Hooks. 233 



the hook is on the same plane, or in the same direction or 

 axis as the line of the snell, thus constituting what is 

 termed a central-draught fish-hook. The wire of the 

 Sproat is a trifle smaller than the O'Shaughnessy, which 

 is another advantage. The latter hook has a long and 

 somewhat hollow point, which is curved outward. 



The Sproat bend I regard as the very best hook manufac- 

 tured. I first commenced its use thirty-five years ago. Its 

 appearance is somewhat against it, but it is like " a singed 

 cat." By the side of a delicate, blued, gracefully-shaped 

 Aberdeen, it looks black, and rather clumsy, with its short 

 barb and peculiar bend, but it means " business." Its tem- 

 per is just right, and when you strike a fish it goes right 

 through any part of the mouth, never springing out, and 

 never disappointing you. I have had the Aberdeen so 

 soft as to completely straighten and pull out, and so brittle 

 as to break like a pipe stem, but the Sproat has yet to fail 

 me. For staying qualities it is perfection itself. 



The " Dublin bend," or Dublin Limerick, as it is some- 

 times called, and the " Dublin Limerick forged," are excel- 

 lent hooks, and are identical in form and bend with the 

 O'Shaughnessy hook, the only difference consisting in the 

 caliber of the wire, which, in the latter, is a trifle heavier. 

 The forged Dublin Limerick has the wire flattened by ham- 

 mering or forging; it is a remarkably strong hook. 



The " Cork-shape Limerick " has an almost round bend, 

 with a straight shank, and a long straight point, which is 

 parallel with the shank in its direction, and a very good 

 hook, being of rather smaller wire than the Sproat. 



The " Carlisle " hooks are made of very small wire, and 

 are very delicate and attractive to the eye, but for black 

 bass fishing I do not admire them, though, until I came 

 across the Sproat hook, I used the round bend Carlisle 



