THE BOOK OF THE PIKE 



almost any game fish, as for that, near a boat than he 

 is imbued with new energy and fighting strength. 

 If it is not the sight of the boat and its occupants, I 

 would like to know what it is that stirs the fish to 

 unlooked-for activity. Never count a great pike 

 played out until it is. 



I am afraid that trolling is not generally under- 

 stood. I realize how foolish that must sound, but I 

 make the assertion only after years of observation 

 and personal study. Watching men engaged in the 

 sport, again and again I have been impressed with 

 the fact that the average fisherman does not under- 

 stand the best and most successful methods of pursu- 

 ing the game. Nine out of ten anglers troll too fast 

 and do not allow sufficient line. This was brought 

 home to me a number of years ago, the incident serv- 

 ing as a starting point for my study. 



I was fishing, trolling, on a small lake with a com- 

 panion. He used a short line, and I a comparatively 

 long one, from 1 50 to 200 feet. I caught exactly three 

 fish to his one. That' convinced me as to the efficacy 

 of a long line. The second point I noticed, which 

 caused me to do considerable thinking, was the fact 

 that every time we "came about" I would get a strike 

 or hook a fish. Finally I came to the conclusion that 

 the slowing up of the spoon in turning around gave 

 the great pike a better chance to grasp the lure. 

 My companion laughed at my "notions," but when 

 it came my turn to row I gradually slowed up, and, lo, 

 we both got strikes. The seed was sown. I began my 

 investigations. Now I can say without fear of success- 

 ful contradiction that what we often call a "fishless 

 water," or a water in which great pike are "off their 



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