ARTIFICIAL FLIES FOR PIKE. 195 



/taken very pleasantly by means of the artificial 

 fly. The best imitation is a very large one of the 

 dragon-fly. I have seen nondescript large gaudy 

 flies kill pike well, and Mr. Blacker, of Dean 

 Street, Soho, is the best dresser of them I know. 

 An imitation of the sand-martin or swallow, 

 dressed by means of feathers on a large hook, will 

 prove an attractive bait for pike in the seasons 

 last mentioned. Of the season of autumn, Mr. 

 Nobbs says, "The weather being then temperate, 

 and the weeds, which were strong and high before, 

 are now dying and falling to the bottom. The 

 rivers are then generally low, which is a great 

 advantage, because the fish are more easily found in 

 their harbours. They leave the shallows and 

 scowers, and lodge themselves in pits and the 

 deepest places. A pike is now very firm and fat, 

 having had the benefit of the summer's food ; and 

 if the weather continues open, and not extraordi- 

 narily cold, you may take in part of November, 

 which will add much to your sport, because the 

 weeds will be more wasted and rotten ; but if a 

 flood comes in October or the beginning of No- 

 vember, you may lay aside your tackling for that 

 season, for great rivers, like great vessels, being 

 long in filling and slowly mounting to their full 

 height, are again long in falling and settling, so 

 that the water will be thick and out of order, 

 unless frost or fair weather comes to clear it. 



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