; HOW AND WHERE TO SPIN. 125 



represent the loss of power caused by the obstruction of the 

 water, and two more to allow for the pressure of the pike's 

 teeth on the bait itself (six pounds in all), attach the end of your 

 trolling-line to it, and using an averagely stiff jack-rod, see how 

 much striking force is required to be exerted in order to move 

 the weight smartly say, four inches at twenty-five yards dis- 

 tance. If the bait be very heavy, or larger-sized hooks be used 

 or more of them, or of a less penetrating ' bend,' a little calcula- 

 tion on the foregoing basis will easily enable the spinner to 

 adjust the weight used in the experiment so as to represent the 

 average pressure or force required for an efficient stroke. 



It is, therefore, strongly recommended to all spinners, as the 

 very alpha of their craft, and notwithstanding the opinions to 

 the contrary expressed by many angling authorities, fa strike, 

 and that the moment they feel a run. All other rules, such as 

 ' giving the fish time to turn,' ' waiting till he shakes the bait,' &c. 

 &c., are useless, and, indeed, generally impossible in practice. 

 Again, the pike, with many other predacious species, shows a 

 great reluctance to let go a prey once seized. Most of us have 

 probably witnessed this pertinacity in the case of both eels 

 and perch ; and the stickleback, as is well known, will let 

 itself be pulled out of the water by its hold of a worm. On one 

 occasion, for the sake of experiment, I fastened a large cork to 

 a string, and drew it across a pike pond, giving it at the same 

 -time an irregular, life-like motion. It was quickly seized by a 

 fish of about two pounds, which made a most determined re- 

 sistance, running out the twine as if really hooked, and only 

 relinquishing its grasp of the cork when within arm's length. 

 The experiment was repeated several times with a similar 

 jresult. 



Therefore, I say once more, Strike, and strike hard ; and 

 repeat the stroke until a violent tearing struggle is felt ; such a 

 struggle almost invariably beginning the moment a fish really 

 feels the hook, and being easily distinguished from the sluggish 

 resistance, sometimes absolute inaction, experienced when he 

 is only 'holding on.' It is generally large unwieldy pike which 



