PIKE. 33 



The Paternoster of which, a full description is 

 given in " Perch-fishing " is a first-rate tackle for 

 use amongst weeds where the live-bait with float 

 would inevitably become entangled; it should 

 either be all gimp, or a gut line with gimp hooks ; 

 arranged as in the accompanying sketch of a Pater- 

 noster in miniature. 



The baits that live the longest, and are therefore 

 best for a journey are Thames Gudgeons ; they 

 are a strong hardy fish, and will not require the 

 water to be changed so often as others do. Dace, 

 small chub and roach are equally good, but require 

 fresh water oftener than gudgeons. 



To carry the live baits you require a kettle, 

 which should be a full-sized one of zinc, or japanned 

 tin, with square ends. When at the river side, and 

 it is not in use, keep the kettle in the water out of 

 -> the sun, tying one end of a cord to the handle and 

 the other end to a peg, which you can stick in the 

 ground. 



The best time for live-bait-fishing is when the 

 heavy weeds are rotten. From October till March, 

 Pike will take a live bait more freely than at any 

 other time of the year. Fix the float at the proper 

 distance from the bait, as a general rule, not less 

 than three feet but often considerably more ; to 

 ^ fish a hole of ten feet in depth, tolerably clear of 

 weeds at bottom, I should fish about seven feet 

 deep ; that is, I should have the float that distance 

 from the live bait. 



Begin by dropping in the bait gently near the 

 shore, always keeping as much as possible out of 

 sight, if after a short time you do not have a run, 

 make a fresh cast further out, and to the right or 

 5 left. When you take the bait from the water to 

 throw it to a fresh place, draw it slowly and 

 gradually to the surface for that purpose ; I have 

 often found Pike when not much on the feed, 

 strike at a bait which seemed to be escaping from 

 them. 



