262 THE PIKE. 



been run through all the rings,) having the bait and foot line just 

 clear of the ring of the top of the rod, to make an undercast throw, 

 allowing the line to pass unchecked through the rings, by which 

 means, with very little practice, you will be able to cast away five 

 and twenty or thirty yards of line with perfect ease. When the 

 bait reaches the water, it should just be allowed to sink, and then 

 the line should be drawn in with the left hand, which will make 

 the bait seem to move along as if alive, though in a confused manner 

 in which apparently helpless condition, a pike, if he sees it, will 

 consider a favorable opportunity to take advantage of, and will 

 make a bold dash at it immediately. When the line is drawn in 

 short, then lift out the bait, drawing in the line, till the tackling is 

 in the same position as when you made your first cast, and then 

 throw in again. You should not be too ready to lift out your 

 bait as it approaches the shore, but play it to the very water's edge, 

 as it is often followed by a pike who will seize it there, fearing it 

 may escape him : und this is one advantage of a short rod, as with 

 a long one, it is not so convenient to draw in the bait so near ; 

 added to which, the advantage obtained in lessening the toil of 

 making continued casts with a long heavy rod, is a very consider- 

 able one. If indeed it is desired, a rod of not more than three 

 feet long will answer the purpose for this particular kind of trolling, 

 and will in the hands of a skilful troller cast out quite as much 

 line as will be required. 



Upon the whole I have found the snap tackle preferable to the 

 gorge, the latter of which sometimes the pikes, though they lay 

 hold of, will only mangle without swallowing. This is particularly 

 the case when you use salt water baits, or even those of the 

 fresh water, if kept too long. 



Some years since I was fishing with a most patient follower of 

 the art in the lower part of the river Test, in Hampshire. The 

 only baits we could procure, having started on our expedition on 

 the spur of the moment, were a few small whitings we purchased 

 in the Southampton fish market, and these certainly not quite so 

 fresh as they had been a day or two previously. We both tried 

 with the leaded gorge for some time without either of us moving 

 a fish. At last my companion repaired to a lock in the Romsey 

 Canal, which was only a stone throw or so from the river. Here 

 he no sooner cast in than he had a run of a pike, but soon the 

 line slackened and a mangled bait was all that was drawn ashore. 



