232 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



his maw ; sometimes with a great roach or dace ; sometimes with 

 one of his own species, very seldom with a frog in his belly. A 

 frog is accounted a good bait once a year, that is about hay-time, 

 when it looks bright and yellow, though then it is something diffi- 

 cult to find. A pike will feed to such excess and fulness, that he 

 cannot gorge your bait, yet will rise and show himself, and make 

 many offers, having a good-will to do it, that you may often catch 

 him with the snap." 



The pike spawns in March and April, making its way up the 

 narrow streams and ditches which run into the river, or to the 

 shallow parts of the lake : from the ist of March to the ist of June 

 the pike should not be angled for. 



Pike grow to a great size. The largest I ever saw caught was 

 thirty-three pounds ; but I have seen stuffed specimens of pike, 

 taken in the Thames, which weighed forty pounds and more, 

 and larger fish are caught occasionally in the Irish lakes. Under 

 three or four pounds a pike is called a Jack, and indeed the latter 

 term is often applied to fish of all sizes. 



The autumn and winter months are best for Jack fishing, and a 

 good breeze is always desirable. The water should not be thick 

 or impregnated with snow, but otherwise any state of water or any 

 sort of weather will do for pike fishing. There are three ways in 

 which this game fish is usually fished for i.e., trolling, spinning, 

 and live-baiting. The rod for all three purposes may be the same, 

 only if the angler has a choice it is better to have a longer rod for 



Fig. -. Fig. 2. 



live-baiting, as you can reach farther with less injury to the bait. 

 Twelve feet is a good length. The rod should be springy, yet stiff, 

 with a strong top : ash for the butt, hickory for the second and 



