6o THE PIKE. 



on the end of a length of gimp, which gimp is threaded 

 right through the bait from the vent to the mouth, and kill 

 fish on it, too. Others, again, use two trebles threaded in the 

 same manner. I very seldom saw more than two trebles on 

 a spinning flight used down that river. In nine cases out of 

 ten the pike of those fast streams would grab the bait near 

 the tail, while in a lake or very slow running stream they 

 would seize it in a much more deliberate manner, and gene- 

 rally crossways nearer the head, necessitating a slightly dif- 

 ferent tackle to what is so effective down the Trent. Some 

 anglers seem to consider that it is also the correct thing for 

 a spinning bait to travel at a very fast rate through the 

 water, and to spin brilliantly and evenly, so that when drawn 

 through the water it appears to travel in one straight and 

 even line ; my own experience is not in favour of this theory^ 

 A pike, although a greedy fish, does not like too much 

 trouble in capturing his prey. A small fish in difficulties, 

 or one wounded, is far more likely to be the victim than a 

 dace or small chub in the full power of its strength and 

 swiftness. I find that a spinning bait which travels in all 

 sorts of curious ways to be the most attractive ; in fact, as 

 just said, the more it looks like a disabled and wounded fish 

 the more likely is the jack to follow it. A dace in full 

 health and strength when startled will shoot through the 

 water like a flash, and Mr. Pike has sense enough to know 

 that it is a lot of trouble to openly pursue that quarry, where- 

 as a wounded one in trjdng to swim away from danger will 

 turn from side to side and make all sorts of curious curves 

 and twists in its endeavours to reach a place of safety. In 

 my opinion and experience I find that the nearer we can aj> 

 proach this motion the more likely are we to attract 

 the attention of the pike. Some spinning flights are made 

 with three or four treble hooks and fixed in the bait all down 

 one side ; and most likely these hooks are three or four sizes 

 too big. In a flight of this description it is very nearly 

 necessary that the bait should turn over rapidly, so that the 

 rank arming of hooks is not presented too glaring to the 

 pike. I have never yet found that large sized hooks and 

 too many of them are an advantage, rather the reverse. I 

 have often wondered why the makers of tackle should re- 



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