26 The Pike. 



and in clear water, a gudgeon is the best bait. A perch, 

 with his fins cut off, may also be used if other baits can- 

 not be had. All live baits ought to be kept in a tin, with 

 holes in the lid, and the water frequently changed. You 

 may fish for Pike or Jack at midwinter with a live bait, in 

 the same way as for trout ; but in this fishing you should 

 give him time to gorge it before you strike, taking care to 

 use a larger float and one or two larger shot. Always 

 have your bait clear of weeds before you recast it into 

 the water, or the Pike will not touch it, and when it gets 

 water-sopped change it. 



Pike may be taken with an artificial fly, which is to be 

 made on a very large hook, single or double, and of the 

 gaudiest materials used in dressing salmon flies. The fly 

 should be of the size of the wren or tomtit, or of more 

 than twice the size and thickness of the largest salmon 

 fly. Use several straws of peacock's feathers, with a 

 couple of the eyes of the tail feather for wings, and plenty 

 of tinsel ribbed on the thick body with two beads for 

 eyes, dressing on a length of gimp with a swivel attached. 

 This is best fished just under the water and kept moving. 



The Pike delights in still, shady, and unfrequented 

 water with a sandy, chalky, or clayey bottom, near bul- 

 rushes, water-docks, weeds, roots, &c. 





 SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION. 



ORDER IV. Abdominales. Ventral fins on the abdomen, 

 behind the pectoral. 



GENUS Esox. Esox Lucius. Pike. 



" Abdominal Malacopterygii. Esocidce. 



(Family of the Pikes.) 

 " Esox Lucius. LTNN.EUS, Bloch, pt. 1. pi. 32. 



,. Pike. PENN. Brit Zool vol. iii. p. 424, pi! 74. 

 BROCKET, CUVIER, Eegne An. t. ii. p. 282. 



Pike. DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 109. 

 FLEM. .BnY. An. p. 184, sp. 55. 



