THE PIKE. 



15 



have to tackle the subject if decent jack fishing in public 

 waters is to be enjoyed much longer. Far different, how- 

 ever, is a day in a real good private water; if everything 

 is favourable the sport to be had would be something to 

 be remembered. There are still, however, a few very fair 

 public pike waters in England, the vast army of fishermen 

 notwithstanding. The rivers and broads of Norfolk and 

 Suffolk being notable examples. The Ouse, as it flows from 

 Buckinghamshire right away down to Denver Sluice, being 

 very fair indeed in many of its reaches ; while the County of 

 Lincoln still upholds its reputation for jack. The best 

 season's pike fishing I ever enjoyed, taking it all through, 

 was had less than ten years ago, when I lived on the banks 

 of the Ouse. During that season I took in public water, 

 with rod and line, during my spare time, which was generally 

 two half-days a week — ^weather and water permitting — 109 

 sizeable jack, not counting the scores put back that were 

 undersized. The most I ever landed from that river in one 

 day was 21, but only seven of them went over 4lbs. The 

 great bulk of my fish have been taken spinning. On two oc- 

 casions at least, I can remember having had more and far 

 heavier jack than the instance just referred to; but they 

 were from a private water, and a good many years ago. I 

 iust mention this as fishermen, in general, like to know how 

 a writer himself has got on ; but I may have to refer to this 

 again, when dealing with the various subjects in the chapters 

 that follow. The anxious novice who would like to become 

 a successful pike fisherman, must make up his mind, if he 

 follows this branch of angling in public waters, to t^vo things, 

 viz., he is bound to catch more fish under four pounds than 

 over that weight, and if he gets three or four jack during a 

 day's spinning or live-baiting, he can consider himself ex- 

 tremely lucky. I should say that pike fishing engaged the 

 attention of our forefathers a good many years ago, and troll- 

 ing with a dead gorge bait, and live baiting, more or less 

 after the fashion that we do it now, were the methods most 

 in vogue. Dame Juliana Bemers, who wrote the very first 

 book on angling that was ever penned, gives some very- 

 queer and amusing instructions in the art of catching pike. 

 I give one or two examples, as they may prove interesting to 



