Fishing For Black Bass

( Originally Published 1912 )

BLACK bass belong to the sunfish family. There are two species, and they are known respectively as the small mouthed black bass, and the large mouthed black bass. The former is the smaller, and is found in the more northern waters, preferring the cool water of rapid streams and rock bottomed lakes. The large mouth is found in the southern and central sections of the United States, principally, and prefers quiet water, with grassy shores and muddy bottom. Throughout the central, northern and eastern parts of the country both kinds are found, the small mouth being most abundant in the rapid streams and the large mouths being found most plentifully in quiet streams and ponds. One kind or other is found from well up into eastern Canada to the Mexican border, and from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Coast.

When you know what to look for the two species are easily distinguished one from the other. There is a difference in the general build, the large mouth being a heavier and chubbier fish for his length than the small mouth, and less graceful in appearance. The mouth of the large mouth variety extends a little beyond the vertical line of the eye, while that of the small mouthed species does not extend to the eye line. The eyes differ in color sometimes and those of the small mouth show considerable red while those of the other species do not, but this, like the general coloring is not infallible. The shape of the head differs in all cases, as the small mouthed species has a round forehead and the head of the large mouth is hollowed slightly. There is also a difference in the scales those of the small mouth are smaller than the scales of the large mouth black bass.

The color of both varies greatly in different parts and various waters and in some the smaller species is darker, while in other places the reverse is true. The color of either may be anything from a pale greenish yellow, almost white in fact, to a very deep green or almost black. They are always darkest on the back. Either species may show transverse or longitudinal markings on the sides. The longitudinal markings are seen most frequently on the large mouthed species.

In weight the small mouth black bass runs in most waters from two to three pounds, though much larger ones are some-times caught. In most places five pounds may be considered the maximum weight of this fish, but in certain waters they have been known to reach a weight of eleven pounds, and even more. In many places one may fish for years and never get a fish weighing over three pounds. The large mouthed black bass runs somewhat heavier in the central and northern sections, but in the South it grows to a much greater weight, and in certain waters of Florida they weigh from twelve to fifteen pounds and specimens of twenty pounds have been taken.

Black bass spawn in spring, earlier in the South than in the North. The spawning season may commence as early as March in Florida and as late as the middle of May in Canada. In Ohio most of them spawn in May and this is closed season for catching them. A black bass on the spawning bed will bite at anything that is thrown on the bed, but no true sportsman will catch a fish in spawning time.

The food of the black bass consists of all kinds of small animal life to be found in the waters they inhabit. They eat craw-fish, small fish, helgramites, worms, bugs and insects of all kinds that they can get, small frogs, etc. It seems that the food of the larger ones consist mainly of small fish and frogs — a tip for the angler.

There is no other game fish of so much importance as the black bass. The wide distribution of this fish and the fact that it is at home in the thickly settled part of the United States, makes it possible for almost everybody to be a bass fisherman if he likes, and the number of fishermen who seek this fine fish is greater perhaps than the number of devotees of all other kinds of fresh water fishing combined. In the northern half of the Mississippi valley almost every angler is a bass fisherman. The fact that so many means may be employed in capturing this fish is also very much in its favor. The small boy and the grown still-fisher get their share, the live bait fisherman and the artificial bait-caster find this fish their most worthy quarry and the fly-caster also finds that these fish take the fly well and afford a sport unrivaled in its line.

No other fish of its size can or will put up such a fight for its liberty when hooked as the black bass and this is a claim that few will dispute. And after capture too it does not take a back seat for it is a fine food fish.

Fishing with natural bait is perhaps the most common way of taking these fish, anyway it was until in recent years. Small frogs and minnows are the most taking baits for the big fellows and a fish of any size up to five inches may be used as bait. Any black bass large enough to be taken will try to eat a five inch minnow without any hesitation whatever. For this kind of fishing a bait rod of eight or eight and one-half feet, weighing about seven or eight ounces according to quality, a quadruple casting reel of the eighty yard size, a raw silk line of small size sixty or eighty yards, and a box swivel, with a No. 2 hook on a short double gut snell is about the proper tackle. For large bass of the South, or for frog casting use hooks of about 1/0 size. If the fishing is about grass and lily pads, you can use a weedless hook. If you use frogs for bait, or artificial baits, you will want a much shorter and stiffer rod than for minnows and other natural baits, but the frog-casters are in the minority.

Ordinarily one will do his best fishing in morning and evening, but natural bait can be used throughout the entire especially in lake fishing and on streams on cloudy days. The nice days are always best, ideal weather being bright, mediumly warm days with a light breeze and water fairly clear. Each angler, as a rule, has set ideas about weather conditions, water conditions, time of year, etc., but all rules are subject to failure in fishing. One thing is always sure though, and that is that the fish are in more shallow water early and late in the season than during the hot mid-summer, when they retire to deep water if such is to be found. Black bass in lakes and deep streams are less subject to "rules" than those of shallow streams.

