HEAVY HOOKS. 28 1 



This in a manner casts the weight upon the wings, 

 and preserves the equilibrium of the "artificial." 

 The gut may be attached to the loop, as in the case 

 of Salmon flies, by means of the slip knot, known as 

 the " Carrick bend," with this difference, that the gut is 

 passed through the underside of the loop first. 



Hooks used for spinning purposes are required 

 to be very heavily ironed, more especially for Pike ; 

 weak triangles are the rule rather than the exception. 

 Weight here is no detriment but rather an advantage. 

 In selecting hooks, the weight they are required to 

 bear should always be taken into consideration, and 

 the thickness of the wire chosen accordingly. Treble 

 hooks for Salmon and Pike fishing in particular, are 

 much too delicate, generally speaking. We have 

 seen several triangles broken at the strike of a heavy 

 fish. The temper of many triangles, or brazed 

 hooks sold, has been affected during the brazing 

 operation. The plan generally adopted over- tempers 

 them, thus causing them to be hard and brittle ; and 

 as two or sometimes three and more hooks have 

 frequently to be driven home, the odds are that if 

 the fish does not break them the rodster often does. 

 Breakages are so rife in the case of brazed hooks, 

 owing mainly to the causes above named, that many 

 anglers have been led to eschew them altogether ; but 

 the fault lies largely with the angler who selects them 

 too fine and delicate in the metal. 



The hooks requisite for successful roach fishing 

 should be moderately long-shanked. We prefer the 

 " Sneck " to the " round " or Carlisle bend, the latter 



