TACKLE AND FISHING GEAR. 



An exaggerated example of this is shown in the cut. 



The penetrating power in my bend is obtained by the angle 

 at which the point and short side of the hook stand in regard 

 to the -hook shank, towards which, it will be observed, they are 

 inclined. In other words, the point turns somewhat inwards, 

 so that when it pricks the mouth of the salmon the probabilities 

 of its penetrating are greatly increased. C&teris paribus, the 

 penetrating power of any hook will be greater in proportion as 

 the angle of impact the angle, that is, at which the point of 

 the hook strikes the fish's mouth coincides with the direction 

 of the applied force [i.e. in this case, ' the pull ' of the line]. 



The diagrams (fig. 16) are illustrations of defective hooks. 

 They embrace nearly every vice which, mechanically speaking, 



"NEEDLE POINT." 



"ROUND BEND. 



<* o 



n n 



n 



FIG. 16. DEFECTIVE HOOK BENDS. 



can be imported into a hook. And yet they are taken, facsimile, 

 from a bookmaker's catalogue (I forbear to give the name) as 

 illustrations of what in his opinion hooks ought to be ! If one 

 of these abortions, say No. 4 or 5 ' needle point,' so called, 

 were attached to gut and the point pulled in the ordinary way 

 against a piece of cork which represents fairly well the inside 

 of a fish's mouth I doubt very much if it could by any possi- 

 bility be made to penetrate ; the hook point would, in fact, 

 strike the fish's mouth horizontally instead of vertically. 



As I have observed in the second volume, a propos of the 

 bends of triangles, the stupidity of hookmakers in their own 

 business can hardly be imagined except by those who have, as 

 I have had, day after day, and week after week, to drive- if it 



