Early Bass Fishing
One of the very first to write of black bass fishing was Bartram, the naturalist. In 1764 he wrote an account of " bobbing " in Florida for " trout " as black bass are still called in the South. This method, somewhat similar to " skittering," as practiced in the North, consists of manipulating a large treble hook concealed in a tuft of bucktail hair and red feathers called a " bob." This " bob " is tied to a very short, strong line on a long pole. " The steersman paddles softly and proceeds slowly along shore; he now ingeniously swings the bob backwards and forwards, just above the surface and sometimes tips the water with it, when the unfortunate cheated trout instantly springs from under the reeds and seizes the supposed prey." . Bobbing is still practiced but one could hardly call bobbing fly fishing although similar to it in principle and not differing a great deal from the " fly fishing " methods no doubt pursued by our cave-men ancestors in the brave days of old.
