66 DAYS AMONG THE PIKE AND PERCH 



the nearest opening at first, and gradually work further 

 away in every direction until you cover all the water you 

 can comfortably reach. In casting it is the usual thing to 

 throw the bait across and down stream, and work it back 

 against the current. Sometimes, after searching the water 

 by that plan, I have had a run of luck by throwing the 

 bait up stream, and letting it work down in the same 

 direction as the current is running. I have picked up 

 several good fish by adopting this method. 



And now just a few words on a very vexed question, and 

 that is : Should a pike be struck sharply and heavily when 

 he takes a natural bait on spinning tackle ? I say no, 

 certainly ; more pike are lost by striking too heavily than 

 if you do not strike at all. A pike generally seizes the bait 

 when it is revolving through the water. If you strike at 

 once and heavily the chances are that you snatch bait and 

 hooks out of his mouth, whereas if you simply hold on 

 tight for the second of time until he turns, in all probability 

 his own weight and force will be quite sufficient to bury 

 the barbs of the hooks. I always like to keep my ringer 

 pressed on the edge of the reel, and make him pull hard for 

 every foot of line he takes out. Anyhow, it is not advisable 

 to strike heavily under any circumstances ; that pike might 

 be a big one, and the sudden jerk break the line. 



In spinning over deep waters, or indeed any waters, and 

 a hooked pike suddenly, as it were, stands on his tail with 

 his head out of the water and his jaws and gills wide open, 

 shaking like a terrier with a rat, you stand a very good 

 chance of parting company. Drop the rod point a bit, 

 and he may roll over on the instant ; if you are flurried 

 and haul on him tightly while his mouth is wide open, the 

 chances are that you will assist him admirably in getting 

 rid of those troublesome hooks. A hard and fast rule can- 

 not be laid down as to how a pike should be played when it 

 takes a spinning bait ; the surroundings of each place 

 should be noted, and measures taken accordingly. I 

 always took prompt and energetic measures when dealing 



