PICKEREL FISHING 329 



of lath standing on the edge of the hole and bear- 

 ing attached to the line a red flannel flag which 

 the biting fish will strike and carry into the depths 

 with him when he goes off to swallow the bait. 

 The fishermen understand well the ways of the 

 aristocrat pickerel when he swallows a proletariat 

 minnow. No lordly capitalist ever took in a 

 plebeian inventor with more grace — and finality. 

 Often the flag just drops from the support and 

 lies on the surface of the water while the two get 

 acquainted. The pickerel has the minnow, but 

 his grip is not what he wants. He is particular 

 about the way he swallows a little one, as if he 

 feared some impending Sherman act. So, hav- 

 ing got his fish, he waits to turn him so that the 

 victim may head down and seem to go of his own 

 volition into the interior department. Not until 

 then does he run out the rest of the line. If the 

 attorney general fisherman attempts to take him 

 before that he simply lets go the bait and swims 

 off, secure in his immunity bath. After he has 

 started to really go away with his prize a steady 

 pull is quite sure to result in his capture. 



Two varieties of pickerel commonly inhabit our 

 ponds. One, technically known as Esox reticu- 

 latus, is the Eastern pickerel, known sometimes 



