SIZE OF HOOK. 131 



it in above him ; but on its approaching he made off 

 very quickly, being evidently alarmed by the gut. 



In dressing bait-hooks, take a well-waxed red 

 silk thread, and commence by giving it a turn or 

 two round the end of the shank of the hook, to pre- 

 vent the latter from cutting the gut ; then laying the 

 gut to the hook, whip both firmly together rather 

 more than half-way up the shank, where finish with 

 a succession of hitch-knots or the whip-fastening. 



With regard to the size of hook, we think a 

 small size, not larger than No. 3 or 4, is best, being 

 much more easily swallowed, and less likely to be 

 discovered by the trout. When baiting, take the 

 hook, and entering it close to the head end of the 

 worm, run the worm up on it and on the gut, till it 

 is all impaled but about three-quarters of an inch of 

 the tail, which should be left to play about. The 

 object of this is, that the trout, which always makes 

 its first attack upon the part which appears most lively, 

 may seize the end where the hook is. It is the 

 practice of some anglers to leave a large part of the 

 head to move about, under the supposition that the 

 worm will live longer. This is very objectionable, 

 as in such circumstances the trout may make its first 

 attack on the head, and may be alarmed by getting 

 the gut in its mouth; or the angler may strike 

 before it takes hold of the hook at all, and conse- 

 quently lose the trout. 



With every precaution, however, the angler will 

 sometimes miss three or four trout in succession, 



