38 



The Gentle Art of Angling. 



taken. I have fished the greater 

 part of a day with live bait, care- 

 fully searching every likely spot 

 without being flattered by a single 

 run. I took the live bait off, 

 killed it, and mounting it on a 

 flight began spinning the same 

 water, and was rewarded by taking 

 four jack in rapid succession. I 

 have not the least doubt that 

 these fish had seen the bait they 

 took spinning many times under 

 conditions of helplessness that 

 made it an equally easy prey. It 

 was simply the method of offering 

 the bait that made the difference. 

 Spoon baits and phantoms are 

 offered without effect, then a 

 " halcyon " spinner searches the 

 water, is seized, and verily the 

 angler has his reward. Variety 

 affects preferences. The angler 

 who has the good fortune to 

 put something before the nose 

 of a pike that he has not seen 

 before, in imitation of fish, fowl, 

 or good red herring, is very 

 likely to get on fighting terms 

 with him. 



Pike-fishing with a fly is a 

 delightful pastime. Wherever a 

 spoon or phantom may be used 

 with success, it serves its purpose. 

 On a hot August day it may be 

 cast by a heavy trout or a grilse 

 rod. I have had excellent sport 

 on the river with the fly. The 

 pike during hot weather lie close 

 enough to the surface to be 

 attracted by frogs, or other water 

 food worthy of their attention. 

 I have never been fortunate 

 enough to get any very heavy 

 jack that way, which forces me to 

 the conclusion that big specimens 

 lie deeper in the water ; but seven 

 and eight pounders are by no 

 means unusual. Six inches of 

 fine gimp should be attached to 

 the fly, the rest of the cast being 

 made of salmon gut. I prefer 



3 yds. in length. Along the margin 

 of weeds in deep pools and quiet 

 eddies the fly may be any moment 

 stopped, and an exciting piece 

 of sport enjoyed. It should be 

 worked so as to travel in short 

 jerks, a movement well known to 

 salmon anglers. Under the head 

 of salmon angling this method of 

 working the rod will be more 

 fully described. 



Pike play their very best held 

 by a single hook ; they are of 

 course handicapped by a mouth- 

 ful of tackle, and give in much 

 sooner. Any kind of gaudy pat- 

 tern suits ; 2/0 and 3/0 standard 

 hooks are good sizes. The body 

 should be made of broad silver 

 twist, packed underneath to give 

 it bulk, with plenty of golden 

 pheasant, peacock, scarlet ibis, 

 and jungle cock mixed in the 

 wings. Dyed seal fur, fiery brown, 

 claret and scarlet, forming alter- 

 nate coils, with the silver twist 

 running down the body, makes 

 another good pattern. This fly 

 must be cast overhand, as in trout 

 fishing, and there must be no 

 delay in striking the fish when he 

 takes it. Good salmon gut lends 

 itself to firm holding, and, pro- 

 vided the rod is equal to it, there 

 is not much fear of a smash. The 

 great danger lies in the tendency 

 of the pike to run into thick 

 weed covering. On no account 

 must this be permitted. Some- 

 thing must give way if he buries 

 himself amongst the reeds. Trust 

 in your rod and tackle and hold 

 him well up. He will show him- 

 self amenable to reason if firmly 

 handled, and will suffer himself to 

 be drawn away from the hiding- 

 place which is his only chance 

 of safety. In clear water the 

 strain may be relaxed, and the 

 issue will be simply a question of 

 strength versus science. 



