46 ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT. 



clumsy. The single slip-knot is made by laying the 

 ends together, and simply knotting the one round the 

 other ; in the right direction it will hold together, 

 but may be separated by pulling the short ends. The 

 double slip-knot is so far the same ; but in knotting 

 the threads round each other, the ends are passed 

 twice through instead of once : this, if properly done, 

 makes a neat and firm joining, and is the one we 

 always use. Before knotting, gut should be well 

 soaked in cold water. 



Hooks. The two great points to be attended to 

 in the selection of hooks are the bend, and the tem- 

 per and durability of the wire. Great diversity of 

 opinion exists as to what sort of bend is best adapted 

 for hooking, and in order to please every one, a 

 variety of bends are made ; these are the round, 

 Limerick, Kirby, and sneck bends. The two last 

 may be dismissed at once, as they are not a whit 

 better adapted for hooking than the ordinary round 

 bend, and are much more difficult to bait. The main 

 point, as we have already stated, being to hook a 

 fish, the round bend appears to be the best adapted 

 for that purpose. It is an error to suppose, that 

 because the point of the Limerick is more turned 

 out, it is therefore more likely to take a hold when 

 the angler strikes ; on the contrary, the more the 

 point of the hook is turned out, the less is the chance 

 of hooking ; there is certainly a greater probability 

 of the point of the hook coming into contact with the 

 mouth of the fish, but it merely grazes it, and then 



