Bass, Pike, Perch, and Others

by James A. Henshall

If a taut line is maintained, the bass usually hooks himself, but the angler should strike quickly upon feeling the slightest tug, or when seeing the swirl of the fish. One cannot strike too quickly. By striking is meant a simple turning of the hand sidewise, with a perfectly tight line; this is amply sufficient to set the hook. Should the line be slack and lifeless at the moment, a more vigorous movement is required, but even then it is usually too late. When a bass is hooked, the contest should be between rod and fish, rather than between the reel and fish. It is the spring of the rod that conquers him, not the giving and taking of line. If the rod is held firmly, at an angle of forty-five degrees, with the thumb on the spool of the reel, there is no likelihood of a good rod breaking. Line should be given grudgingly, and the fish kept on the surface as much as possible. When exhausted he should be drawn over the landing-net and lifted out quickly, at the same time releasing the thumb from the reel to relieve the strain on the rod.

In fishing from the bank in deeper streams, or from a boat on small lakes, whereby the fish is better enabled to see the angler, longer casts are necessary, or the angler must screen himself from observation by trees or bushes on the bank. The boat should be kept in the deeper water and the casts made toward the shallows of bars, shoals, and weed patches. The best time for boat fishing on lakes or ponds is from near sundown until dark.

CASTING THE MINNOW

The live minnow, shiner preferred, is by far the best bait for the black-bass, as it is more easily seen, and the best way of presenting it is by casting from the reel. For this purpose a rod eight or nine feet long is much better than a shorter or longer one. After a long series of experiments with rods from six to twelve feet, I arrived at the conclusion that the one now known as the Henshall rod, eight and one-fourth feet long and from seven to eight ounces in weight, fulfils all the requirements of casting, hooking, and playing a black-bass. It is light, strong, and of beautiful proportions. In first-class split bamboo it may be as light as six and one-half ounces, but should not exceed seven and one-half ounces. In ash and lancewood, or bethabara, from seven to eight ounces is the correct weight.

A multiplying reel is indispensable. It may be two-, three-, or four-ply, but the best work and the most effective casting can only be done with the most perfect reel. It should be as light as possible, in a fifty or sixty-yard reel. German silver is the best material, though brass is fully as serviceable, and costs less. Some very good reels are made of hard rubber and metal.

Only braided lines should be used, as twisted ones kink too much in casting. Undressed silk, of the smallest caliber, size H, is best. Braided linen is stronger, but of larger caliber, and not so suitable for good casting. Neither can effective casting be done with oil-dressed or enamelled lines.

Snelled hooks on single-gut snells, size No. 1 or No. 2, Sproat preferred and O'Shaughnessy next, are the best in any method of bait-fishing for black-bass. There are several other styles of hooks used, but, everything considered, those named are the most faultless, and for shape, strength, and general excellence cannot be excelled.

No leader is used, as the minnow must be reeled up to within a foot or two of the tip of the rod in casting. The snell of the hook is attached to the reel-line by the smallest brass box-swivel, or it may be tied directly to the line. The casts are made from right or left and underhand, not overhead as in casting the fly. Casts of 160 feet have been made in this way. The chief factor in this style of casting is the proper control of the reel by the thumb—by a gentle but constant and uniform pressure on the revolving spool, to prevent overrunning of the line during the cast, and a stronger pressure to stop the reel at the end of the cast. The thumb must be thoroughly educated to this work, and, once acquired, the rest is easy, as but little muscular effort is required. The novice must begin with short casts and increase their length as he becomes more proficient in the management of the reel. Perfect casting from the reel is more difficult than casting the fly, and more artistic.

In wading a stream the casts are directed to the same likely places mentioned under the head of fly-fishing. The minnow is allowed to sink to half the depth of the water and reeled in slowly, which gives a lifelike motion to the bait when hooked through the lips. If there is no response, the next cast should be made to another spot, as a bass, if inclined to take the lure at all, will usually do so upon its first presentation.

In fly-fishing it is imperative to strike as soon as the bass seizes the fly, otherwise he ejects it at once, if not hooked by a taut line, for he is conscious of the deception as soon as the fly is taken into his mouth. With natural bait it is different. The bass first seizes the minnow crosswise or tail first, turns it in his mouth, and swallows it head first. This takes a little time. Usually he holds it in his mouth and bolts away from other fish, or rushes toward a secure hiding-place—hence the vigorous initial dash and taking of line. If stopped before being hooked, he gives several tugs in quick succession, when he should be given line slowly. The angler, with thumb on the spool of the reel, can feel every motion of the fish. When he pulls steadily and strongly and increases his speed, the hook should be driven in by striking in the opposite direction to his course, or upward. A vigorous "yank" is not needed. With the strained line a movement of the tip of the rod a foot or two is sufficient with a sharp hook.