U.S. [Of obscure origin.] A short line of gut or horsehair by which a fish-hook is attached to a longer line.
1859. Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (ed. 2), 238. Leader. A length of finely twisted hair, gut, or grass, for attaching an angler’s hook to the line; a bottom. Called also a Snell.
1883. J. A. Henshall, in Century Mag., July, 381/2. Reeling up his line to the snell of the hook.
1894. W. Thomson, in Outing, XXIV. 452/2. I put my rod together and rigged the strongest leader and the heaviest snell and hook in my box.
