search of his breakfast4 ,now if any of 
my fishing friends think they can catch 
these bridge bass1 ,i will guarantee to 
show them 7or they can go and see for   
themselves7 from six to a dozen of the  
beauties lying there at any time4  ,when
 ,i do not succeed with them to my      
satisfaction1 ,i get some one to        
systematically drop stones and drive    
them up stream1 where1 perhaps out of   
pure unadulterated cussedness1 they seem
 to readily take a fly4 ,a great        
advantage of this spot up stream is that
 the baby bass and sun fish give but    
little trouble4 ,the principal nuisances
 are the large eels4 ,if the line       
touches the bottom for an instant an eel
 seems certain to be waiting for it1 and
 ,i would as readily handle a squid as  
an eel4  ,my brother1 who frequently    

accompanies me1 is not a fisherman and  
prefers fishing for eels1 and by a rule 
of contrariness the bass bother him     
quite as much as the fresh-water snakes1
 as ,i call them1 bother me4  ,among my 
troubles ,i must not forget the mud     
turtles and snappers4 ,they1 too1 are a 
nuisance when baiting with worms1 and   
anyone who desires a few of the         
shell-backs can be abundantly           
accommodated4  ,for more than two miles 
of this lovely stream any man who knows 
how to handle a rod or throw a fly can  
land1 or at least hook1 some of the     
liveliest two to three pounders he could
 wish for1 and although bass vary in    
their tastes at different periods of the
 day1 ,i know nothing better than the   
common trolling spoon as a regular      
thing4 ,there is one pool where ,i would
 almost be inclined to wager that ,i    
could get a strike with either spoon or 
fly every ten minutes during the first  
two hours of daylight1 or from five to  
eight in the evening4 ,that is saying a 

good deal1 but it is a fact4  ,the best 
fish ,i caught last season was when ,i  
was going up stream in the canoe near   
the mouth of the lake and close to the  
right side4 ,by a sudden movement ,i    
shot under some willow branches4 ,i was 
just letting my line run out after a    
weed strike and was holding the paddle  
in my left hand1 with the line between  
my teeth1 using my right hand to give a 
good push to clear the boughs1 when zip1
 zip6 a beauty seized my bait as ,i     
floated out4 ,i got nervous1 upset my   
canoe and rolled into the water1 but    
waded on shore and landed my fish4 ,he  
weighed four pounds1 seven ounces1 live 
weight1 and ,i have his head and tail   
and a clear conscience to prove it4     
,the last half day of the season ,i was 
fishing at ,milton ,lake1 and ,i caught 
eighteen fine bass1 and two eels1 the   
latter as large round as a policeman's  
club and as dirty and slimy as usual4   
,eels always remind me of a skinny      
circus contortionist4 ,when ,i am       

unfortunate enough to hook one1 ,i      
generally make a clean cut of two yards 
of silk line1 hook and all1 and tie him 
up to the fence1 or bow stay of my      
canoe4 ,i would willingly let all of    
them go again only from a lingering     
remnant of a boyish superstition that   
they would go and tell all the bass how 
horribly indigestible my bait was4  ,i  
remember catching a big snapping turtle1
 weighing about twelve pounds1 in the   
lake one day4 ,when ,i pulled it up1 my 
companion grabbed it1 and ,i really     
think ,i would have jumped overboard but
 for the fear that others might be      
around to make things more pleasant for 
me for jumping from the frying pan into 
the fire4 ,i suppose a salt-water       
fisherman would have yelled and danced  
for joy2 ,i am not built that way4 ,when
 ,i fish for bass1 ,i want bass1 and    
when ,i fish for turtles--,no6 ,i would 
not want them even then4 ,the next one  
that takes my bait can have pole1 line1 
hook and all4  ,the bass in the lake are

