FISHING Hook, a small instrument made of steel wire, of a proper form to catch and retain fish.

The fishing hook in general ought to be long in the shank, somewhat thick in the circumference, the point even and straight; let the bending be in the shank.

An Epitome of the whole art of FISHING, wherein is shown, (at one view), the harbours, seafans, and depths, for catching all sorts of fish usually angled for, also the various baits for each, so digested as to contain the essence of all the treatises ever written on the subject, exempt from the superfluities, which tend more to perplex than instruct.

Names. Where found. Season. Time to ang. Depth from ground. Proper Baits.
Flies.
No
Pastes.
No
Worms.
No
Fish and
Insects.
No 8.
Bream Rough str. river or mid. pond Apr. to Mich Sunrise to 9
3 to sunset
Touch Ground - 1 3 1 to 7 -
Barbel Gravel banks in currents under
bridges
Apr. to Aug. Very early or
late
Ditto - 2 2 6 7 -
Bleak Sandy bottom deep rivers,
ships sterns
May to Oct. All day Six inches from bottom 1 2 2 2 3 8 -
Carp Still deep mud bottom, pond
or river
May to Aug. Sunrise to 9
3 to sunset
Three inches from bottom
Hot weather, mid water
- 1 3 4 1 2 3 4 7 -
Chub or
Chevin
Ditto May to Dec. Ditto Ditto 1 to 5 2 1 2 4 5 7 8
Dace Sandy bottom, deep rivers,
ship sterns
May to Oct. All day Six to 12 inches from bottom Ditto 3 4 1 to 5 & 8 -
Gudgeon Gravel shoals May to Oct. Ditto Near or on the ground - Ditto 2 8 -
Pike Near clay banks All the year Ditto Mid water Wh. stro.
and snap
Line float
Hook fixt
On shore 1 2 3 4
5 6 7
Perch River in stream
Pond deepest part
May to Aug. Sunrise to 10
2 to sunset
Ditto 2 1 3 5 7 8 1 6
Pope Deep holes in rivers Aug. to May Mid day Six inches from bottom 5 - All -
Roach Sandy bottom, deep rivers,
ships sterns
May to Oct. All day Ditto 1 2 4 5 3 4 Ditto 8
Salmon Deep rivers Mar. to Sept. 8 to 9, 3 to 6 Mid way to the bottom All large - 1 5 6 7 1
Smelts Ships sterns and docks Apr. to Oct. All day Mid way to the bottom
Variable
All small - 1 2 5 Bits of
smelts
Trout Parting stream and eddies of
stony bottom river
Mar. to Mich. Ditto Cold weather, 6 inches to 9
Hot weather, top to mid wat.
1 to 5 - 1 2 5 to 8 1 8
Tench Mud bottom river or pond All the year Sunrise to 9
3 to sunset
Cold wea. 3 inches from bot.
Hot weather, mid water
- 1 3 4 1 3 4 to 7 -
Umber or
Grayling
Clay bottom, swift stream All the year All day Cold weather, 6 to 9 inches
Hot weather, top to mid wat.
1 to 5 - All 1 8

Fishing. For setting the hook on, use strong but small silk, laying the hair on the inside of your hook; for if it be on the outside, the silk will fret and cut it asunder.

There are several sizes of these fishing hooks, some big, some little: and of these, some have peculiar names; as, 1. Single hooks. 2. Double hooks; which have two bendings, one contrary to the other. 3. Snap-pers, or gorgers, which are the hooks to whip the artificial fly upon, or bait with the natural fly. 4. Springers, or spring hooks; a kind of double hooks, with a spring, which flies open upon being struck into any fish, and so keeps its mouth open.