BASS, hits (originally barse, AS. baers, the perch). The name of many fishes, chiefly and most correctly applied to those of the perciform families Serranida' and Centrarehidie. The for mer family include the Salt-water Bass, repre sented typically in Europe by the sea-perch (Morons labrax, formerly called Labrax lupus), to which the old English name 'hasse' first applied. This is common in the Mediterranean and in British and Dutch waters, swimming in shoals and entering estuaries and streams to spawn. It may reach feet in length, and is highly esteemed as food. The nearly related American striped bass. or rockfish, Morone tincata (see colored plate accompanying article TriouT), often reaches a weight of 30 to 90 pounds, is distributed along the entire east coast of the United States, ascending at times 30 to 50 miles above the tide-water line, is very abundant, and enters rivers in the spring to spawn. It is one of the most important American food-fishes, and has been introduced by the United States Fish Commission to the Pacific Coast, where it has now become numer ous and valuable. Angling for this fish is one of the foremost sports along the eastern coast as far north as the Bay of Fundy, where they congregate in great numbers. Various methods are employed, as trolling, in Chesapeake Bay, etc.; but the customary method is to cast in the surf with a rod and reel, the former like a sal mon-rod, and the reel capable of holding 200 to 300 yards of line. The season is July, August, and September, when the fish approach close to the shore, schooling in the surf, and entering bays and rivers. Hence such rocky shores as those from New York City to Cape Cod are favorable; and the finest of sport is enjoyed from out-reaching rocks at the entrance of Buz zards and Narragansett bays, where expensive stagings are often erected for convenience. Liv ing bait of great variety is used, and very long and skillful casting is required, success being re warded by an exciting tussle with this strong and spirited fish, calling for the highest skill. In the upper waters of the tidal rivers, when found resting below the rapids, it will take a gaudy fly very greedily, and give fine sport.
The yellow bass (Moronc interrupta) of the Lower Mississippi Valley, the white perch (Marone Americana) of the Atlantic Coast (but also sometimes landlocked), and the white bass, or white perch orone ch•ysops), of the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley. are all excellent food fishes, and are true bass. Other marine fishes are sometimes styled bass, as the weak fish and various relatives, which are `sea bass,' one (Cynoscion °bilis) being the 'white sea-bass' of the Californian markets. In the Southern
States the drum (Pogonias) is so known.
The Fresh-water Bass belong to the sunfish family. Centrarchidtc, and are prominently rep resented by the two black bass of sportsmen— the small-mouthed ( ieropterus dolma ice ) and the large-mouthed ( Micropterus salmoides). In waters east of the Alleghanies they are imported fish, getting into the fludson through Canal as early as 1825. They were first planted in the waters of eastern New York and the other Middle States nearly fifty years ago, a small quantity having been brought in 1853 from the Youghio gheny River and planted in the Baltimore and Ohio Canal, whence they found their way into the Potomac. Susquehanna, Delaware, and other rivers. The small-mouthed bass prefers clear, run ning streams, but the large-mouthed prefers quiet waters. The latter grows to a larger size, an ex treme weight being 20 pounds, a not uncommon weight 6 to 10 pounds. Both are variable in color and highly esteemed for food, and both are among the best, if not the very best, game-fish of the United States.
The fishing varies as to time and apparatus. In the Great Lakes, at certain haunts, like the Bass Islands, in Lake Erie, catches are made only in spring and fall, when the fish are leav ing or returning to their winter haunts. Troll ing with a rod is a favorite method in lakes and ponds. The most artistic and enjoyable way is to cast with rod and reel, using either a live minnow or a fly. Special tackle has been devel oped for this purpose, the fly-rod being as light and comely as that for trout. though somewhat heavier tackle must be used on lakes than along streams, where a rod 10 feet long suf fices, with a fine line, very strong leaders, and hooks less than No. 2. The flies used are larger than those for trout, brown, red, and black 'hackles' being for general use. A shorter and, by a trifle. heavier rod is used for minnow-casting. The time for bass-fishing in the Gulf States is in autumn and winter; in the Northern and Central States in May and June, or in September and October. This is with reference to their peculiar habits of midsummer spawning in nests.
Other species in this family are the rock-bass or red-eye (Ambloplitcs rupestris) and the cal ico or grass bass (Pcnoxis sparoidcs). both good food fishes, and much used in the Mississippi Valley. See Plate of FRESII-WATER BAss.