92 THE HOOK. 



For trout fly-fishing the most useful size hooks 

 are those numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Kendal, 

 corresponding with 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7 Redditch. 

 We never use smaller than No. 1 Kendal, from 

 the idea that their little bend is insufficient to 

 retain its hold in the mouth of a strong and 

 struggling fish. As our preference for the 

 Kendal hook is decided, it must be understood 

 that in future, when speaking of the size of hooks, 

 we shall employ the numbers by which the differ- 

 ent sizes of that particular hook are designated. 

 The different parts of a hook, to which we shall 

 often have occasion to refer, are shown in the 

 annexed figure: a the point; b the 

 barb ; c the bend ; the space be- 

 tween d and/ the shank ; and e the 

 shank-top. The diagram is not in- 

 tended to represent a perfect hook. 

 So much for the principal arti- 

 cles required in fly-fishing. There 

 remain a few other articles to com- 

 plete the list, but as they are not of 

 great importance, and as an error in their selec- 

 tion can scarcely be committed, we shall despatch 

 them in a few sentences previously reminding 

 those \vho may accuse us of descending to too 

 much minutiae, that perfection of parts makes 



