PIKE, PICKEREL, MUSKELLUNGE, PIKE-PERCH. 159 



is found in all of the eastern states, east of the Alleghanies. 

 It resembles the pike in general appearance, but is smaller, 

 seldom if ever growing to a greater length than two feet, 

 and a weight exceeding eight pounds, and the average is 

 probably three pounds. It is more slender than the pike, and 

 the markings on the sides form a network, hence the name 

 chain-pickerel. The ground color is brown or green, lighter 

 in under and, as on all of the pickerels there is a dark spot 

 below the eye. Like the pike it is voracious and feeds on 

 fish, frogs, etc. The same methods of fishing and the same 

 tackle may be employed as for pike. 



The Western pickerel is a small fish never more than a 

 foot long and usually less. It is found throughout the Mid- 

 dle West in quiet grassy waters. In all but size it resembles 

 the Eastern pickerel. It may be caught with any light tackle, 

 such as is used for black bass. 



The banded pickerel is a small fish resembling the one 

 described last, but is found in eastern waters. It is at home 

 in all of the sea-going streams east of the Alleghanies, 

 from the New England states southward. 



The muskellunge, a fish known by perhaps a score of 

 other names, all quite similar, is the largest and most im- 

 portant fish of the pike family. He is known to fishermen 

 in general as the musky. The muskellunge is a voracious, 

 vicious fish, feeding on all fish smaller than himself, even 

 his own kind. 



The appearance of this fish does not belie his reputed 

 nature; he is as vicious looking as he is vicious. The head 

 is about a fourth of the length of the body, the jaws long and 

 the lower jaw longer and projecting beyond the upper. They 

 are both armed with long, double-edged, dagger-like teeth 

 and when you catch one be sure that you don't get your 

 hand in his mouth; he wouldn't lose an opportunity to close 

 down on it 



