214 NOTES ON FISH AND PISHING. 



pike fishers;" while in his Boole of the Jack he most 

 sarcastically devotes a chapter to trimmering, the whole 

 of which is comprised in about six lines, running as 

 follows : — 



" Procure a good supply of old bottles, rusty Books, and clothes-line, 

 and the assistance of the most notorious poacher and blockhead in the 

 neighbourhood ; and the chances are that the angler will find himself 

 exactly fitted to his sport both in tackle and companionship, without 

 • violating the bond of like to like.' " 



The word " trimmering " has an evil sound, suggestive 

 of wrong-doing piscatorially ; so I will say no more about 

 it than ask this simple question, " What is the real 

 difference between fishing with an ordinary trimmer and 

 ordinary live-bait fishing for jack, where you let the fish 

 go off with your bait and pouch it, and thence simply 

 drag him ashore or to your net ? " 



As regards the gastronomic merits and demerits of jack 

 there is much to be said. Generations ago they were high 

 in favour in some countries, though unpopular in others. 

 Dr.Badham tells us that in some parts of France to this day 

 brockets are deemed but poor man's fare, while in other parts, 

 Chalons-sur-Saone for instance, they are highly esteemed. 

 Italians are shy of jack ; Spaniards wont touch them. 

 During the reign of Edward I., when possibly the fish was 

 first introduced into this country, jack was so dear that 

 few could afford to eat it, the price, as Yarrell informs 

 us, being double that of salmon and ten times higher 

 than either turbot or cod. Hence we may presume 

 that this not very " cheap jack " was a favourite dish, 

 mainly on account of its scarcity and dearness, elements 

 which in all ages and countries seem to have given a 

 flavour to articles of food and drink. In Edward III.'s 



