THE KENDAL HOOK. 279 



reduce the weight whilst retaining the full strength 

 requisite for an emergency round the bend. This, 

 as we have already pointed out, is of the most vital 

 importance ; an exhibition of false economy in this 

 matter will cause the angler's skill to avail nothing. 

 We know of no more tantalizing thing than to lose 

 the heaviest fish of the day, month, or season, through 

 a defective hook. When once a fish is well hooked 

 upon sound "tack," it is the rodster's own fault if 

 he fails to land it. A spell at the salmon will 

 frequently put out the delicacy of the trout fisher's 

 touch, and he, by too sanguine striking, will lose 

 every fish he hooks, either by breaking away the hold, 

 or otherwise the hook. The range of Kendal hooks, 

 given upon the plate, shows the relative strength and 

 sizes of what we have used for trouting flies for 

 many years. The Kendal hook should be slightly 

 crooked or twisted in the bend, as the body and the 

 hackle standing out will, to some extent, serve to 

 guard the point. A great many of the short rises 

 one experiences sometimes, are due to the non- 

 observance of this rule, the fish taking the fly with 

 the skin of his teeth, so to speak, the point fails to 

 take any hold whatever. The wide " span " of the 

 salmon hook obviates the necessity of this. The 

 trout hook then, for the same reason, should have 

 reasonable scope in this respect, so as to be capable 

 of taking broad hold and to retain it. The point and 

 barb should be anything but " proud ; " the evils of 

 this are far more objectionable, whilst being quite as 

 prevalent, in smaller and lighter hooks, than has been 



