26 THE RIKE. 



caught and retained, also that where there was one 

 angler twenty years ago, there are scores at the 

 present time, fully accounts (I think) for the 

 depletion of pike in English waters. It is a greater 

 achievement to capture a 15 Ib. pike now than it 

 was to catch one of a score pounds previous to the 

 " seventies." An Act should be passed making 

 it illegal to retain jack under 3 Ibs., then anglers 

 would soon find these sporting fish increasing in 

 our rivers and lakes. Having cast aside "jack- 

 hood," to what age (irrespective of accident or 

 capture) will a pike attain ? This is a disputed 

 point. Pennant refers to one ninety years old ; Sir 

 Francis Bacon says forty years is more likely to be 

 the maximum ; and Dr. Badham instances a pike 

 in the College pond at Cambridge, that had " seen 

 out many a generation of bed-makers and ten-year 

 men." If Sir Francis Bacon was correct, a forty- 

 year-old pike that had increased at the moderate 

 estimate of 2.\ Ibs. per annum, would at its death 

 weigh a cwt. I have often wondered why the 

 largest pike are females. In the early months of 

 the year, when pike have paired, on catching a 

 female, say of 20 Ibs., and "going for" and capturing 

 her mate, I have generally found him to be about a 

 12 Ib. fish. Is it because males seldom attain to 

 the splendid developments and proportions of 

 " pikesses," or that the latter prefer to mate with 

 young and active " husbands ? " I never saw a 

 really handsome male of heavy weight but once, 

 and that was a grand specimen of 28 Ibs., which 

 came from Lord Normanton's fishery on the 

 Hampshire Avon. My 37 Ibs., 36 Ibs.. and 30^ Ibs. 

 pike were all of the gentler sex. 



