THE PIKE. 103 



great deterioration of the race of jack during these last few 

 centuries ; for what are Mr. Jardine's fish, or indeed the 

 monsters that have been taken from the Irish lakes, compared 

 to that historical pike captured in the vicinity of Manheim in 

 the year 1497 a.d. To one of the gills of this fish was found 

 suspended a medal with the following inscription in Greek : 

 "I am the first fish that was put into this pond by the hands 

 of the Governor of the Universe, Erederic the Second, on the 

 5th day of October, 1232." By this it will appear that the 

 fish had reached the ripe old age of two hundred and sixty 

 five years, and he is said to have weighed three hundred and 

 fifty pounds, measuring nineteen feet in length. His skeleton 

 is said to be preserved in the Museum at Manlieim. 



Various are the methods employed for the capture of the 

 jack. He can be shot, trimmered, huxed, and snared or 

 snatched, but these are methods unworthy of a sportsman, and 

 should be carefully avoided by the true angler. He legiti- 

 mately is taken by live baiting, dead gorge fishing, and 

 spinning with both the natural and artificial baits. Of all the 

 methods that are adopted for the capture of the pike, spinning 

 is certainly the most scientific, and is practised more on the 

 Trent than is any other style. I will commence with that, 

 therefore, and shall be as brief as possible in my instructions, 

 merely giving the tyro a few hints, so that he may know how 

 to go on. Those anglers who would like to know the whole 

 art of jack fishing, I would recommend to purchase Mr. 

 Pennell's " Book of the Pike," which treats the subject in an 

 exhaustive manner. 



The rod for pike fishing difi'ers from the ordinary bottom 

 rod in one or two particulars. It is stronger and stiffer, and is 

 nothing like so fine at the extreme point, the rings also on it 

 are larger, so as to allow the line to run freely through them 

 without the possibility of a catch or tangle. My pike rod is 

 in four pieces, the butt is of hickory^ and the other pieces are 



