THE BOOK OF THE PIKE 



of the trip. And yet the bait does not appeal to me; 

 seems * 'unsportsmanlike;" though why a live frog 

 should be sportsmanlike and a live mouse unsports- 

 manlike it is hard to see. Probably we shall never be 

 able to settle that much-argued question to the satis- 

 faction of all. 



Perhaps, so long as I have been discussing live bait, 

 it would be well to begin -my remarks upon tackle with 

 the hook, for that surely is closely connected with 

 bait. In great pike fishing the hook should be large 

 and strong. There is little danger of selecting one too 

 large; the fish can manage anything, and the jaws are 

 almost viselike in crushing power. There are some 

 very good minnow and frog harnesses upon the market, 

 but where they come with hooks already attached, the 

 latter are seldom strong enough to hold a big great 

 pike. A small hook is easily swallowed, a matter to 

 be avoided wherever possible. For average great pike 

 fishing, I would say get a No. i-o hook — it will prove 

 none too large — to which must be attached a strong 

 wire gimp or leader; for when the fish "strikes over," 

 unless the line be protected by such gimp the fish and 

 hook will be lost. Some day someone will produce a 

 frog harness and minnow hook built especially for 

 great pike fishing. Till then we who fish for large 

 Esox must content ourselves with large-sized regular 

 hooks. 



I much prefer hooking the bait through the head, 

 from below upwards. Yes, I know the minnow soon 

 dies, which happens after a few casts, anyway, no 

 matter how hooked. Sometimes anglers insert the 

 hook in the minnow's mouth, out through the gills, 

 and back through the body. Very good, were it not 



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