LINES — HOOKS. 
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LINES. 
Lines are made of silk, silk and hair, gut, India grass, flax, 
hemp, and cotton. They vary in size and length — coming 
from the size of a hair to that of a quarter of an inch, and 
in some cases even thicker, and being from 12 to 200 yards 
long. 
A line for trout, should be either of silk, silk and hair, 
India grass, or fine flax ; the most common one in use, how- 
ever, for this fish, is the India grass, which is to be had in 
lengths of from 12 to 20 yards, and of various sizes. The 
silk plaitted line has an extensive reputation in England for 
this species of angling, as also that of twisted silk and hair. 
They are expensive, but considered by far the best for trout 
and salmon fishing. 
For salmon, lake pickerel, black or striped bass, the lines 
in general use are made of flax, hemp, grass, silk, or hair, all 
of which can be obtained in lengths of from 50 to 200 yards. 
The cotton and hemp lines (50 to 100 yards long) are used 
in trolling for blue fish, bass, pickerel, or any kind of sea 
fish. 
The size and length of a line should always vary in pro- 
portion to the sport anticipated. For instance, you cannot 
have too fight a fine in clear trout streams, provided it is 
strong enough to take your fish ; and the same rule may also 
apply to striped bass, salmon, apd other timid fish. On the 
subject of fines generally, much must be left to the discretion 
and judgment of the sportsman. 
HOOKS. 
There is no article of tackle of so much importance to the 
Angler, and concerning which such a variety of opinion exists, 
as the Hook. 
