The Small but Important Hook 



to reach harbor had dragged the light canoe danger- 

 ously near the tree top. He came to the top at last 

 and he showed up as a real He-Fish! I reached for 

 my landing net and remembered that it was in 

 my den at home a hundred and fifty miles away! 



The canoe was still drifting in and almost among 

 the limbs, so I had to act on the jump and by intui- 

 tion rather than by reason. Instinctively realizing 

 the strength of the line, I slid my left hand down it 

 almost to the fish's mouth and started to lift him 

 into the boat! I had his head and shoulders out of 

 the water when he dropped back and slowly swam 

 out of sight! 



At first I supposed that the hook had pulled out, 

 but an examination showed that it had broken off 

 where the shank joined the lure. My fault, entirely. 

 I had selected the lure without examination and it 

 proved to be an old one I had used in brackish water 

 the previous August with the result that the hook 

 was badly corroded at its junction with the lure. 



How large was he ? Well, boys, he was a big fish : 

 I have seen bigger bass but I don't know that I 

 ever landed a larger one! 



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