52 ' ANGLING FOR PIKE. 



home. My ot^ti opinion is tliat no rule can be laid down 

 wliicli can be applied to all, or even the majority of, cases. 

 When the tackle is 50yds. or more from the angler, Mr. 

 Pennell's hard sti-ike, possibly repeated, is necessary to over- 

 come the elasticity of so much line, and to lift it off the 

 water. The same strike, when the tackle is 5yds. from the 

 angler, would assuredly break the line. Then, again, if the 

 bait, and consequently the triangles, are large or plentiful, a 

 heavier strike is necessary than when they are small or few. 

 I can only say one thing for certain — that great judgment is 

 necessary, and that it is particularly in the strike that the 

 novice can be distinguished from the practised angler. The 

 roof of a pike's mouth is bony, and affords bad anchorage for 

 a hook; but the tongue and lower jaw are good holding- 

 ground ; the strike should, therefore, be rather sideways 

 than up. Always be sure that you do not strike on a slack 

 line. First gather in a little line, until you can all but feel 

 the pike, and then strike at once. A harder strike should 

 be made with a pliant rod than a stiff one, and with a short 

 rod than a long one. 



Casting. — In live-baiting, as in most methods of pike-fishing, 

 it is often necessary to cast out the tackle a considerable 

 distance — 50yds. or more. Thames anglers uncoil some line 

 on the ground, put the bait within about 2yds. of the rod-top, 

 hold the rod in the right hand, at right angles to the direction 

 in which the bait is to go, hold the line in the left hand, 

 swing the bait firsfc back and then out in the right direc- 

 tion, letting go the line as the tackle flies out. The line is, 

 however, not altogether released, but passes between the first 

 finger and thumb of the left hand, which gradually close 

 upon it, and gently check the course of the bait until it is 

 about over the spot where it is intended to fall. When the 

 bait and rod are heavy, the butt of the rod, as well as the 

 line, is held by the left hand (in addition to the right hand) ; 

 but as soon as the cast is in progress, the left hand leaves the 

 rod, and sees to the line as before. The line for this kind of 

 casting should be dressed or waterproofed (see page 29). 



On the Trent the line is run immediately off the reel, and is not 



