ABOUT HOOKS. 243 



period experience, the self-same teacher, has proved the 

 hook now submitted to be perfectly exempt from the evils 

 previously pointed out. The Kendal Sneck, to which 

 we have already made some allusion, is the bend generally 

 adopted for trout flies. It is often made from very fine 

 wire, which renders it useless for a heavy fish. This is 

 the hook most generally used for dry-fly fishing. A ju- 

 diciously tapered shank will reduce the weight whilst 

 retaining the full strength round the bend requisite for 

 an emergency. This, as we have already pointed out, 

 is of the most vital importance ; an exhibition of false 

 economy in this matter will cause the angler's skill to 

 avail nothing. We know of no more tantalizing thing 

 than to lose the heaviest fish of the day, month, or season, 

 through a defective hook. When once a fish is well 

 hooked upon sound "tack," it is the rodster's own fault 

 if he fails to land it. A spell at the salmon will frequent- 

 ly put out the delicacy of the trout fisher's touch, and 

 he, by too sanguine striking, will lose every fish he hooks, 

 either by breaking away the hold, or otherwise the hook. 

 The range of Kendal hooks, given upon the plate, shows 

 the relative strength and sizes of what we have used for 

 trouting flies for many years. The Kendal hook should 

 be slightly crooked or twisted in the bend, as the body 

 and the hackle standing out will, to some extent, serve 

 to guard the point. A great many of the short rises one 

 experiences sometimes, are due to the non-observance of 

 this rule, the fish taking the fly with the skin of his 

 teeth, so to speak, the point fails to take any hold what- 

 ever. The wide "span" of the salmon hook obviates the 

 necessity of this. The trout hook then, .for the same 

 reason, should have reasonable scope in this respect, so 

 as to be capable of taking broad hold and to retain it. 

 The point and barb should be anything but "proud ;" 

 the evils of this are far more objectionable, whilst being 

 quite as prevalent, in smaller and lighter hooks, than has 



