200 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 
stump of brass wire protruding where most certain to 
be seen. 
With these facts and experiences vividly in my recol-. 
lection, I one day set about thinking how this tackle 
could be improved,—the object being of course to get 
rid of the superfluous wire shank, at the same time 
finding a simple and effectual manner of fastening the 
bait’s tail without it. Rather by good luck, I believe, 
than anything else, I succeeded in hitting upon a plan 
which not only fulfils these conditions but also gets rid 
altogether of silk or needle and saves the trouble and 
delay which they entailed. 
The shape of the tackle and of one form of the lead 
will be seen on a reference to the annexed plate. 
Figure No. 1 represents the gorge-hook, &c., unbaited, 
and No. 2 the same when baited and ready for use. 
Figure 3 is a smaller size of the hook; and the loop A 
shows the position actually occupied by the gimp after 
being passed through the tail of the bait, and tied. 
In this tackle it will be seen (1) that the wire arming of 
the hook is cut off close to the end of the lead, thus 
materially reducing the unnatural rigidity of the bait 
before alluded to; and (2) that the shank of the hook 
(C) is left bare for about half an inch above the bend. 
This is the portion of the hook which lies in the throat 
of the bait when adjusted, and the object in cutting 
away the lead is to prevent that unnatural and un- 
sightly-looking enlargement of the throat and gills 
