THE BOOK OF THE PIKE 



moody fish which the fly-fisher can rightly regard as 

 his own than the great pike. When he will, he will ; 

 and when he won't, he won't. That is about all there is 

 to it. In unrelieved hot weather, such as comes in 

 midsummer, when most of us are compelled to take 

 our vacations, undoubtedly the early morning hours, 

 from six to nine o'clock, are the most prolific in rises. 

 Strange to relate, I have had indifferent success in the 

 evening as a rule, though there have been occasions 

 when evenings have been good. When the atmosphere 

 has been heavy, possessed of that something which we 

 say presages a thunderstorm, I have found the fish 

 rising freely. And, too, there have been days of this 

 sort when I failed utterly to bring them to the surface, 

 though they would take an under- water or live bait 

 freely. Again, let me emphasize what I have said 

 before: When it comes to fly-fishing at least, the great 

 pikes are about as moody fishes as flirt caudal fins in 

 the eager angler's face. 



The methods of the great pike fisher might fittingly 

 be described as emphasized or exaggerated black bass 

 casting. The methods of handling the lures are prac- 

 tically identical. The feathers are cast into likely 

 spots and allowed to sink for a minute or so, or until 

 some six or eight inches beneath the surface, then re- 

 trieved with a tantalizing movement. Such a move- 

 ment causes the feathers or hairs to open and close, 

 fanlike; where the red tag or "tail" is used, disclosing 

 it with every jerk. It is very striking, and from the 

 great pike's point of view, attractive. The particular 

 pattern of fly is not so much a matter of importance, 

 so long as it is bright and commotion-making. I 

 much doubt if, strictly speaking, it is true fly-fishing; 



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