The favorite haunts of the small mouth bass are such spots as above and below the riffles, in little eddies beside rocks, under overhanging banks, and about the mouths of the small streams, near driftwood, etc., and these are the places to cast the bait. The minnow bait, also helgramites and other baits of this kind, are allowed to sink about halfway to the bottom, then drawn in or reeled in slowly. It is not necessary to spend much time on any such place as the bass, if he is there and inclined to bite, will do so at once. When a fish takes the bait give him time to turn it head about for swallowing, which he always does. Some-times he starts off with it some distance before he tries to eat the fish and if stopped gives a few little tugs at the bait. If he does that, let him run a little farther when he will try to eat the bait. When he pulls strongly it is time to hook him. ° With other smaller baits he takes the entire bait in his mouth at the first snap and you should hook him at once. Crawfish and such bait are used mostly for still-fishing.

The same methods of fishing are used for both species. The large mouths will be found mostly in quieter water, near grass and lily pads, and sometimes lie in very shallow water among the grass or rushes.

What is fast becoming the most popular method of fishing for black bass is bait-casting, using the artificial baits before described.

Not much can be said of this method, other than what was given in the chapter on bait-casting. The outfit is the short bait-casting rod, same line and reel as for fishing with natural bait, and any artificial bait. The bait is cast to good looking places, and as soon as the bait strikes the water the rod is shifted to the left hand and the line reeled in, not too fast. A surface bait, one that floats, is best for the beginner, and as a rule for others also in still water; for streams the underwater bait works best, especially during midsummer. The bait should not be reeled steadily, but should be moved short distances at a time, and made to dance and wiggle on the water. Each angler has his favorite baits. Small bass will attack a large bait as quickly as a small one, and so will the large ones. They are never afraid of it and the splash of a large bait as it strikes the water will not alarm them. As a rule the largest fish are caught by artificial bait-casting. This may be because the artificial bait is used more than anything else, but more likely is because the big fellows are angered by the tantalizing movements of the artificial baits. As proof of this, a darting spoon bait, making all kinds of eccentric moves, seems to be more attractive than one that merely revolves.

Artificial baits may be used at night for bass and other fish, and are usually very successful as black bass feed mostly at night. The Moonlight Floating Baits are made specially for night fishing, being luminous, and are good for day use too.

Fly fishing for bass is popular with many anglers. It is very successful in some waters but in others bass do not take a fly well. It does not catch as many of the big fellows as the bait methods, but a two pound black bass on fly tackle makes more sport for the angler than a three pounder on a bait-casting outfit, and the fly fishermen are all sports-men. There is no nicer and more enjoyable way of fishing.

Bass will only take a fly when in shallow water, and it is useless to fish for them in this way at any other time. As they feed mainly at night, the best fly fishing is in early morning and late evening, and at such times they will be found on the riffles and in shallow water. Spring and early summer and early autumn are the best seasons for fly fishing. It requires considerable study for best results and the angler should learn the habits of the fish thoroughly, and study their peculiarities, and should also know the waters well. Usually the morning and evening of bright days, when there is a light breeze and the water is clear and a normal height, will yield the best catches.

The fly should be danced gently on the surface of the water and then allowed to sink and float a few inches beneath the surface for quite a distance before making another cast. Lakes should be fished from a boat, but on the streams the angler should wade, and it is generally conceded best to fish down stream, casting out first this way and then that, to all of the good looking spots.

The fly rod is always used for this fishing, and it should not be too light a one, especially for the beginner, neither should the amateur buy an expensive rod to learn with. The reel may be either a single action click, holding eighty yards of line, or an automatic of about the same capacity. A single action reel of 100 yards capacity is even better than a smaller one. These reels will hold only about half that much size E enameled silk line, which is the kind to use. A six foot double gut leader or heavy single one is best for the amateur and a single fly should be used on it. A six foot single gut leader is usually preferred by the experienced fly fisherman, and for daylight use it is better than a short one. Two flies may be used on a six foot leader.

The angler should practice to drop his flies lightly on the water and see that the line or leader does not strike first. Keep out of sight of the fish always, and do hot splash or make more noise than is necessary. When a fish take: the fly you must hook him quickly for he learns instantly that is not a real insect and drops it at once. Keep the line taut so that you can hook the fish at the first move. By casting down stream you will have little trouble of this kind.

As to the flies, an old established rule is to use light and bright colored flies on dark days and in the evening, and dark or sombre flies for bright days. But there are times when this doesn't hold out well. It is a common practice to use two flies on a leader and if the fish does not take one sometimes the other is more attractive. Some one of the following list will be found good on nearly every occasion : Professor, Montreal, Coachman, Royal Coachman, Grizzly King, Parmachenee Belle, Black Hackle, Gray Hackle, Brown Hackle, Abbey, Ferguson, Ibis, Lord Baltimore, White Miller, Seth Green, Oriole, Queen of the Water, Babcock, Governor Alvord, and Silver Doctor. As before stated the brightest flies are best for dull days and the more sombre ones take best on bright days. They are tied on Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 hooks. Nos. 4 and 5 will be best on most occasions. Either a looped or a long snelled fly will do for a tail fly, but the long snelled kind is best for a dropper fly as it can be attached without an additional snell, or length of gut.

Some may hesitate to buy a fly rod And outfit, believing that the same could not be used for any other kind of fishing, but this is a mistake, for you can use any small, light spinning bait or small casting spoon, though it is none too good for the rod to use these much. You can also use salt pork bait as mentioned elsewhere and this is a very effective bass bait. It may be skittered over the surface or used under water.