THE PIKE, 



75 



him one way as another, if he bolts right under the weeds^ 

 why he is as good as lost ; but if you can keep him near the 

 surface the chances of getting him out are good. If you 

 really cannot do this owing to the fish being a large one^ 

 you will have to chance it and let him go and trust to luck 

 to land him. In spinning over deep waters, or indeed any 

 waters, and a hooked jack suddenly, as it were, stands on 

 his tail with his upper part straight above the surface, opens 

 his jaws and gills wide, and shakes his head like a savage 

 dog, you stand a very good chance of losing that fish ; but 

 don't be flurried, keep the line tight; if you let the line go 

 very slack he will probably shake the hooks out. A tight 

 line is the only way to save that fish if it can anyhow be 

 saved. A hard and fast line cannot be set down as to how 

 a pike should be played. The angler should consider the 

 circu stances attached to each individual place, and lay his 

 plans accordingly. I certainly have found it the best to 

 take prompt measures if the cast was in a dangerous place, 

 and trust to having a broken tackle. And, finally, while I 

 am on with the subject of playing and landing a pike, I 

 may say that if a large landing-net is used don't on any ac- 

 count try to use it until the hooked fish is well within reach^ 

 And then use it as promptly and quickly as possible ; get it 

 well under him and lift him speedily out before he has time 

 to jump out again. In using a spinning tackle the hooks are 

 liable to catch in the net before you get the fish fairly in 

 as well, and if this happens you will be landed in a sweet 

 little difficulty, and in all probability lose the fish. I found 

 the best plan was to hold the pike's head above the surface, 

 run the net up behind him, and scoop him out at once. In 

 some waters it is a frequent occurrence for hooked pike to- 

 leap a couple of feet or even more into the air; when 

 this happens, if you keep putting a heavy drag on the line 

 you are liable to part company at once. The best plan is 

 to instantly, as soon as he jumps, lower the rod point, and 

 very slightly ease the pressure of the finger on the edge of 

 the reel, so that he could have a yard of line if necessary, 

 taking care, however, that the line is by no means slack; 

 the pressure should always be tight enough to prevent the 

 reel from paying out more loose line than is required- 



