156 THE PIKE 



great speed, and (as the pace of the bait through the 

 air begins to slacken) should be gently checked with 

 the finger, or it will certainly over-run. As the bait 

 touches the water, the reel must be stopped altogether. 

 These are practically the only directions which can be 

 given in writing, but if they are acted upon, an hour 

 or two's patient practice with this admirable form of 

 spinning gear will enable the would-be pike spinner 

 to give a very good account of himself. 



How a pike should be struck is a matter which 

 has been much discussed, and on which there is 

 even now a considerable difference of opinion. One 

 authority advises his readers to strike and strike again 

 until the pike begins to plunge and show oy its 

 motions that it feels it is hooked. Another advises 

 that there should be one good hard strike. A third, 

 that there should be no strike, but a long, drawing 

 pull, and plenty of pressure put upon the fish to force 

 in the hook. As a matter of fact there is no general 

 rule to be laid down, unless it is that the strike or 

 the strain put on after striking should be sufficient to 

 get one or more of the hooks into the fish's mouth. 

 Before a cast is made glance at your tackle, notice 

 how many hooks there are on it, whether they are 

 large or small, and the size of the bait. If a flight is 

 used on which there are four or five large triangles, 



