ARTIFICIAL BAITS 89 



the water, and at other times on the landing net, cloth- 

 ing, and not infrequently human flesh, in a way that 

 is disconcerting to say the least. But they are highly 

 efficient as to hooking ability, and since most fishermen 

 go fishing to catch fish, we doubt if the treble hook will 

 ever be eliminated entirely unless by legislation. 



Most makers of casting plugs will supply their baits 

 with single or double hooks at no extra expense, and 

 some makers have been studying for years to produce 

 a substitute for treble hooks. At least one manufac- 

 turer equips his baits with double belly-hooks that point 

 inwards and upwards, and the bait being round rolls 

 when struck, thus presenting at least one barb to the 

 fish. Another has produced what is called the "Dum- 

 my Double" hook. It is really a single hook, with an 

 extra bend to give leverage for "setting" the actual 

 hook. Neither of these hooks quite equals the treble 

 in hooking efficiency, but both are superior to it as re- 

 gards snagging and tangling. Thus you see our old 

 friend Nemesis (the necessity of sacrificing one ad- 

 vantage to gain another) is still on our trail. 



Still another maker turns out plugs with a detach- 

 able single hook that may be snapped on or off at 

 will. The hook is well made and we have found it 

 quite the equal of the treble in hooking qualities. 



Anglers disagree as to how bass, pike, and muskel- 

 lunge strike an artificial bait, but as a general rule bass 

 strike from the side, seizing the bait in the jaw and 

 not in the gullet. Pickerel usually strike from the 



