THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 131 



from sunrise to sunset, allowing fair intervals for relaxation and for the 

 refreshing of the whole physical powers by muscle-making aliments and 

 temperate potations. ED.] 



CHAPTER YIIL 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE LUCE, OR PIKE ; WITH DIRECTIONS HOW TO 

 FISH FOR HIM. 



p.] 



Pise. The mighty Luce, or Pike is taken to be the tyrant, 

 as the salmon is the king of the fresh waters. It is not to 

 be doubted, but that they are bred, some by generation, and 

 some not,'"" as namely, of a weed called pickerel weed, unless 

 learned Gesner be much mistaken, for he says, this weed and 

 other glutinous matter, with the help of the sun's heat, in 

 some particular months, and some ponds apted for it by 

 nature, do become pikes. But, doubtless, clivers pikes .are 

 bred after this manner, or are brought into some ponds some 

 such other ways as is past man's finding out, of which we 

 have daily testimonies. 



Sir Francis Bacon, in his " History of Life and Death," 

 observes the pike to be the longest lived of any fresh water 

 fish j and yet he computes it to be not usually above forty 



* The simplicity of Walton, or his childish ignorance, is here manifest. To 

 fancy " pickerel-wee" or any other plant producing fish by means of the sun's 

 heat, is exceedingly ridiculous, but not more so than the modern belief of many 

 persons, that horse-hair thrown into ponds will become eels. Header, all river 

 fish have productive spawn. All female fish have ova or eggs, commonly called 

 the " hard-roe ; M all male river fish have milts, usually named the soft roe. 

 Unless the former be impregnated by the latter, there will be no reproduction. 

 The salmon tribe deposit their spawn beneath gravel-beds ; the carp tribe on 

 and amongst the subaqueous portions of aquatic plants to which the spawn 

 adheres by its inherent viscous properties. Mr. Elaine (Encyclopedia of Rural 

 Sports, p. 1102), accurately states: "Jack and pike spawn either in March or 

 April, according to the forwardness of the spring, or temperature of the atmo- 

 sphere, as well as the situation of the water. They retire for the reproductive 

 purpose in pairs, quitting the rivers for the creeks and ditches. When confined 

 in still waters they seek the stillest parts of them, and frequently occupy a mud- 

 bed, or remain towards the edges or shallows, depositing their spawn among 

 aquatic plants, of which the reed and rush varieties are favourites. The male 

 may be seen during this time accompanying the female with much attention, 

 and when the fecundating milt has been deposited over the ova, the pair retire 

 into deep water, and seem to feel no further solicitude for the result of the pro- 

 cess." See the end of this chapter for other observations on the pike. ED. 



