22 SPRING ANGLING 



tween two nails, and go over it again with a piece 

 of chamois leather, rubbing hard to engender a 

 little heat, and so render the line smooth. This 

 dressing may be renewed as it seems to wear off, 

 and it will always be found satisfactory for the 

 fishing we are bonsidering. 



We now have arrived at the hook. One three- 

 eighths of an inch across the bend is quite large 

 enough for the largest fish. When the fish are 

 plentiful and biting freely you need not trouble 

 about snells, but can use the eyed or ringed hooks. 



c 



Fig, 70. — Eyed-hook, with Method of tying. 



These are best tied as shown (Fig. lo). Of course 

 the knot there shown is to be drawn tight. But in 

 clear water, and indeed generally, the snelled hook 

 is to be preferred. If you want to do the exactly 

 right thing, send to a tackle dealer and get a 

 "hank" of gut, — which is silk from the silk- 

 worm, taken away before the worm spins it, — and 

 soak it in water. This renders it pliable, so that 

 you can tie a loop at one end like either of the 