 innumerable1 but they are more         
difficult to catch than those in the    
stream1 a fact which pleases the true   
fisherman1 who fishes to match his skill
 and science against the instinct and   
cunning of the fish1 rather than with   
the one sole intention of making his bag
 larger than that of any preceding      
angler4  ,remember the lake bass want   
sport more than food1 and the bait must 
be handled in a lively manner to bring  
success4 ,some fifteen years ago this   
water was stocked by some wealthy       
,jersey men1 and1 from what ,i can      
learn1 not half a dozen expert anglers  
have visited its waters in the past ten 
years1 and there is no record of anybody
 ever having fished the stream ,i here  
describe4  ,last season ,i only met     
three strangers at the lake1 but they   
never seemed to catch anything beyond   
eels1 turtles1 sun-fish1 and a few two  
inch bass1 the name of which they did   
not even know1 and ,i got into their bad
 graces by telling them they ought to   

return the bass into the lake4 ,they    
thought ,i was a crank1 in fact one of  
them told me so4 ,these men were        
salt-water sports1 and one man who came 
there from ,newark1 ,n4 ,j41 was        
actually baiting with shrimps for       
fresh-water bass and had no less than   
eight hooks upon his line1 all baited   
with shrimps4 ,this man also told me    
that there were no decent fish in the   
lake1 and strange to say1 this appears  
to be the general opinion of the few    
visitors4  ,i met one good fly fisherman
 a year ago1 who had several fine       
beauties on the bank4 ,he had taken his 
stand behind my tree before ,i arrived1 
and he was an artist4 ,we became good   
friends and promised to meet again1 but 
have not done so as yet4 ,he agreed with
 me that the lake was full of beautiful 
fish1 and that they were a trifle hard  
to catch1 which fact we both agreed was 
very good for the interests of the true 
lovers of the art of angling4  ,another 
fine place for bass within an easy      

distance of ,new ,york is ,greenwood    
,lake1 which lies half in ,new ,york and
 half in ,new ,jersey4 ,it is on the    
,erie railroad and has several good     
hotels and a club house open during the 
summer4 ,guides are to be had at a      
moderate figure1 and the fishing during 
the last three seasons has been good4   
,lake ,ronkonkoma1 ,long ,island1 is    
another good fishing ground4 ,take the  
,long ,island railroad to the depot at  
,ronkonkoma2 from there stages run to   
the lake during the season4 ,distance1  
about two miles4  ,tuxedo ,park is      
confined to members of the ,tuxedo ,park
 ,club1 and has a fine supply of large  
and lively bass1 which take a fly       
remarkably well4  ,at ,lake ,hopatcong1 
,n4 ,y41 bass are plentiful1 but without
 a guide little good is to be done4 ,it 
lies on the ,morris and ,essex railroad1
 two hours ride from ,hoboken4 ,during  
the summer a very good house1 the ,hotel
 ,breslin1 is open4 ,this hotel was     
first opened last year1 is exceedingly  

moderate in its charges1 is well fitted 
throughout1 and is by far the best house
 of them all4 ,there are several guides 
at the ,lake1 the best average of them  
being ,morris ,decker1 who has an island
 in the lake on which he lets out tents 
to camping parties1 supplying them with 
all necessaries at reasonable terms4 ,he
 is well posted in the various feeding  
grounds1 and with him good sport is a   
certainty1 if the weather is right4     
,there are some very large bass here4   
,mr4 ,eugene ,c4 ,blackford has caught  
several at four and a half pounds1 and  
five and a quarter pounds4 ,one was     
caught three years ago weighing eight   
pounds two ounces4 ,there are plenty of 
good pickerel1 and anglers are but      
little annoyed by sun-fish or eels4     
,there is a fine fishing club-house on  
,bertrand ,island1 which is very        
exclusive4 ,the best bait here has      
proved to be live bait1 minnows1 or     
frogs4 ,now as regards bait for         
still-fishing1 ,i have tried almost     

