PICKEREL FISHING, 281 



PICKEREL FISHING. 



From the gigantic Mascalonge and its nearly equal congener, the 

 great Northern Pickerel, to the small barred variety, which is found 

 only in the waters of Long Island, the whole of this fierce and vora- 

 cious family affords great sport to the fresh-water angler ; and where 

 the Trout and Salmon do npt obtain, they are considered as the kings 

 of the waters. There are many modes of fishing for them, and the baits 

 which they will take are almost innumerable, comprehending in their 

 range almost the whole animal creation, fish, flesh, fowl and reptile. 



When of great size they are excessively destructive — not to other 

 fish only, of which they are the tyrants, but to frogs, water-rats, and 

 even the young of wild- fowl. 



They are taken either with trimmers, that is to say, small floating 

 buoys with a rude reel attached, and a dependent live bait, with long 

 set-lines ; or again, by roving with the live, or trolling with the dead 

 bait. In the former mode, it is the better way to use two moderate- 

 sized hooks, one passed through the lip, and the other through the dor- 

 sal fin of the bait, which should be sunk about two feet below the sur- 

 face, with a large float on the line, and suffered to swim about at his 

 pleasure. 



By this method, however, large Pearch are often taken instead of 

 the proper fish, and trolling with the gorge-hook, or fishing with the 

 snap-hook is by far better sport — especially the former — more legiti- 

 mate, more exciting, and last, not least, more killing. 



Of th^e methods, Mr. Hofland, in his British Angler's Manual, 

 thus discourses — and although he is speaking of the English Pike, 

 Esox Lucms, not of the Mascalonge or Pickerel, as th3 fishes are of 

 the same family, and the modes to be pursued in capturing them in all 

 respects identical, I have not hesitated to extract his able and well- 

 written description ; I must premise, however, that where he speaks 



