26 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



not cut its way before it as does a knife, but separates the 

 tissue and distends the opening so made; and this closes 

 again close around the hook the moment the passage of 

 the barb will permit. Who ever saw a trout of any size 

 taken from the water in which the wound of the hook 

 had not been enlarged by its struggles? The impor- 

 tance, then, of a fairly prominent barb is apparent, and 

 its just proportions will be a compromise, determined by 

 a due and combined consideration both of holding power 

 and ease of penetration. 



By the preceding simple method the angler can de- 

 termine the efficiency of any form of hook at once. One 

 other word of caution and I have done. Beware of 

 short angular bends in the curvature of a hook, particu- 

 larly on the shank side, of which some of the " Sneck " 

 bends will serve as an example. For a moment's consid- 

 eration will show that such a hook must be far better in 

 material and temper than a hook in which the curves 

 are softened off, before it will bear an equal strain. 



That the side rake of the "Sneck" is an evil when 

 used in fly-fishing, is not by any means beyond ques- 

 tion. A fish-hook is a creature of compromise an arti- 

 cle formed by the union of several discordant elements, 

 each opposed to the other. What concession each shall 

 make is a matter for sound judgment. A hook theoreti- 

 cally perfect in all respects cannot be, from the nature 

 of the case. 



The side rake undoubtedly somewhat augments the 

 power required to bury the hook over the barb, but I 

 am by no means certain that this loss is not more than 

 made good by an increased certainty in that most essen- 

 tial quality of all promptness of initial engagement in 

 all positions. It will be, generally conceded that the 



