44 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



they have no inclination to forestall the copious repast 

 which awaits them. 



We never saw trout take freely immediately before or 

 during powerful thunder-storms. 



or 



All the writers who have treated on fishing agree in 

 describing the PIKE as the king or tyrant of the fresh 

 waters. He has acquired this title by his extraordinary 

 and shark-like voracity. Anecdotes illustrative of this 

 peculiarity are detailed by numerous authors ; and indeed 

 every body at all familiar with the habits and practices 

 of this fine fish must have witnessed some remarkable 

 proof of the accuracy of the general opinion. 



A few years ago, in a preserve in Lincolnshire, a large 

 pike was seen to snap at a swallow as it poised lightly 

 over the water in search of flies ; and a friend of ours once 

 took seven or eight right good fish out of a pool at the 

 tail of a lock, not far from the Earl of Winchilsea's seat in 

 that county, with a few pieces of uncooked bacon. He 

 went to the spot a well-known resort for pike in those 

 days unprovided with bait; and on his arrival, owing to 

 the extreme clearness of the water and the coldness of 

 the day, he was unable to procure any with his cast-net. 

 The lock-keeper urged him to try a lump of his bacon. 

 In despair of getting any better bait; and unwilling to 

 leave a favourite spot without a trial, he adopted the 

 suggestion, and in a very short time despoiled the pool 

 of its occupants, consisting of seven or eight respectable 

 fish. 



Hundreds of stories of a similar kind are commonly 

 related, and may be found in the fishing-books, but not- 

 withstanding the numerous undoubted instances of his 



