November 20th, 2000
The Old Bass Ground
by Francis H. Buzzacott (1913)
Our boat was a clumsy, leaky scow, made from an old barn door;
Our poles were long and springy cane, bought at the village store;
And the bait? Well sir, there’s nothing that Bob and I ever found
To equal a lively meadow frog on the Old Bass Ground.
I recall the whopping “Bronzeback” I hooked after dark one night.
He pulled like sixty, thrashed about and after an awful flight
Got off! Gee! What a big one! I knew by the pull and sound
But we couldn’t coax his out again from the Old Bass Ground.
You don’t mean it, Bob! The bass is still there? In that same quiet spot?
The bend of the little river, down by the old back lot?
Tomorrow is June? Hang business! I’ll go with you, for I’m bound
To find that grizzled “Bronzeback” I lost in the Old Bass Ground.
~ Francis H. Buzzacott
Credit: Excerpt from The Complete Sportsman’s Encylopedia
Published by The Lyons Press.
We thank them for use permission.
Originally published December 08, 2002 on Fly Anglers Online by Francis H. Buzzacott.