Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 296, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1910 — MOST REMARKABLE FISHHOOK [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MOST REMARKABLE FISHHOOK

Primitive Affair Used by the Indians of Alaska for Catching Halibut. v St. Paul, Minn. —The picture illustrates a halibut hook used by the Indians in Alaska. It is about nine inches long and two inches wide in the widest portion. From top to bottom of the fork it is about five inches. A heavy sinker is attached to the cord that is seen descending from the lower fork of the hook, and this sinker rests on the bottom when the hook is In action. The hook Itself floats about two feet above the sinker, and is kept

in the position shown in the illustration by the strips of light cedar that are tied to the upper fork of the hook. The hook itself is of wood in two pieces, laßhed together by thongs of some kind of hide, with a steel prong lashed to the upper part of the fork with thongs of hide. A piece of salmon steak’ i£ placed on the hook prong, and the halibut comes along and tries to eat It, When the wily redskin feels a tug on his flshline he gives it a jerk and the hook prong is driven into the lower jaw of the halibut and the fish Is caught. Halibut weighting as high as 200 pounds have been caught on these primitive hooks. The hook illustratecLwas brought to St. Paul by Martin Kennedy, Jr., on his return from his recent trip to Alaska. ' One peculiarity that puts this hook out of the ordinary class of salmon and halibut hooks is that the lower prong Is carved In the shape of an Idol.

Fish Hook of Wood.