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Show By TED RESTING "For the past year I've been firing a loaded question at seasoned anglers," says Homer Circle, Angling Editor of Sports Afield, "and they've fired back some of the gol-dangdest gol-dangdest answers." HOMER'S QUESTION is: "Which fish is the greatest striker of surface lures?" The opinions offered varied with the angler and where he did his fishing, the votes went for largemouth bass, small-mouth small-mouth bass, striped bass, white bass, bowfins, barracudas, bull bluegills and so on -- each being the preference of one particular angler and for one particular reason. HOMER'S OWN choice is northern pike. 'I'm convinced," he says, "that it will attack a surface lure with more spectacular variety than any other species. Even more than the tucunare or dorado, two of South America's great jungle species and among my all-time all-time favorites." WHEN HE wants surface-striking surface-striking entertainment he goes for pike with a lure and a method guaranteed to goad them into incredibly vicious attacks. You are invited to try this method the next time you are in pike country. THE FLOATING lure should be at least five inches long to reduce strikes from junior pike. It should also have a propeller on the head only. Further, by polishing the shaft and beads with steel wool you should be able to make that propeller spin by merely blowing on it. THEN, AND this is important, add enough wire to the shank of the tail hook to cause the lure to rest on the water with the tail end sinking at about a 20-degree angle. Otherwise you miss too many strikes because the pike will knock the lure into the air rather than engulfing it as he should HERE'S THE nub of the method. Look for cattails, pencil weeds, reeds and weedy clusters bordering deepening water. Cast the lure close to such cover and start it toward you the instant it touches down. Keep the nose spinner churning churn-ing continously. HERE ARE the wavs a Dike will attack it: Head on, going away from you, and pop a 20-pound line like grocery string. Again it will approach from behind the lure, stalk it with dorsal fin and tail sticking out of the water, sometimes refusing it and sinking from sight but other times suddenly smashing it ferociously. ALSO A pike will come from the side, from up to ten or more feet way, and thwack and lure with explosive force, throwing a massive shower of water into the air. However, the most memorable of all pike strikes is one where it suddenly spurts ( into the air, high over the lure, ' executes a beautiful jackknife and dives bare-toothed onto the lure as if to prevent it from escaping. An unforgettable sight. |