8 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



sure they are not too long in the shank, for if 

 they are it is a great objection ; yet they must 

 not be too short, for in that case they will not 

 hold the fish after you have hooked it. Never 

 use, even of this kind of hook, too large a size, 

 in particular if the water be fine, for we have 

 found that they always take the small one 

 more freely. No. 11 is, in our opinion, the 

 best, unless they happen to be very strong 

 on the feed, or it is almost dark. If you just 

 prick your fish and lose them, you may be sure 

 that your hook is blunt, in which case you 

 should have a small piece of black stone always 

 with you, and with it the point of your hook 

 should be sharpened, or a fresh one put on. 

 Sometimes you will find that your hook gets 

 turned on the hair and hangs very improperly, 

 the hair being on the outside of the shank, or 

 on the side of it, instead of being inside. 

 When it is so, always put on a fresh one, or 

 you will lose above half the fish you hook before 

 you bring them to hand, for a hook hanging 

 thus will not hold the fish securely. 

 . f+JU* far+4* 



THE FLOAT. 



The best floats for roach fishing are those 

 made of swans' quills, which are now 7 manu- 