everything at odd times4  ,bass are very
 peculiar fish as regards feeding4      
,sometimes they take one bait right     
along all day1 and at other times will  
change morning1 noon1 and night1 also   
from sunshine to cloud4 ,i generally    
start in the early morning with         
grasshoppers1 and if that does not suit 
them1 ,i vary it to the                 
helgramite--known to naturalists as the 
larv of the horned corydalis1 locally   
called dobsons1 dobsell1 hellion1       
crawler1 kill-devil1 etc4--a live       
minnow1 small green frog1 small         
bull-head1 or a lamper--local name for  
small lamprey eel4  ,the dobson is the  
most stable bait for still fishing1 and 
a good plan is to pass a piece of silk  
under the shield in the back and then   
pass the hook through that2 the same    
scheme is equally good with             
grasshoppers4 ,towards evening1 ,i found
 worms a very good bait1 except when    
rain threatened4  ,in using a minnow1 ,i
 pass the hook up through the lower lip 

and out the nostril2 it then lives a    
long time4 ,some anglers hook through   
both lips1 the lower one first4 ,hooked 
either way1 a dead minnow moves like a  
live one4 ,i always treat a minnow as   
,izaak ,walton spoke of a frog1 as if ,i
 loved him4  ,the angler cannot be too  
careful of his minnows4 ,i change the   
water frequently1 not waiting for them  
to come up to breathe2 it is then too   
late1 and they cannot be resuscitated4  
,in hot weather ,i place a piece of ice 
in flannel on the top of the pail4 ,a   
little salt added to the water is a     
great improvement1 about as much as will
 lie on a silver quarter1 to two gallons
 of water4 ,fifty minnows to a five     
gallon pail with a handful of weeds to  
keep the fish from bruising themselves1 
is about the right proportion of fish to
 space4  ,of all baits the old ,florida 
bob1 ,i think1 is still the most        
effective4 ,it was mentioned by         
,bertram1 in #agfd1 and is still used4  
,it is made by tying three hooks back to

 back1 invested with a piece of deer's  
tail somewhat in the manner of a large  
hackle1 studded with scarlet feathers1  
forming a tassel or tuft similar to that
 used on the trolling spoon4 ,if this be
 thrown with a sweeping surface draw    
under trees or bushes1 it is almost     
irresistible4  ,on the spoon ,i always  
run a lamper or a minnow1 and for slow  
water1 like the stream at ,milton1 or   
for lake fishing1 ,i manufacture one as 
follows3 ,a spoon not more than three   
quarters of an inch in length4 ,if you  
cannot buy one so small1 get one made by
 some working jeweller or metallist4    
,then slide a round black bead as large 
as a pea on your line just above your   
hook1 letting the spoon be above it4    
,this will be found to spin in the      
slowest water1 and1 as every bass fisher
 knows1 the slower the rate of          
progression1 the better1 so long as the 
spoon is spinning4 ,i seldom use any    
sinker at ,milton ,lake1 there being    
little or no current1 and the trees as a

 rule keep off any wind4 ,in the stream 
,i generally drift down1 letting my line
 float in front of the boat1 and getting
 well down stream troll back up stream1 
to drift down again4 ,for the benefit of
 the tyros ,i may here remark1 that     
success in trolling for bass1 ,i think1 
depends largely upon a perfect knowledge
 of the depth of water1 and that the    
bait should be kept about eighteen      
inches from the bottom all the way4 ,i  
study the pools in my favorite streams1 
locating them by trees1 etc41 on the    
bank1 and then judge the depth my bait  
lies at by the angle at which my line   
runs from my mouth or pole to the water4
 ,this will1 with a little practice1    
tell me at what depth my bait is        
swimming4 ,dobsons and small bull-heads 
,i obtain by striking the large rocks in
 the rifts and shallows with another    
large stone1 and setting a net fixed    
upon a bowed stick behind it4 ,the      
bull-heads and dobsons will float1      
stunned1 into its meshes4 ,i have also  

