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206 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



In order to arrive at this conclusion without any complicated 

 process of reasoning out the mechanical argument it is only 

 necessary to apply a sort of reductio ad absurdum, and consider 

 what would be the actual power of a hook if the shank were 

 reduced to the same length as the point. Evidently it would 

 possess no penetrating power whatever. Extend the same 

 principle to a hook with a shank slightly longer than the point, 

 and you have a proportionate increase of hooking power, 

 double it again, you get another increase and so on. 



For reasons already stated I believe that my bend of hook, 

 shown in the annexed plate, fig. i, will be found far the most 



killing for all sorts of bot- 

 tom fishing. The length of 

 shank has been- especially 

 calculated for tying artifi- 

 cial flies and so far as hook- 

 ing powers go is, perhaps, 

 about the perfect length. 

 In roach fishing, however, especially when paste is the bait 

 used, a somewhat shorter shank is probably advisable. But let 

 there be no mistake, the convenience in more readily covering 

 the shank with the bait is only obtained at the expense of an 

 equivalent amount of hooking, that is killing, power. For all 

 sorts of worm-fishing where the shank of the hook can be 

 readily concealed the use of the full length of shank is strongly 

 recommended. The simplest way to shorten the shanks of any 

 of these hooks is with a small pair of pliers or in an impromptu 

 vice formed at the joint of a pair of scissors. 



In heavy fishing, where hooks larger than those shown in 

 the engraving are used, my old bend of hooks — diagrams of 

 which, as also of the ordinary round bend hooks, are appended 

 ■ — maybe employed. It will be seen from the plate, fig. 2, that the 

 two bends of hooks are numbered in different ways. My own 

 are numbered from i, which is probably the smallest size that 

 will often be required in float-fishing, up to 10, the largest, 

 suitable for barbelling and other exceptionally heavy work. 



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FIG. I. — 'PENNELL SNECK-HEND/ HOOKS. 



