18 THE PIKES: DISTRIBUTION AND COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE. 



NAMES. 



In America, as in Europe, this fish is known by various names 

 according to locality and appearance. In the British Isles the young 

 is called a "jack" or, sometimes, pickerel. In our own country, 

 probably, the name pickerel is in as common use for this fish as pike, 

 and, intentionally or miintentionaUy, when large it has sometimes 

 been mistaken for muskellunge. It is the "grass pike" of Lake Erie 

 and perhaps of other waters. In Canada it is referred to as pike and 

 jack pike. According to Forbes (1908), in lUinois and elsewhere it 

 is called pickerel. However, with a little scrutiny, at whatsoever 

 size, it can hardly be mistaken for any other species. The presence 

 of scales on the cheeks and absence of any on the lower half of the 

 giU cover easily distinguish it. 



While the color of the fish may vary considerably in some details 

 of shade or markings, as usually observed it may be said to be green- 

 ish gray with yellow reflections and with many white or yeUow spots 

 arranged somewhat in rows, the dorsal and caudal fins bearing round 

 or oblong black spots. , The young are more or less crossbarred. 



SIZE. 



While the muskellunge is stated to be the largest of the pike 

 family, in Europe, if traditions can be beheved, the pike has far 

 exceeded any muskellunge record. One taken at Bregenz in 1862 

 was said to weigh 145 pounds, and one caught in Scotland was reported 

 as being 7 feet long and weighing 72 pounds. 



Smitt (1892) said that the maximum authentic record is one of 

 57.2 pounds, but that pike of that size are of rare occurrence. 



Jardine (1896) presented lists covering a period from 1869 to 

 1896, inclusive, of large pike taken by anglers in England, Scotland, 

 and Ireland, comprising 51 examples ranging from 18 to 37 pounds, 

 which are found to average 25^ pounds. He mentions another 

 found after draining Wliitlesea Mere which weighed 49 pounds. 



Coupled with the alleged great size to which the pike has attained 

 in Europe are unauthentic accounts of instances in which individuals 

 reached a great age, as high as 200 years in some cases. 



In a large lake at the head of a tributary of the Nushigak River, 

 Alaska, the Inuit natives believe that there are pike of fabulous size 

 which they hold in a sort of superstitious awe or fear and concerning 

 which they relate wonderful tales, believing that they attack men in 

 their kyaks and devour them. They say they are longer than a 

 kyak (Fassett). 



In some waters of British America the pike reaches a considerable 

 size. Preble (1908) stated that in the larger lakes it attains a weight 

 of 35 pounds or more. In Labrador Low (1895) said that it varies in 

 weight from 2 to 15 pounds. 



