JUST ORDINARY OL' PICKEREL 103 



gums, as claimed by many of the old-timers. The 

 " musky," a cousin of the pickerel, loses his teeth 

 in August, while the pickerel itself has a swelling 

 of the gums during dogdays that does not put him 

 in a humor to bite on anything. Late September 

 and early October is about the best all-round pick- 

 erel season, at which time he is found in the shal- 

 lows and at the mouth of outlets or inlets, where the 

 feed is good. 



TROLL AND CAST FOR HIM 



Although trolling is the surest method of landing 

 the pickerel, much sport can be had by casting for 

 him, using light bass tackle. A weedless hook with 

 a small frog, shiner or minnow for bait, and a 

 single spinner is all you need. Row along the weed- 

 beds, about seventy-five feet out, and cast in toward 

 the edge, landing your bait about five feet from the 

 edge. Give the pickerel a little time before strik- 

 ing, as he grabs the live bait and darts back to his 

 lair, there to turn it around in his mouth and swallow 

 it head first. Strike sharply and row away from 

 the weeds. Bear this in mind: he may come up to 

 the boat with ease, but he makes his big effort for 

 liberty after you bring him up to the boat. 



The usual way to get him is by trolling with a 

 spoon or spinner. Take a No. ^/ 2 tandem 

 Slim Eli Hildebrandt Spinner with a treble hook 

 bucktailed or feathered, or a No. 4 Skinner spoon 



