138 



THE PIKE, &C 



gorger. If the hooks are in the maw, as they usually are 

 under the gorging system, open the fish's stomach about the 

 middle, and you will be opposite to or rather under the 

 points, so that your gimp will be safe. Cut away the parts 

 that are hooked, and unslipping the knot that holds the gimp 

 to the reel line, draw your bait, hooks, and gimp, all through 

 the aperture made in the stomach. This will disfigure the 

 fish less than catting down the jaws, until the hook can be 

 got out through the mouth. It is a good plan in trolling to 

 be provided with two or three sticks of various lengths ; one 

 of these will assist to prop open a jack's month, while the 

 Angler is attempting the extraction of the hook, but by no 

 means trust your fingers in his mouth unless he be gagged." 



In addition to the common pike, jack, or pickerel, the fol- 

 lowing notice of different species, by Flint, in his History of 

 the Mississippi Valley, may be interesting to the reader. 



" Pike Essex. We have noted many species of pike in 

 the Ohio and Mississippi, and their waters. They are called 

 pike, pickerel, and jack-fish, and perfectly resemble the 

 fish of the same name in the Atlantic waters. The Indians of 

 the Wabash and Illinois call them picccmau. They are of all 

 sizes, from a half to twenty pounds. 



" Essex Vitlatus, jack-fish, white pickerel. Length 

 sometimes five feet." 



The latter appears to be a distinct species. They are very 

 good for the table, and further as to his angling qualities we 

 are not informed. 



Having given the pike a long run through many pages 

 and over what may appear to the uninitiated the rocks and 

 weeds of instruction, it is to be hoped, notwithstanding, that 

 the subject is sufficiently clear to introduce him to the . pot, 

 which shall be done through Mr. Nobbs, an English author, 

 quoted by Hofland. 



" How to Cook the Pike. Take your pike and open him ; 



