THE PIKE, HC. 
137 
“ if it should be a large fish, and the place open, give more 
line, and do not pull hard at any time, unless your tackle 
should be in danger of entangling among weeds or bushes; 
and when this is the case, the utmost caution is necessary 
lest the rod, line, hook, or hold, should break. When com- 
pletely exhausted, and brought to the side, take it up with a 
net, or fix a lauding-hook in it, either through the upper lip or 
under jaw ; or, if in want of either of these, put your thumb 
and finger into its eyes, which is the most safe hold with the 
hand.” 
It is also most judiciously remarked by Mr. Salter: 
“ When you have hooked a jack or pike, and played him till 
he is quite exhausted, and you are drawing him ashore, make 
it a rule to float him on his side, and keep the head a little 
raised above the surface of the water, that the nose or gills 
may not hang to or catch hold of weeds, &c., while you are 
thus engaged bringing your prize to the shore ; for some- 
times you cannot avoid drawing it over or among the weeds; 
and I have seen a pike touch and get entangled in this way, 
and before it could be disentangled, it recovered from its ex- 
haustion or stupor, and occasioned much trouble and hazard 
before it could again be subdued. 
“ When a pike has been brought to land, the inexperi- 
enced should be warned to be careful of his jaws, and to ob- 
serve that after he appears wholly exhausted, he can yet bite 
severely. He can also, if he be not immediately stunned, 
make his way again to the water most artfully, by repented 
jumps, of which we witnessed a most ludicrous instance. 
The pike being stunned, it becomes necessary to recover the 
gorge-hook from the maw. To do this, turn him on his side, 
and set the hollow of your foot behind his gills ; then with 
your Bpud wrench open his mouth, and introduce your dis- 
®vou twenty minutes, would tiro tlio patience of the most ardent of the 
followers of Isaac Walton. 
