PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



lacking in various points, notably in the essential of durability, 

 and accordingly several plans were tried to remedy the 

 deficiency by making the ' lip-hooks ' entirely of steel, one 

 or both loops being brazed on to the shank. 

 The difficulty with these latter inventions was that 

 owing to the slipperiness of the polished steel the 

 trace could not be twisted tight enough round to 

 prevent it shifting its position on the slightest 

 strain. It was a slip hook instead of a lip hook. 



There were other difficulties not worth enu- 

 KASHIONEO merating, but metal lip-hooks are now made 

 from a pattern that I supplied to Mr. Farlow 

 some years ago, in which, by leaving the shank of the hook 

 rough, instead of smooth, the slipping of the trace is avoided, 

 and by some slight changes in the position of the steel loops 

 the trace stands in a straight line with the shank of the hook, 

 instead of, as in the obsolete patterns, nearly at right angles 

 with it. 



The only four sizes of 'lip-hooks' which any spinners need 

 keep by them are figured in the diagram. 



U 



FIG. 4. LII'-HOOKS. NEW I'ATTKKN. 



It is better to use the smallest size that will hold the bait, 

 as ' lip-hooks ' comparatively seldom hook a fish, and show, 

 of course, more than any others on the flight. 



There is a ' dodge ' connected with the twisting of the trace 

 round the shank of the lip-hook which, though apparently 

 trifling, is really almost indispensable in the proper working and 

 adjustment of the flight. As shown in the diagrams, p. 70, the 



