PICKEREL. 175 
covered with the ibis feather, or left uncovered, as expe- 
rience shall dictate. Bright spoons are preferable on 
dark days, and for mascallonge the oldest and most suc- 
cessful fishermen use no feathers or fl.annel. Avoid 
purchasing any spoon with small, dangling hooks, or with 
more than three or less than two, or with any fastening 
of any kind except wire or gimp. N'othing else w411 for 
a moment stand the terrible teeth of these ferocious 
monsters. I once had an expensive imitation pearl fish, 
that was fastened with thin brass wire, bitten ofif by the 
first pickerel that touched it. If you use a reel, you w^ill 
of course use your ordinary bass line ; if not, purchase a 
common stout hand-line, and troll with from forty to fifty 
yards out. Your trolling-rod must be short, stiff and 
strong, not over ten feet long, and can be readily made 
by adding a stout top to your but and second joint; 
while, for weed fishing, you must have a long, stiff rod, 
an4 when the fish are heavy and tangle themselves in 
the weeds, which their first rush will often do, you must 
reach your line and draw them out by hand ; by taking 
hold of the wire or gimp, you can readily land a ten- 
pound fish. 
These fish, both pickerel and mascallonge, can be cap- 
tured in immense numbers in the St. Lawrence, at Cape 
Yincent, Clayton, Alexandria Bay and many other 
places ; in Lake Champlain, near Rouse's Point ; and in 
all the lakes of Canada ; but tliey are dull sport in the 
catching and poor food in the eating. Believe no one 
who boasts of the fine flavor of the mascallonge ; cook 
him as you will, he is nothing but a dirty, flabby, taste- 
less pickerel. And as for the sport, carry a blanket with 
