Pike, or Jack. 



This is called the fresh-water wolf, and is the 

 boldest, merciless, and most voracious fish in our 

 rivers, not confining its depredations to other species, 

 but attacking such of its own species as it can 

 readily swallow. 



The pike has a flat head, the upper jaw broad, 

 and shorter than the lower : the under jaw turns up 

 a little at the end, and is marked with minute punc- 

 tures. The teeth are very sharp, disposed not only 

 in the front of the upper jaw, but in both sides of 

 the lower, in the roof of the mouth, and often in the 

 tongue. The mouth is very wide, the eyes small. 



The pike spawns generally in March, but some- 

 times in the last week of February, or in the early 

 days of April. As soon as the spawning is over, 

 they return for a few days to the deep water, and 

 during mid-day lie basking on the surface in a tor- 

 pid state. It is while in this situation, that they 

 are taken by the snare ; but the fish at this period 

 are poor in taste, and considered unwholesome. 



The largest fish are most apt to indulge in bask- 

 ing; they are particularly shy at these seasons, 

 and at such times will seize a bait with great seem- 

 ing eagerness, but generally relinquish it as instan- 

 taneously. 



There are several methods of catching pike; two 

 of which only belong to the angler, namely, snapping 

 and trolling: the other methods are practised only 

 by poachers. 



The Snap tackle consists of a single hook, larger 

 and stouter than any within the register, which being 

 fastened to strong gimp is inserted at the mouth of 

 a gudgeon or other small fish (the smaller, indeed, 



