4 



Pupil. — Very good. "What are the best description of days 

 to fish for Pike ? 



Professor. —Never go Pike fishing when it freezes sharp. 

 As soon as you wet your line it becomes as thick as a rope by 

 becoming coated with ice, and your rings get stopped up. Be- 

 sides, although some writers on Angling say Pike will bite well 

 in such, a state of the weather, I can assure you they are very 

 much mistaken. In January and February, when the weather 

 is open and a little sun shining, and the water clear, with a gentle 

 breeze blowing. Pike will bite well. A calm still day is bad for 

 Pike fishing at any time of the year, but particularly in sum- 

 mer when the weather is hot, but they may be taken on such 

 days in the morning and evening. A good rough wind will 

 keep them alive in the hottest weather. As a general rule, 

 however, you can take great store of Pike in spring, summer, 

 autumn, or winter, if the water is clear and rippled by a gentle 

 breeze and the day cloudy. 



Pupil. —What bait do you consider best for pike fishing ? 



Professor. — The baits used for taking Pike are very nu- 

 merous, some Anglers preferring one kind and others another, 

 but in my opinion a Dace of two ounces is the best, next the 

 Eoach, then the Gudgeon and the Witling or Bleak. The Dace 

 and the Koach for live bait. Bleak for spinning, and Gudgeon 

 for dead gorge or trolling. I always use a Dace when I can 

 get one, as he is very showy and wears well as a live bait, and 

 I am sure Pike will take a Dace before any other bait. All 

 artificial baits are useless. I remember seeing a gentleman 

 fishing for Pike with an artificial bait on as fine a day as could 

 be wished for Pike fishing; but although he fished all over the 

 water he never got a single run. He asked me if I could tell 

 him the reason why he had such bad luck. I answered by 

 giving him a few Dace and telling him to try over the same 

 water which he had already fished with the artificial bait. He 

 did so, and returned in an hour with five good fish. " Ah, 

 fisherman," said he, "I am satisfied the artificial bait is useless 

 wherever the natural one comes." 



