FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 61 



anything offered it. When hooked it seldom leaps from the water 

 like a bass or salmon, but fights vigorously and rushes and tears 

 about until, wearied with the struggle, it yields to the landing net 

 or gaff. 



There are many methods of fishing for the pickerel. It is trolled 

 for successfully with any of the various artificial baits, such as phan- 

 toms, spoons, and spinners, which may be used with or without bait. 

 Casting and " skittering " is perhaps the favorite method with sports- 

 men, who use a long rod or pole and casting spoon or fish or frog 

 bait. In this method the bait may be made a whole shiner or a strip 

 from the white belly of any fish; a whole small frog, or the skinned 

 leg of a large one, or at times a piece of pork, red flannel, or white 

 cloth, when nothing better is available. In fishing with artificial 

 lures of any kind the pickerel should be struck the instant it bites; 

 Avith natural bait the line should be slackened and the fish should be 

 allowed to retain the bait until it has swallowed it or got it well into 

 the mouth, as it usually takes the bait crosswise, then stops and works 

 it round endwise to swallow it, and does not get the hook into its 

 mouth until it has begun to swallow the bait. 



Still-fishing with live shiner or frog is another method suitable to 

 anglers with less strenuous dispositions. In still-fishing the shiner 

 should be hooked through the back just in front of the back fin with 

 the front of the hook toward the head, with care not to injure the 

 spine of the fish. A frog should' be hooked through the tip of the 

 lower jaw and nose. Fishing through the ice with set lines and hand 

 lines is a common pastime or occupation in many localities. The 

 set lines are used with a " tip-up " flag showing when there is a bite. 

 Hand-line fishing in winter is much the same as still- fishing in 

 summer. 



As a food fish the pickerel is held in esteem by many and disliked 

 by a few. The chief objection to it is its boniness. 



21. Blob. Cottus gracilis Heckel. 



Head 3.3 ; depth 6 ; snout 3.5 ; eye 4 ; dorsal vii, 17 ; anal i, 10. Body slender, 

 not compressed: head large, snout short, wide and blunt, its profile straight 

 and rather steep from eyes to tip; mouth wide, nearly horizontal, no teeth on 

 palatines ; maxillary reaching anterior edge of orbit ; eyes high ; preopercular 

 spine small, concealed, nearly straight or slightly curved upward. 



Origin of spinous dorsal slightly posterior to upper base of pectoral, small, 

 less than half height of soft dorsal and not joined to it; soft dorsal long and 

 high, longer and higher than anal; caudal rounded; tips of ventrals not quite 

 reaching vent ; pectoral longer, reaching anterior base of anal. 



Color in life, in some examples dark brownish gray, the bands almost black ; 

 others much lighter; edge of first dorsal tipped with reddish orange; lower part 

 of 3 or 4 posterior spines dark, making a dark oblong spot, the first 1 or 2 spines 

 also darkish for lower half of their length; anterior part of second dorsal rays 

 each with a mottled orange appearance, though not so evident as the orange 



