THE PIKE. 



123 



have frequently to be extracted. Get the gag well 

 in the pike's mouth and force his jaws apart before 

 attempting to release the hooks. Pike^certainly 

 act up to their appearance,. for when they are not 

 really feeding they will take the wounded livebait 

 in sheer spite, playing with it across their jaws, and 

 not attempting to gorge it. On these occasions, 

 they will let an unwounded fish alone, not troubling 

 to pursue it ; while a pike well on the feed will 

 chase the baits with great vigour. The terms pike 



Pike-gag 



and jack relate to the same fish ; a small pike is 

 usually called a jack, but the name jack is fre- 

 quently used on the Thames for any sized fish, while 

 in Norfolk I have hardly ever heard the fish called 

 by that name ; there, he is almost universally a pike. 

 Speaking as a pike-fisher, and not as a trout-fisher, 

 I think it a pity the Mundella Act allows close 

 pike to be taken as late as the 14th March, t'^ne 

 at which time, in a mild spring, pike are big with 

 spawn. In waters where it is desired to preserve 

 pike, the 20th of February would be quite late 

 enough to allow fishing for them ; and I am sure 

 Thames pike-anglers would be benefited by a 

 change to that date. Again, the i6th of June is 

 much too early to commence pike-fishing, and 



