THE PIKE. 01 



to watch the bladder bobbing up, in spite of the exertions of the 

 very largest fish to keep it down ; but there ends the sport, such 

 as it is. Connoiseurs in huxing substitute a live duck lor the ox- 

 bladder, and infinitely prefer the splashings and quackings of the 

 one, to the silent bobbings of the other. In the Shannon, in Ire- 

 land, the people use geese for this purpose, which are said to kill 

 very large fish. 



Trolling is, the only mode of pike fishing which is worthy of a 

 sportsman, or which a genuine angler will condescend to practice. 

 It requires considerable skill and patience ; a good general know- 

 ledge of the habits of the fish ; a practised eye for the quality and 

 condition of the water; an aptitude for choosing the most favour- 

 able spots an art which can neither be communicated nor de- 

 scribed; firm nerves, and a steady, quiet hand. 3n favourable 

 weather, when the sky is clouded, the air cool, and, above all, 

 when there is a fine rolling breeze bending the trees and rippling 

 up the surface of the water into mimic waves, it is a most exciting 

 and fascinating amusement. On such occasions, the fish generally 

 run pretty freely, and afford the angler plenty of opportunity for 

 his patience and skill. 



The rod for trolling should be about ten or twelve feet long. 

 Some, it is true, prefer a longer rod ; and an experienced angler of 

 our acquaintance declares, that a rod of eighteen or twenty feet is 

 preferable to any. < Tor our own part, no matter what the 'kind of 

 nshing, we maintain that a rod can never be too light and manage- 

 able, consistently with the necessary strength. Rods which require 

 the occasional use of both hands, are, in pur opinion, a cumbrous 

 and uncalled for addition to an angler's difficulties. In fishing for 

 the lordly and riotous salmon, it is often absolutely necessary to 

 carry such a weapon : but we have nevei yet seen the fresh water 

 fish which could not be killed with a rod easily manageable by one 

 hand, supposing the angler to possess ordinary patience, and a 

 certain degree of skill. 



The trolling rod should be tolerably stiff, and the fewer rings it 

 has on the better, care being taken that they are sufficiently large, 

 especially at the end of the rod, which should be a fixture, and 

 much thicker than the others. 



The trolling line should at least be fifty yards in length ; and we 

 have found even this, with large fish in broad water, quite little 

 enough. This line should be wound on a reel or winch fixed to 

 the bottom joint of the rod. Some prefer wooden reels or pirns, 

 apparently without sufficient reason. One of the very best troliers 

 we ever knew used something of the sort, and let his line trail on 

 the ground as he fished along. We employ ourselves the winch, 

 as handy and convenient, but do not much relish a multiplier, 

 because it winds up too fast and noisily, and pays out too stiffly. 

 This, however, is a mere matter of taste. 



Everybody has some theory about a line. For ourselves, we 

 prefer a good one of pure horse-hair to every other. In the first 



