THE PIKE. 107 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE PIKE. 



As this little book more particularly relates to " Bottom 

 Fishing in the Nottingham style," I ought strictly, perhaps, 

 not to mention the pike, but as there are plenty of bottom 

 fishers who occasionally indulge in a little pike fishing, per- 

 haps a few hints to the tyro as to what a pike is like, and 

 how to catch him, will not be unacceptable. The pike is a 

 member of the Esocidffi family, and his scientific name is 

 Esox lucius. He is more frequently called the " Jack " by 

 anglers nowadays, though formerly he was only called Jack 

 when he was under four pounds, and " pike " when over 

 that weight. The fish has also been termed " the freshwater 

 shark," and certainly he deserves the name, for in very truth, 

 he is a tyrant of the water. When hungry, the voracity of 

 this fish is very great, few things seeming to come amiss to 

 him. Hundreds of anecdotes are told about how he will 

 seize anything from a fiat leaden plumb, to the hand of a 

 child. Among such anecdotes are references to his seizing a 

 swan's head and neck, a mule's lip, a Polish damsel's foot, 

 tender kittens and puppies, &c., &c. I have seen a pike come 

 up with a dash, and snap at a water wag- tail that has stood 

 on the edge of the water-weeds ; and once I had hooked a 

 nice roach, and was getting it towards me, when, with a 

 sudden rush, a large pike seized the roach, and the next 

 instant both were gone. Pike will sometimes dash at a 

 highly-coloured float under the impression, I presume, that 

 it is something edible ; and will even swallow one of their 

 smaller brethren or offspring perhaps. In fact, when hungry, 

 the pike is perfectly ferocious, but when his appetite has 

 been appeased, he is scarcely to be tempted. Practised pike 

 fishers are well aware of this, and know the difference between 

 the "runs" when he is hungry and when he is not. When 

 not very hungry, he will mouth a bait and play with it, with- 