found them clinging to old spiles       
supporting a dam1 or submerged          
stonework4 ,they may be kept alive any  
length of time if placed in a can       
containing rotten wood4 ,they are the   
best shallow water bait for still       
fishing4 ,my experience is that it pays 
better to buy bait than hunt for it1    
which takes up time and tires one4  ,an 
all important point is the best day for 
fishing from a weather point of view4   
,we all know the varied ideas and       
superstitions of fishermen1 and truly   
there is a great deal to be said in     
favor of many of the theories when      
backed by actual observation4  ,bass are
 found in different localities at       
different times2 in the early part of   
the season they will be found on the    
rifts where1 of course1 the water is    
warmest2 the best bait at this time is  
the helgramite and larv2 as the season  
advances they will move to the deeper   
still water that lies under the bushes  
and trees1 taking insects and flies2 and

 later still1 they will be found in the 
deep holes1 lying under rocky ledges1 or
 where gravel has fallen from the banks 
and been washed away by the spring      
freshets4 ,at this period the best bait 
is small minnows1 crayfish1 molluscs1   
etc4 ,yet without rhyme and reason1 ,i  
find they may at any time be found in   
deep water one day and in the shallows  
the next4  ,as a rule ,i fish the       
shallows until the reeds1 rushes1 and   
other aquatic plants fringing the deeper
 waters are well grown2 then ,i try     
among them1 finding flies give the best 
sport4  ,for bait fishing1 it really    
does not appear to make much difference 
what weather is around1 so that the wind
 is not a cold or chilly one4 ,the fish 
in deep water are not so easily affected
 as those in the shallows1 and very good
 sport may be had even in a stiff       
breeze1 if moderately warm and fine4 ,in
 fact some wind is necessary for black  
bass fishing1 and it is better to have  
too much than none at all4 ,one reason  

for this is1 that wind ruffles the      
surface of the water and renders it more
 difficult for the fish to see the      
angler4  ,this is a point of greater    
importance than is commonly supposed4   
,fish both see and hear well1 and the   
idea that they cannot see is based upon 
the great difference visible between an 
artificial fly and a real one4 ,as a    
matter of fact few men could tell the   
difference between them when in the     
water1 the surface being covered with   
froth and suds from an eddy or foam and 
bubbles from a rapid1 the surface       
ruffled by a fresh breeze1 and shadowed 
by drifting clouds4 ,i have frequently  
seen bass dart like an arrow and seize  
the bait from a distance of thirty feet4
 ,a sombre suit of clothes1 the hue of  
which mingles with the foliage or       
verdure1 is a wise precaution1 for fish 
undoubtedly see1 and see remarkably     
well4  ,how often have we seen a bright 
glistening substance like a sleeve      
button or a coin1 dropped into water and

 swallowed immediately8 ,i have known   
bass to be caught on a bare bright hook1
 and the funny stories one laughs at    
about wintergreen berries and fish      
scales proving attractive bait are not  
so much out of probability4  ,in the    
,southern ,states a belief exists that  
bass are always on the feed when the    
moon is above the horizon1 particularly 
at rise and set2 many old experienced   
fishermen will only fish during the last
 quarter until the new moon4 ,the same  
variety of ideas exist regarding rain2  
one angler believes that bass will not  
bite before a rain1 another during a    
rain1 and still another after a rain4   
,as a matter of fact they feed          
irrespective of rain1 but of course we  
have all found the best time is         
undoubtedly just after a rain1 because  
of the great number of insects and larv 
that are washed or shaken into the water
 from the overhanging branches of trees 
and bushes4  ,one reason why they do not
 take the bait so well just before the  

