fishermen have tended to ignore the question cf what effsct the thickness 



and color of the line may ha*s on the schoclSo In other wordSj, the type 



of fishing line ussd in the past indicates that it has been easy to 

 catch skipjack o 



(4.) Lately the fishermen have come to the point of considering the effect 

 of the line en the school as well as its strengths In order to keep the 

 strength of the wire and hemp which have been used in the past and at the 

 same time to reduce the thickness of the line and to get a clear material 

 which will do away with disadvantageous color and sheer, in the water, 

 they are using ir.ostly artificial gut for the maiE. line and high-grade 

 genuine gut for the lead8r„ Nylon line and other new materials-, are also 

 getting some attentiono Impetus has been given to this movement by the 

 postwar expansion cf the skipjack fishery and the entry into it of new- 

 comers who do not have the skill and experience and who have not been 

 accustomed to making their own gear^ As a result a wide variety of 

 materials other than those used in the past are being popularized, however, 

 because of the high price of some of these materials and the difficulty 

 of obtaining them at present they have not j&t come into universal useo 



3i, Hooks 



Two types of hooks have been used since ancient times for skipjack 

 fishings They are bait hooks and squid hooks / artificial Ixires _7„ 

 The skipjack hook is charaeteriized by its lack of a barb, and where a barb 

 is present it is merely a vestigial small bend in the tip of the hooko 

 This peculiarity is related to the habits of the skipjack, is revelatory 

 of the peculiar character cf the fishing operatioHj and is a reason why 

 the skill of the individual fisherman is emphasissedo There is some 

 variation depending on local tasteSo 



(1) Bait hooks 



These hocks are either of the round type or a compromise between 

 the round typ.- and the angular type, They have no barb (although some have 

 a vestigial :..ne), and the space from point to shani-: ie broado Sizes from 

 o96 inch to 2o76 inches are used. Materials are either steel or tempered 

 iron and in both cases the hocks may be either tin-plated to give a bright 

 finish or they may be burnt blacko The size of the leader is varied to 

 suit the size of the hook. 



The size cf the hook which is used depends on the size of the skip= 

 jack being fished (depending on the season) or on the size of the baito 

 Ca) medium skipjack (under 1 kan /°8„27 lb3„_7) =- The hooks used are 

 chiefly lo32,, 1.44, or lo74. inches in size. 



(b) large skipjack (over 8o27 IbSo weight) =■= The hooks used are 1,8<, 

 2„04<. 2o28, or 2„ 52 inches in size. 



When anchovies lo2 to io8 inches in length are used as bait, the hooks 

 used are less than lo74. inches in sizSo When the bait is herring, anchovy, 

 or sardine from 1„8 t.-. 3o- z.acii%& in length, the hooks are of sizes smaller 

 than 2„4. incheSo \f^xh sardines or mackerel^scad 3o6 to U^2 inches in 

 length hooks of about the 2„4 -inch size are usedo The design is different 



34 



