110 The American Salmon-fisherman. 



It will be noticed that the point is set in toward the 

 shank so as to insure all the certainty of penetration 

 which the original form of Sproat possessed or indeed 

 which is possible in a hook; that the point is long 

 and conical; that the wire is but little weakened in the 

 formation of the barb; that it is deep on the shank-side; 

 that the wire is of sufficient thickness to prevent change 

 of form; and that the shank is straight, thus facilitating 

 the tying of the fly. 



My attention w r as but recently called to the " Improved 

 Limerick" hook. Though its name and shape might 

 lead a casual observer to consider it really a modifica- 

 tion of the hook from which it is named, careful con- 

 sideration of the following diagram of the three sizes 



Fig. 12. 



most useful to the salmon-fishermen in this country, will 

 show that it is really nothing but the Pennell Sneck-bend 

 hook, with the angle where the shank merges into the 

 bend softened into an easier curve. 