rain is because of the lull that takes  
place1 causing the water to become flat 
and still1 so rendering objects1        
especially the angler1 more distinct4   
,the bass is a very wary fish1 and      
requires but little to make them uneasy 
and shy4 ,night and morning is the best 
time for bait fishing1 unless the       
weather be cold2 then from about #c to  
#f p4 m4 ,for fly fishing1 two hours    
after sunrise and one hour or two before
 dark will be found the most tempting   
time4  ,in lake fishing it is always    
best to run out to the deep water and   
fish in towards the shallows or feeding 
grounds1 as the boat being in the deeper
 water is not so conspicuous to the fish
 in the shallows4 ,when a bass is       
hooked1 ,i always work toward deep      
water1 so as to play the fish freely and
 avoid snags1 rocks1 weeds1 etc4  ,if   
fishing from a bank1 ,i get as near the 
level of the water as possible1 and when
 a fish is hooked1 ,i head at once to   
the deepest water practicable4  ,i find 

it a good plan to let the bass have the 
bait from two to ten seconds1 according 
to the way he takes it2 then strike at  
once1 giving him line freely1 but       
keeping the thumb on the reel as a drag4
 ,click reels are an abomination4 ,i    
never jerk the rod1 but hook with a     
twist of the wrist1 remembering the     
golden rule that from the moment a bass 
takes the bait until he is landed the   
line must be kept tight1 as one second  
of slack line will lose him4 ,the point 
of the rod ,i keep bent by the pull of  
the fish1 which is made to fight for    
every inch of line4 ,i reel in whenever 
practicable and kill the fish on the    
line4  ,i never let a fish get among the
 weeds2 ,i coax him off if possible1 but
 if this is not practicable1 ,i give him
 the butt1 and either get him away or   
break the pole1 which is preferable to  
losing the fish by weeds or snags4 ,when
 thoroughly exhausted1 ,i land him1 of  
course1 but am never in a hurry4 ,if a  
pole net be used ,i sink it under him   

and gently lift it until the fish falls 
into it4  ,in order to appreciate black 
bass fishing to the full1 considerable  
attention most assuredly must be paid to
 suitable tackle4 ,any boy may catch    
sun-fish1 suckers1 or trout with a bean 
pole1 a piece of cord for a line and a  
rude nondescript bait4 ,black bass are a
 fish of an entirely different type1 and
 the day when a black bass rod was      
considered to mean one weighing two     
pounds and measuring sixteen feet1 with 
a chalk line1 and a reel like a small   
clock1 is delegated to the far off past 
of ten years ago4 ,some few of the old  
anglers made their own rods1 and scored 
heavily in their takes of fish1 to the  
wonder and amazement of the other       
fishermen who still adhered to the old  
heavy pattern4  ,my idea of the best rod
 for black bass fishing is the happy    
medium between the trout fly rod1 and   
the trout bait rod4 ,the one ,i         
generally use is eight feet three inches
 long1 weighs nine ounces1 is           

three-jointed1 the balance perfect1 and 
the bend true from tip to butt4 ,it was 
made by ,h4 ,h4 ,kiffe1 #cah ,fulton    
street1 ,brooklyn4 ,i have killed many  
bass with this rod during the past two  
seasons1 some weighing as high as four  
pounds1 and have also caught pickerel   
weighing eight pounds with the same     
pole4 ,the butt is white ash1 and the   
second joint and tip finely selected    
lancewood4 ,the butt has a wound grip1  
and the metal tip is of the four-ring   
pattern1 the strongest and lightest     
made4 ,i prefer standing guides4 ,some  
people prefer ,greenheart or ,wasahba   
for tips1 but lancewood or red cedar is 
the best1 ,i think4  ,the great fault in
 many rods is want of back1 which       
results from a too slender butt4 ,this  
produces a double action in the rod1 and
 prevents a clear satisfactory cast4 ,in
 ,england this quality was made a       
specialty for salmon rods some years    
ago1 it being supposed that it increased
 the length of the cast4 ,recent        

