'28 ANCLIifO. 



perfectly round in the bend, so that neither barb nor point in- 

 clines inwards, is the best. For gentles, paste, and grain, the 

 short-shanked, sneck-bent hooks are preferred, as the point 

 of the hook is more easily kept covered and secured for a 

 ^ longer time. Every angler should be able to whip his own 

 hooks on to the gut or hair. It is not difficult to " whip," 

 but it must be done neatly to be of use. The best whip- 

 ping is made of fine silk, waxed with saddler's wax, that 

 being preferable to shoemaker's wax for angling purposes. 

 The whipping should be commenced near the bend, and 

 finished neatly by two slip-knots, and then varnished. The 

 best varnish for this purpose, and for tackle generally, is 

 that made by dissolving shellac in double its bulk of spirits 

 of wine. One application will be found sufficient. The 

 gut or hair should be flattened and moistened previous to 

 whipping, by being drawn through the teeth. When the 

 hooks are wanted for bottom-fishing, the gut need not be 

 above eight inches long, and should be furnished with a 

 loop with a whipped fastening to attach it to the Une. 

 Too large hooks should not be used in proportion to the 

 size of the bait. Fly-fishers approve of the round-bend 

 hook. Hooks are numbered according to size ; but differ- 

 ent makers commence differently. Thus Bartlett's largest 

 hooks are No. 1^, the smallest 17. Addington, on the 

 contrary, commences at 12 and ends at 00. The numbers 

 mentioned in these pages refer to the largest as No. 1. 

 All hooks should be tried before using. If they bend 

 easily, they are of little value, as they are too soft. If too 

 hard, they snap suddenly. The happy medium must 'be 

 chosen. 



Floats. — These articles, so indispensable to the youn" 

 and inexperienced angler, may be purchased of all .shapes 



