3 1 8 Pike-Fishing. 



received in the first encounter, it dashes again at 

 the insignificant creature that dared to wound and 

 hoped to escape. When there is no doubt that the 

 pike is fast on the hooks, get it into the creel with 

 as little delay as possible. For trolling with the 

 minnow in rivers I have a preference for a low, 

 clear water, with a good breeze. 



If an artificial spinning-bait be desired, a good 

 large spoon will perhaps prove as useful as any. 

 The sizes, sorts, and colours to be had in the tackle 

 shops are surely enough to meet the wishes of every 

 angler, if not of every pike, and they need not be 

 detailed here. I prefer one with the outside silvered, 

 and the inside painted red. It generally succeeds 

 best in water passing from the black condition to 

 the clear. A phantom minnow of large size is also 

 a good lure. These, and all other artificial baits, 

 are fished in the same way as the natural minnow. 

 For spinning and live-bait fishing, the water does 

 not require to be so deep as for some other methods 

 of angling for pike ; but it is unadvisable in any 

 circumstances to fish in water of less depth than 

 three or four feet. 



Another means of catching pike is trolling with 

 the dead-gorge bait. This is the method so fully 

 described by IsTobbes, the reputed " father of troll- 

 ing " ; but it need not delay us long. The tackle 

 employed is similar to that formerly described for 



