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THE THAMES ANGLER. 



THE PIKE OR JACK. 



The distinction between the above two appellations is, that a 

 Jack becomes a Pike when it weighs o lbs. The Pike is a most 

 unpleasant neighbour to all other fish whose misfortune it is to 

 be smaller than himself, save the Perch and Tench : the former 



. .. 



THE PIKE. 



because even the ferocity of the Pike cannot stomach the array 

 of sharp points on the back of the Perch ; and the latter because, 

 as it is said, the Pike is aware of the Tench's medicinal proper- 

 ties, and is loath, therefore, to attack the family physician. 

 Pike spawn in April, generally in ditches at the sides of the 

 water they inhabit: and when the food and water are favourable, 

 this fish grows very fast. They are in season from May to the 

 end of February, or beginning of March ; the best time, however, 

 for Pike fishing is, in my opinion, from October to January. 

 The Pike is decidedly the most voracious of all the freshwater 

 tribe ; and many are the anecdotes related of his boldness when 

 excited by hunger. I have caught one weighing only 4 lbs. with 

 the remains of another of his own species, of about 1 lb., half 

 gorged in his throat. I have had the same fish come at the bait 

 three times after he had been hooked and torn himself away. 



These fish grow to an immense size, and in all the fishing 

 books stories may be found of their attacks on clucks, geese, 

 swans, and even eagles. I was at the catching of a Pike by Mr. 



