Paying the Pike. 79 



have been nowhere to him, and the gist of the story was that, while 

 Pat was playing him once, when he got under the boat his head was 

 under the stem and Pat's companion struck the gaff at his tail, which 

 "prothruded under the bow of the cot." They didn't land him, of. 

 course, though equally of course they ought to have done, and likewise 

 "it wasn't anyone's fault" that they didn't; and as the baste was stUl 

 in the lough, of course " my honour might have the luck to land 

 him." 



I wonder how many tremendous lies about monster pike I have heard 

 on Irish loughs ! Scotchmen sometimes have rather vivid imaginations 

 as to the size of fish in their lochs. I remember one old fellow on the 

 coach to Ballater years ago telling me of some lake we passed on the 

 road, where, as he averred, there was " graun pike fish as long as that," 

 opening his arms to their widest extent (about a fathom), "and," he 

 added, " with hair on the backs of their heads." Was there a barber 

 in the lake, I wonder ? 



That a pike will sometimes "fly at you and bark like a dog" we have 

 the assertion of Mr. Briggs himself and his little boy Walter ; therefore we 

 may rely upon that as a fact not to be disputed. 



I have had hold of big pike — how big I cannot say for certain. Tlie 

 biggest I ever landed, however, was only 22|lb., which is a baby compared 

 with the exploits of some of our London anglers, who are the keenest 

 pike fishers in the world; and so closely do they work it, that anywhere 

 within sixty miles or more of London really good pike fishing is the most 

 difficult to get leave for of any. Salmon and trout fishing I can get any 

 quantity of, but pike fishing which is really good is well taken care of; 

 What spoils half of our best pike waters is the want of a suitable size 

 below which fish should not be allowed to be taken. On a good pike water, 

 where the fish will run to 101b., 151b., and 201b., no fish ought to be carried 

 away under 61b. weight. If this is strictly adhered to you may keep your 

 stock up ; but, if it is not, and the water is at all well fished, you cannot. 

 On all such waters the practice of fishing with gorge tackle, too, should be 

 prohibited, as it kills the fish. Pike fishing, too, should not be commenced 

 before September ; and had I a water of my own I should close it on the 



