vi A FEBRUARY PIKE 101 



and the remarkable weather. Eventually I 

 picked out a rather fine Thames trout trace 

 of single gut, soaked it, and tested it up to a 

 dead weight of five pounds. To match it 

 there was a flight of live-bait hooks tied on 

 similar gut, and I observed to myself that 

 any moderately skilful angler ought to be 

 able to land anything with such excellent 

 material. 



Then in a state of considerable scientific 

 elation I went off to the river, to find it the 

 least bit ruffled by the breeze, and very suit- 

 able for the testing of my theories. I began 

 with a live dace on float tackle, casting it 

 out almost to the other side of the river and 

 allowing it to swim down-stream, while I 

 kept pace with it along the bank. And, 

 sure enough, as it reached the spot pointed 

 out by the keeper there was a check, the 

 float went under, and a vigorous strike just 

 revealed the fact that the fish was a heavy 

 one before the trace parted at an upper 

 knot. 



Then was it borne in upon me that the 

 sun was too hot, the breeze too mild, the 

 season out of joint, and science a wicked 

 delusion. Had there been a snoring breeze, 



