THE GAMIEST FISH THAT SWIMS

In 1881, J.A. Henshall wrote about the smallie: "He is plucky, game, brave, and unyielding to the last when hooked. He has the arrowy rush of the trout, and the bold leap of the salmon, while he has a system of fighting tactics, peculiarly his own ... I consider him inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamiest fish that swims." With this kind of adoration, it's no wonder that there are bass anglers who fish for bass only and no other species.

But with every passing day human influence on the smallmouth bass populations of North America becomes a more serious problem. Shoreline development, artificially raised and lowered water levels, qhannelization of streams, pollution, wave action from commercial shipping, pleasure boats, and unethical angling practices all affect the fish, especially during their spawning periods. Releasing a few fish is not enough. The problems of the 1980s demand new kinds of action from all anglers. Get involved in conservation projects through a club or by educating youngsters, the anglers of tomorrow. You will help ensure that this little fish which gives us so much pleasure today will continue to do so in the future.

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