SMALL WATERS AND TYPICAL DAYS 55 



first was a mass of brown glistening rotten vegetation. 

 This had to be cleared away in great wisps with the 

 hand, whereupon the pike, being free from swaddling 

 clothes, made a brisker effort. However, he was 

 pretty well exhausted, the weeds having wrapped him 

 well around the head, stuffed his mouth, and pro- 

 bably plugged his eyes. 



He was brought to book at last, though I had 

 to lay the rod down in the boat and perform the 

 gaffing myself. It was a pike of 19^ lb., and the 

 notable point of the capture was that the fish had 

 been hooked foul with one branch of the triangle in 

 the pectoral fin. That is why I have the head pre- 

 served among the few settings-up I have allowed 

 myself during long years of fishing. 



The most disappointing excursion I ever made 

 for pike was to the Friesland meres. In many re- 

 spects it was an interesting expedition, but most un- 

 satisfactory to an angler. In the absence of definite 

 information, I had reasoned myself into the conclu- 

 sion that a series of lakes which were exactly like 

 the Norfolk Broads must be the best of pike water ; 

 as a fact, more pikey-looking water could not be 

 wished. It was very nice, of course, to have the charter 

 of a comfortable Loynes yacht, and to cruise for 



