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tapered line at any price. Next to the silk line I 

 prefer the silk grass lines of the Japanese. 



The finest hooks in the trade are made in Eng- 

 land, where special attention has been paid to this 

 industry for over two hundred years, the town of 

 Redditch being supported almost exclusively by 

 the hook factories. The best are the "Sproat," 

 "Cork-shaped Limerick," "Bound Bend Carlisle," 

 and "Hollow Point Aberdeen," The hook is of 

 the most vital importance to the fisherman, and 

 the best shape is that where the point of the barb is 

 turned round towards the shank. First class 

 hooks are always japanned or black ; the inferior 

 ones are blued, and these, if subjected to a heavy 

 strain will straighten right out. The black bass is 

 extremely liable to cause this, as it always struggles 

 hard both in and out the water from the moment 

 of hooking to the final gasp. A hook with the 

 proper bend will never pierce foul, but will strike 

 right through the mouth, never springing out. 



Regarding flies, every man has his own opinions 

 and fancies. My own favorites are the "Marston," 

 "W. H. Hammett," "Reader," "Silver Ibis," "Ver- 

 mont," "Imperial," "La Belle," "Royal Coach- 

 man," " Blue Jay" and "Claret," made by C. F. 

 Orvis, of Manchester, Vt. 



As to spoons, most people use far too large a 

 spoon for bass, I am sure ; even the dealers do not 

 recognize this fact, and are continually pressing 

 pickerel spoons upon their customers who do not 

 happen to know better. My idea of a bass spoon 



