152 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



in fact, it simply stimulates the zest in the antagonism at work. The 

 fish, especially pike, with a minimum of nerve material, anticipates no 

 untoward ending, and, until its vital force is exhausted, it is not dis- 

 commoded, and even then its condition seems to me to be more that of a 

 wearied contestant than of a combatant hopelessly struggling against 

 superior force, yet tortured with a full sight of his inevitable doom. 

 Indeed, I am inclined to the belief that, as the pain of the hook wound is 

 almost nil, the pike enjoys the fight, per se, recognising nothing behind or 

 before, above or below, the combat. 



The whole fallacy which condemns fishing as cruel consists in an 

 ignorance of the vast distinction and difference between fish and some 

 other objects of sport. 



It would be uninteresting and, indeed, superfluous, for me to detail 

 at this place each device and style of angling for this fish. This will be 

 done fully in the section specially referring to tackle. I shall therefore 

 briefly " note" the various baits, appliances, &c., giving such hints as my 

 own experience may suggest. 



The chief of all baits for the pike, undoubtedly, is the dace. I think 

 no one will controvert this statement ; and it is curious to observe, in 

 the experience of the constant jack fisher, what a number of his largest 

 fish are taken with this beautiful little fish. Falstaff, after dismissing 

 his army from his presence, notices the fact in a tirade (solus) against 

 Justice Shallow, who was intended, it is well known, as a caricature of 

 Sir Thomas Lucy, of Charlcote, whose coat of arms contained three 

 white luces. Shakspeare concludes with the words, " If the young dace 

 be a bait for the old pike, I see no reason in the law of nature but I may 

 snap him." I am very fond of a gudgeon for trolling, and still more 

 so of a young barbel for spinning, because of its extreme toughness ; 

 a roach makes a good live bait, and a gold-fish (Gyprinus auratus) is 

 caviare to pike in some localities. Before all, however, I adhere to the 

 dace, and, from careful observation and comparison, I am convinced 

 that the pike shares my opinion. A clean well- conditioned dace is a 

 lively strong fish, and, whether live-baiting or trolling, it resists the 

 deteriorating effects of the stream far longer than any other fish except 

 small barbel. That, at, least, is my experience. Smelts are said to 

 produce a delicate flavour when pike are fatted on them. The Medway 

 pike, certainly, in point of flavour, are very superior to those of the 

 Thames. 



The pike being a fish adapted especially for seizing its prey from 

 below, the only style of fishing available must be that in which the 

 bait is either suspended as in live-baiting or traverses the water as in 

 spinning or trolling. I confess I believe it possible for a jack to take a 



