ST. MARY'S loch — PIKE-FISHING. Ill 



the bottom, and is then slowly drawn up, and again 

 permitted to sink, and thus brought inwards until the 

 cast is completed. Or a running-tackle may be made, 

 consisting of large hooks tied upon gimp, in the same 

 manner as the ordinary minnow-tackle, with one or 

 two large swivels for the purpose of spinning a small 

 trout, parr, or parr-tail, or even the head and half of 

 the body of any of these. There are other and very 

 complicated tackles used for capturing pike, but those 

 we have described are at once the simplest and the 

 l)est. The most important directions to be given for 

 pike-fishing are, to bring the bait carefully to the side 

 of the beds of weeds, or even amongst them if it can 

 be done with safety, and to refrain from striking the 

 fish when he seizes the bait, until he has pouched it. 

 To this end, a yard or two of line should be kept free 

 in the hand of the angler, and given out without any 

 check when the pike has taken the bait, until he has 

 retreated to his hold and begun to swallow his prey. 

 He will often sail slowly about or remain stationary 

 with it in his mouth for several minutes without trying 

 to bolt it ; but, especially when fishing with the first- 

 mentioned tackle, it is necessary to humour him. 

 When, after moving about, he stops for a little, and 

 the angler begins to perceive a strain upon the line, the 

 time has come for striking him ; and frequently exciting 

 runs are to be had, although, upon the whole, the pike 

 is not so lively or powerful in comparison with his size 

 as any of the salmonid^e, while the tackle is so strong 

 that a gi-eat amount of force can be used in exhausting 

 him. When using the spinning-tackle, if a third hook 

 is employed about the middle of the bait, the impa- 