experiences proved this to be a         
fallacious idea1 and such a rod required
 quite an education to use with any     
degree of accuracy4  ,if a man can throw
 a minnow thirty yards with any degree  
of accuracy1 he should be well          
satisfied1 as that is more than         
sufficient for average bass fishing4  ,a
 peculiar1 but1 ,i think1 mistaken idea 
is that a rod should be in proportion to
 a man's size4 ,one can understand this 
idea in regard to a gun for which a man 
should be measured as for a coat1 but   
with a rod it is different1 and should  
be made to vary with the type of fishing
 practised4 ,the difference in weight   
being only a few ounces exposes the     
foolishness of this theory4 ,all that   
matters is the question of balance2 if  
that is all right1 the size or weight   
matters very little4  ,a more important 
point is1 that a cheap rod is always a  
dear rod1 in price alone4 ,as in        
anything else1 work and quality of      
material go for everything1 and if a    

good sound rod is required1 a fair price
 must be paid to some good maker for it4
  ,the line is a most important item1   
and it is always best to give a good    
price for a hand made line turned out by
 a good firm4 ,the braided line to me is
 the perfection of excellence4 ,i do not
 like a tapered line at any price4 ,next
 to the silk line ,i prefer the silk    
grass lines of the ,japanese4  ,the     
finest hooks in the trade are made in   
,england1 where special attention has   
been paid to this industry for over two 
hundred years1 the town of ,redditch    
being supported almost exclusively by   
the hook factories4 ,the best are the   
,sproat1 ,cork-shaped ,limerick1 ,round 
,bend ,carlisle1 and ,hollow ,point     
,aberdeen4 ,the hook is of the most     
vital importance to the fisherman1 and  
the best shape is that where the point  
of the barb is turned round towards the 
shank4 ,first class hooks are always    
japanned or black2 the inferior ones are
 blued1 and these1 if subjected to a    

heavy strain will straighten right out4 
,the black bass is extremely liable to  
cause this1 as it always struggles hard 
both in and out the water from the      
moment of hooking to the final gasp4 ,a 
hook with the proper bend will never    
pierce foul1 but will strike right      
through the mouth1 never springing out4 
,regarding flies1 every man has his own 
opinions and fancies4 ,my own favorites 
are the ,marston1 ,w4 ,h4 ,hammett1     
,keader1 ,silver ,ibis1 ,vermont1       
,imperial1 ,la ,belle1 ,royal ,coachman1
 ,blue ,jay and ,claret1 made by ,c4 ,f4
 ,orvis1 of ,manchester1 ,vt4  ,as to   
spoons1 most people use far too large a 
spoon for bass1 ,i am sure2 even the    
dealers do not recognize this fact1 and 
are continually pressing pickerel spoons
 upon their customers who do not happen 
to know better4 ,my idea of a bass spoon
 is one no larger than one-third of an  
ordinary teaspoon for the hand-line1 and
 for rod use one even still smaller4    
,artificial insects may be used in      

surface fishing1 but only the most      
skillful anglers should expect success1 
as the manipulation of them requires    
exceedingly delicate service4  ,i       
believe that the black bass will        
eventually become the game fish of the  
country4 ,trout streams are drying up by
 reason of trees being cut down2 mills  
and factories being erected1 and dams   
holding the water half stagnant during  
half the year4 ,this must eventually    
deal a death blow to the trout1 and even
 now the votaries of black bass fishing 
outnumber those of the trout ten to one4
  ,one last piece of advice ,i offer    
you1 is to always reel the line         
carefully after fishing1 as a man would 
clean his gun after shooting4 ,guide it 
to its place with the thumb1 and run it 
from side to side of the reel like      
cotton on a spool4 ,this will let it dry
 evenly and prevent all bunching and    
snarling4 ,it is just as easy to do this
 as not1 and the habit once gained will 
become a mechanical act1 and save you   

lots of trouble and time before and     
afford you good pleasure after you begin
 fishing4  ,illustration 7decoration7