THE PIKE 375 



the water, too, if a gun be fired over the surface on a still 

 warm day. 



Just after a winter's daybreak is the best time to catch 

 a pike. He is on the feed then, all his fins working, looking 

 out for prey. During the day he does not feed much, but 

 takes his dinner in the evening. During the winter he 

 seldom feeds at night. Sometimes during the winter, when 

 the river is laid, he will get into the reed-beds after fry ; and 

 if a good quanter goes in after him, he will soon " muddle " 

 him up ; for he easily loses his head, and can be caught. 

 Pike soon give up, too, if chased under the ice ; but they 

 will not be " muddled " into a bow-net, going round 

 and round it, but always avoiding it. Still, they will go 

 into bow-nets of their own accord, in the spawning season 

 especially. 



Many "fisherman stories" have been told of the enormous 

 pikes to be caught in the broads ; but thirty-two pounds odd 

 is the largest I can hear of, though I know one of these 

 thirty-two pounders was shown at a large exhibition, and 

 labelled forty-two pounds. Barber assures me he never got 

 a pike weighing thirty-three pounds ; nor have I ever yet 

 met any one but an amateur fisherman who has caught a 

 pike in the broads over that weight. Such fact may have 

 been, however. 



Pike do not like salt water ; some of the old Broadsmen say 

 "it tarns them blind," but that "I must leave." Pike are 

 best fished for in windy weather (easterly winds excepted). 

 An especially favourable season is a northerly wind suddenly 

 coming after the weathercock has stood in the west or 

 south-west for a long period. They are all on the feed then, 

 and eat ravenously, especially if there be a good breeze, or 

 even if it be drizzling, without the good breeze. A south- 

 easterly breeze too is favourable, but if the wind back to the 

 east you will not get fish. 



The commonest bait used on the broads is a small roach^ 

 which is got with a cast-net. The caster stands in his 



