BLACK BASS.
Ride of New York.
Practical Hints upon choice of Rods and Tackle.
THE W. P. POND PUBLISHING CO.,
37 W. 24th STREET.
Of Trent or Avon have a dwelling-place:
Where I may see my fly or cork down sink,
With eager bite of pike, or bass, or dace,
And on the world and my Creator think:
While some men strive ill-gotten goods t'embrace:
And others spend their time in base excess
Of wine, or worse, in war or wantonness.
Let them that will, these pastimes still pursue,
And on such pleasing fancies feed their fill,
So I the fields and meadows green may view,
And daily by fresh rivers walk at will.
There is probably no more welcome news for one fond of black bassfishing than a description and general details of where good sportmay be had; and when the individual is a unit in the population of alarge city and suddenly learns that this is obtainable within an easydistance, the information is worth its weight in gold, in hisestimation, if in no one else's. The main object of this paper onblack bass fishing is to supply that knowledge to a large contingent,and also to give a few hints to those, who, fond of fishing, maystill be open to a few practical hints. There are possibly manyfishermen like myself, who, while not unfamiliar with salt-watersport with rod and line, still know and fully appreciate the pleasureof fishing for the fresh-water black bass.
Salt-water fishing is grand sport, but there are many denizens of acity who have been reared in the districts of fresh-water streams,lakes and ponds, who have not had the opportunities of cultivating[Pg 6]salt-water sport, and who even when surrounded with every facilityfor its pursuit, would still be elated at finding some well-stockedstream near at hand. Anglers, as a rule, are unable to go far a-fieldin search of fresh-water fishing, and for six years past it was acontinual thorn in my flesh, mortifying me considerably, that noinformation could be obtained of any good fishing that did notnecessitate an absence of several days.
Last season, entirely by accident, I ran upon a magnificent placewithin nineteen miles of New York City. It is a beautiful spot,easily reached without much expense or trouble and