120 MAKING A FISHERY. 



extend the stick and lower the noose slowly into 

 the water a short distance above the pike's nose. 

 If the pike moves he must cautiously withdraw 

 the wire and commence again. When the fish 

 remains quite still he should gradually work the 

 wire noose over the pike's head. It is well to 

 note that, as a rule, the tendency is to locate 

 the pike higher up in the water and nearer to 

 the operator than it really is, and hence the 

 advice to keep the wire as near the bed of the 

 river as possible. As soon as the noose is fairly 

 round the middle of the pike's body, i.e., in front 

 of the dorsal fin, the keeper, standing with his 

 body bending well forwards and his arm fully 

 extended towards the water, should sharply, but 

 without jerk, draw the handle of the stick back 

 with a swing. The noose running up will then 

 grip the pike, whose weight will keep the wire 

 taut, and he should sling it underhanded on to 

 the bank at his side. A single tap, just where 

 the skull and spinal cord join, with a short stick 

 kept for the purpose, should prevent further 

 depredations as far as the particular pike is 

 concerned. 



Up to the moment of actual wiring, it is of 

 importance that every movement should be 

 slow and deliberate. The operator should 

 never take his eyes off a pike when he has 

 once caught sight of it. The rustic theory 



