AN ANGLING CONTEST. 5! 



retaining little slack line from the tip of the rod 

 downwards. Many advantages ensue from the use 

 of an extra fine line, retaining of course full requisite 

 strength, both in live bait, bottom, and surface fishing. 

 As every angler will allow, the less the surface of 

 the line the less resistance offered by the air, and the 

 greater chances of success and deception. The hook 

 is also a point of the greatest importance, and one to 

 which meagre attention is but usually paid. A bad 

 or defective hook is an abomination to the user ; 

 to employ one is as detrimental to sport as the use 

 of pasteboard bullets would be for deer stalking. 

 As we have devoted a separate chapter to the con- 

 sideration of hooks, we shall merely quote an instance 

 from our own personal experience, anent this subject. 

 In company with an angling acquaintance, we were 

 fishing upon a once celebrated roach reach on the 

 Trent, not many miles from Burton. Our companion 

 was rather positive in his ideas of hooks. He in- 

 herited a notion from his sire, who it was asserted 

 was the best roach fisher of his day, that the weight 

 and dimensions of one's takes ranged in a certain 

 degree according to the weight of metal and dimen- 

 sions of the hook employed, the heresy of which 

 doctrine will be obvious to any modern disciple of 

 the rod. The descendant of the redoubtable rodster 

 favoured a No. 8 Carlisle hook, and nothing we could 

 advance appeared to convince him of the absurdity 

 of his prejudiced opinions. Finally, we arranged to 

 fish the matter out, hence it was that we had repaired 

 to a noted spot upon the noble Trent. Circumstances 



