The Chain Pickerel 



until within a few inches of his prey, then 

 opening them wide and shutting them to- 

 gether with a violent snap. He immedi- 

 ately returns with the capture to his haunt, 

 and then works it around from the cross 

 way he always strikes, and swallows it head 

 foremost. Their jaws are mere skin and 

 bone, the skin often easily tears, and the 

 bone forms no substance in which the hook 

 can be embedded, so that if the hook does 

 not slip off it is frequently broken off. 

 Nothing but wire or gimp snells will stand 

 for a moment the terrible teeth of this 

 ferocious fish, of which he has several rows 

 as sharp as needles and mostly pointed in- 

 ward. 



Pickerel are always on the watch for 

 food ; for that reason fishing with live min- 

 nows or trolling with a spoon is the best 

 method of capturing them. Sometimes 

 they are caught in still fishing also by skit- 

 tering, but perhaps the most effective way 

 is trolling, as it gives the most natural imi- 

 tation of a small fish swimming. When 



39 



