206 FISH CULTUEE. 



to establish a breed, sbould be kept down by every 

 possible means, and tbe larger fish, particularly, 

 sought out and killed by any device that can be 

 employed, or in a few years the nice trout-lake 

 wiU become a pike-pond. The best time to thin 

 them out is at spawning time, when a net, placed 

 quietly round the shallow parts of the lake, where 

 weed and reed beds are, wUl secure any quantity 

 of the stock of the lake. The big ones can 

 then be taken out, and killed if not wanted, or sent 

 off to regular pike waters, where they wUl be 

 welcome, and the ^remaining stock regulated. Tor 

 iMs purpose the fisherman should commence his 

 operations in the early part or middle of AprU. 



In many of the lakes which salmon frequent, the 

 pike is a most destructive pest, as the time when 

 the salmon-smolts are passing down to the sea is 

 a regular jubilee with them, and myriads of fish ten 

 times more valuable than themselves are devoured 

 by them. Here they should be exterminated: it 

 should be " Guerra al Trimmer-o ! " — " War to the 

 Trimmer" even.^ In many of the ponds, canals, and 

 reservoirs of the midland counties, on the other 

 hand, his presence is most welcome ; and as he 

 already inhabits most of these localities, little can 



' Not excepting spear, spade, spud, or anything else whatever. 



