HAUNTS OF THE PIKE 97 



I do not mean in what localities ; for if I knew any good 

 localities, I should keep them to myself, as my own experience 

 tells me that good pike-fishing is far more scarce than good 

 salmon-fishing, and is much more easily spoiled. I think this 

 is owing to the practice among anglers of killing small fish. 

 If we kill the small fish, it is evident that they cannot grow into 

 large ones. Had I the management of a good pike water, I 

 would allow nothing but spinning, and no fish under four 

 pounds to be killed. Be satisfied, O angler, with landing the 

 three-pounder ; you have had your sport from him, let him go 

 to grow bigger, that your sport may grow with him, and your 

 horn be exalted some day at killing a twenty-pounder. Some 

 time since, I turned seven fish of under a pound and a half each 

 (part of my day's take) into a cunning corner in the Thames ; 

 the very next day a pot-hunter came and took four of them, 

 and carried them away. 



Confound all pot-hunters, 

 Frustrate these knave punters, etc. 



say I ; for they are the curse of most waters and of all fair 

 fishers, while unfortunately their name is legion. 



In ponds or lakes, the angler should attend more particularly 

 to the shallow portions, where the water does not exceed from 

 seven to eight feet in depth ; and even in less than this he will 

 find the best sport. Pike prefer the shallower waters, especially 

 when feeding, as there bait is the most plentiful. If there be a 

 shallow margin, and then a sudden deepening of the water, the 

 fish are fond of lying just on the edge, between the two at 

 least that is where they more often take the bait, and a bait 

 pitched off the shore into the deepish water, and spun rapidly 

 towards the shallow, as if seeking to escape in that direction, 

 will be pretty sure to " get a bid." The angler should always 

 take care to pay especial attention to the neighbourhood of 

 weeds, reeds, or flags ; the last-named are very favourite 

 lairs with pike, and when they exist to any extent, the angler 

 will find his account in sending a boat or a Newfoundland dog 

 into them, to beat the fish out, half an hour before he begins to 

 fish. It may seem a strange direction to give, but it must be 

 evident that if the pike be yards deep in a reed or weed bed 

 they will hardly catch sight of the bait outside. If the weed bed 

 has occasional holes and open spaces in it, it will be advisable, 

 before having recourse to the clearing-out system recom- 

 mended, to try them with the dead gorge. In such a place you 



