SIZES OF TROUT-HOOKS 93 



From o upwards they are made long and short in 

 the shank ; ooo is, to my mind, too small for use. 

 I have used them, and have killed big fish with 

 them ; but they are too tiny, and by reason of 

 their being so very minute, it is most difficult to 

 tie a fly really well and neatly on them ; oo and o 

 are quite small enough for all ordinary purposes, 

 and no fly, save the black gnat, requires the 

 smallest size. The size I prefer is o or i. 

 It is surprising how very much larger than it 

 really is a hook appears when the fly is tied on it, 

 especially the various duns, which have upright 

 wings and long tails. It would seem to be 

 almost impossible to kill a fish of any size on so 

 small a hook as even No. i ; yet that and o may 

 be reckoned as being the most killing sizes. A 

 hook need be well made and tempered, when it 

 has to sustain the severe strain to which it is so 

 often subjected. 



