236 Book of the Black Bass. 



Fig. 1 is the " common " knot for forming a loop at the 

 end of a line, or snell. It has its nses. 



Pig. 2 is the lest knot for tying such a loop; it looks a 

 little intricate, but can be learned by practice, and once 

 learned, will be a " well-spring of pleasure." 



Fig. 3 is a good and simple method of attaching the 

 reel-line to the loop of the leader, or snell. It is the 

 " tiller-hitch," or " helm-knot," so-called because it can be 

 instantly cast off by a jerk on the end; being thus the 

 safest hitcli for the main-sheet in sailing. 



Fig. 4 is a more secure knot for attaching the end of 

 the line to loop of leader, or snell; it makes a small and 

 neat knot, and is easily untied. It is the " becket-hitch," 

 with a small round knot in the end of the line to prevent 

 its working loose. 



Fig. 5 is another method of fastening reel-line to loop 

 of leader, or snell; it is a very safe and secure knot, and 

 is a modification of the "reef-knot" (fig. 10). 



Fig. 6 is similar to fig. 5, with the end of line fastened 

 on itself by a half -hitch ; it is very secure, but a little more 

 difficult to untie than fig. 5. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are all 

 good knots for bending the line to loop of leader, or snell ; 

 they d^a^^■ up close and snug, will not slip, and are easily 

 loosened. The angler can take his choice, but he should 

 never tie his line and leader together by the common knot 

 (similar to fig. 1), or the square knot (fig. 10). The 

 leader should always be provided with a loop in each end, 

 neatly seized with good sewing silk, and varnished. In 

 bait-fishing, a loop may be formed on the end of the reel- 

 line, by which it may be fastened to one ring of the swivel, 

 when it is desired to pass the loop of the snell through the 

 opposite ring. 



Fig. 7 is the "single water-knot," for tying lengths of 



