THE GAME FISHES OE THE WOELD 



In America there are numerous species, and the smallest, 

 about one foot in length, is found from the Allegheny moimtains 

 east. This is Esox americomus. The grass-pike is a little larger 

 and has a range in the United States in the Valley of the Missis- 

 sippi, though in the upper and middle portions. In the eastern 

 part of the continent is found the Eastern pickerel, E. reticularis^, 

 a larger fish of two feet and a weight of several pounds. This 

 is the common pike of the spoon, or caught skittering, and it 

 wiU take almost anything. 



In the St. Lawrence and in nearly aU fresh-water streams or 

 waters in the north of Europe, America or Asia, is found a large 

 pike or pickerel B. lucius, that approximates a game fish. It is 

 essentially a big game fish, attaining a [length of four feet and 

 possibly fifty pounds. I have taken many of them, but never 

 a fish over fifteen pounds, and the average was less than ten. One 

 day when trolling in the deeper parts of the St. Lawrence for 

 muscaUunge I lost aU my spoons, when my oarsman contributed 

 a piece of his violent red shirt which proved an appealing lure to 

 the tribe. 



It is an interesting fact that the pike is abhorred in certain 

 waters. When you are fishing for salmon in the Wye as an ex- 

 ample, or for muscallunge in the St. Lawrence. Yet if you are 

 from a pike or pickerel coimtry it is interesting to meet them far 

 from home, Lapland, Kamtchaka, Siberia, and if you climb the 

 Tyrolean Lake of Halden, two-thirds of a mUe above the sea, 

 there wUl be found a pike, yes, higher yet. A friend teUs me he 

 caught one in Lake Eeschen in the Tyrol, nearly a mile in the air. 

 If it so happens that there is nothing else to catch the pike becomes 

 at once a game fish.' 



The lakes of Zurich, N"euch§,tel, Morat, Joux, the Black Lake 

 in Fribourg abound in pike. 



Something about the pike attracted the ancients. He looked 

 wise, crafty and philosophic ; half hidden in the weed, imitating 

 it in colour, tint and marking. Lucullus, the gourmet of classic 

 days, called the fish Lucius. 

 46 



