84 THE PIKE. 



down in earnest. Not caring to go home with a blank, I 

 again tried over a place that I had twice previously thrown 

 over during the afternoon without success, and within the 

 next half-hour five fish going 2 51b. lay on the bank. I am 

 forced to admit that several of my best bags have been taken 

 during a dead calm. I don't think it matters in the slightest 

 when the water is clouded a little as to whether there is a 

 good breeze or not. If the water is very clear then the 

 case is different, a little wind being necessary to hide the 

 angler's movements and the deception of his line and tackle. 

 I have taken jack when spinning in all sorts of weather — • 

 when a gale nearly blew me into the river, when a light 

 chopping wind only just rippled and disturbed the surface, 

 and also when not a breath of air could be discerned. You 

 cannot lay down a hard and fast line in this respect, but 

 speaking generally and broadly I should say, taking all 

 things into consideration, the whole season through, clear 

 water and clouded, a little breeze stands the best chance of 

 sport. As regards the best quarter for the wind to be in, I 

 don't think it matters very much where it is. A strong east 

 wind with a touch of frost that will clean drive the roach off 

 the feed, will sometimes serve to make the pike ravenous. 

 Wind and weather don't matter very much. One of the 

 most favourable conditions to find the water in is after a 

 few frosts have rotted the weeds, then a heavy rain which 

 causes a rapid rise and sweeps the decayed weeds away and 

 washes the jack from out their fastnesses into the more 

 open water. As soon as this flood-water clears away suffi- 

 ciently to enable the bait to be seen fairly well, then that 

 most assuredly is the time for getting sport. I have got 

 jack spinning when the weather has been very warm and 

 summerlike, and also have got them when the frost has been 

 so keen that every few minutes I have been obilged to suck 

 the ice from out the rings of the rod ; when a nor'-easter 

 has been raging ; when the rain has been coming down in 

 dead earnest ; and also during a snowstorm. In spinning 

 during very frosty weather the ice will accumulate in the 

 rings of the rod and cause considerable trouble and annoy- 

 ance. Several things have been recommended to counteract 

 this somewhat, but none of them appear to me to be a per- , 



