PIKE. 51 



upper part of your thigh, and, with your left hand 

 draw a yard more of the trolling line from the 

 winch, which you must hold lightly, until, with a 

 jerk from the right arm, you cast the baited hook 

 in the water; when the jerk is given, let the line, 

 which you hold in the left hand, pass from its hold 

 gradually, that the baited hook may not be checked 

 when cast out by holding the line too fast, or that 

 it may fall short of where you wish to place it, 

 which it will do if you let go of it altogether, 

 immediately you have made a jerk or cast from the 

 right arm. 



" By noticing these observations, and with a 

 little practice, you may, without labour, cast a 

 baited hook to many yards distance, and almost 

 to an inch of the spot you think likely to harbour a 

 Jack or Pike. Many anglers troll with the rod 

 held in their hand, instead of letting the butt end 

 rest against them ; but they cannot cast out their 

 baited hook, when so carrying the rod, with so 

 much precision, nor with so little exertion, as those 

 who rest it against their stomach or thigh. Now 

 you have every thing ready, cast in the baited hook 

 just over and beyond those candock weeds ; let the 

 bait sink, nearly to touching the bottom ; now draw 

 it gradually upwards till it is near the surface of 

 the water ; let it sink again ; now draw it upwards 



