The Pike 



249 



they fall back again into the deeper pools. Their movements are 

 performed so quietly that it is difficult to know whether they are in 

 a pool or not. They are also very difficult to net, for if the bottom of 

 the river be full of mud they will sink into it and allow the net to 

 pass over them. If there is no mud they keep near the surface and 

 watch what is going on, and so keep clear of it. 



Two large pike used to frequent a pool on the river Earn below 

 a weir, which was regularly netted, but the pike always escaped 

 capture. I have often watched their movements from the top of this 

 weir. If they were near the side I was on, and I stood opposite them, 

 they at once moved quietly away, keeping within a foot ot the surface 

 and proceeding sideways often for a distance of 60 yards. As soon 

 as I went, out of their sight they gradually returned to their favourite 

 haunts. When once disturbed they act so warily that it is very 

 difficult to catch them with a sweep-net. A drift or hang net left in 

 the water during night suits the purpose better. 



During hot weather, in summer, many pike frequent shallow water 

 and bask in the sun. Here they can easily be shot. In lochs which 

 contain nothing but pike attempts to reduce their number often defeat 

 the end in view, for only the large ones are captured, and the small 

 ones are left without fear of being molested by their larger brethren. 

 Owing to the small price obtained for pike in the market they are not 

 worth keeping for profit. Those found in stagnant lochs are not 

 at all palatable, whereas those caught in clear lochs and rivers where 

 food is abundant are usually quite good. One often hears of very 

 large pike being caught, but as far as I can learn no pike has 

 been caught in this country during the last forty years whose 

 weight has exceeded 45 Ibs., and very few have been caught 35 

 Ibs. in weight. 



