OUTLOOKS: EVERY FISH FACT YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW; TRIVIA BOOK AMONG COOL ANGLER TITLES.

Byline: Brett Pauly Daily News Staff Writer

Looking for holiday gift hints for the angler whose library could use a new title? Overviews of four to consider:

What family of cartilaginous fish lays its eggs enclosed in a tough case known as a mermaid's purse? The rajidae, which includes the thornback ray and spotted ray.

Want to know the difference between a smallmouth bass and a largemouth? The bucketmouth's upper jaw extends behind the eye and its spiny first dorsal fin is nearly separated from the soft-rayed second dorsal, whereas the smallmouth's jaw is shorter and its dorsal fins are connected.

Sounds pretty technical, huh? If you want to hook up with a cornucopia of fish facts, check out ``Angler's Guide to Fish'' (DK Publishing; $12.95), edited by Ian Wood. The pocket-size version of Dorling Kindersley's piscatorial bible ``The Encyclopedia of Fishing'' includes more than 450 color illustrations by master fish artist Colin Newman and just about everything you'd want to know about saltwater and sweetwater game species.

Bonus trivia: What family of freshwater fish includes the barbel, tench, asp, bream, nase, vimba, chub, dace, roach and rudd? No clue? Hint: The goldfish - a carp - may be its most famous member. Give up? It's the cyprinidae, of course.

From July 1, 1993, to June 9, 1994, 419 largemouth bass weighing more than 10 pounds were caught at Southern California lakes, primarily Castaic and Casitas. Lures longer than 11 inches fooled 278 of the trophy hawgs.

It's the type of detail one can expect from ``The Quest for the World Record Bass'' (Lighthouse Press; $14.95; [phone]).

Author Bart Crabb, a West Los Angeles angler and outdoors writer, has certainly done his homework regarding the pursuit of America's most cherished game fish. And while the 192 pages read like field notes, with anecdotes, testimonials and data offered in no particular order or direction, it's the type of reading bass fanatics would find fascinating.

Despite its hodgepodge presentation and hackneyed style, it is a reference of record for big bass, chronicling the world's top 25 largemouths, as well as records by month, each state record and a selection of the biggest fish from California, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and Mexico.

Other chapters focus on tackle, regulations, certifying record catches, releasing catches and world-record holder George Perry, whose legendary 22-pound, 4-ounce Georgia largemouth set the standard in 1932.

For something completely different, take a peek - make that a good, long gaze - at ``Beneath the Sea in 3-D'' (Chronicle Books; $18.95) by Mark Blum.

A novel approach to ``stereophotography,'' three-dimensional lenses are built into the book at a distance and position that don't make the viewer nauseous. For added comfort, a hole has been punched at the base of the glasses to accommodate any size schnozzle.

For the full effect, turn to the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which hovers silently behind a school of colorful minnows that seem to swim off the pages. With the right flight of fancy, it's as if you are at Malaysia's Sipidan Island (where the seen was snapped) peering through a scuba mask.

Blum combines his love of diving, nature and photography to present important particulars of the anemone crab, bigeye trevally, sharpnose puffer, splendid toadfish, purple jellyfish and 39 other ocean dwellers in a delightful format.

Not only does one need a license to fish, the document must be displayed in full view of any passing game warden. In a pinch, you can fashion a temporary license holder by placing the paper in a plastic sandwich bag and affixing it to your shirt with a hook. Be sure to eat the sandwich first.

Nothing of essence to angling gets past author Mike Toth in ``The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fishing Basics'' (Alpha Books; $16.95).

Punctuated by such other informational breakouts as a caution not to use your teeth to anchor a split shot sinker onto a line (you risk harming tooth enamel and ingesting lead particles), the title serves as a perfect primer. From how to spin-cast to how to hold your fish to how to plan your first big-game trip, it's a glossary of fundamentals.

If you can get through the often-humorous book - a chore in itself considering it is 332-pages long - you will be prepared to hit the water. Pay special attention to the chapters titled ``Casting and Retrieving: It's All in the Wrist (Really)'' and ``Fish on! How to Keep It That Way.''

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PHOTO (color) For the neophite or experienced angler, four fine holiday gift choices for the library.

Hans Gutknecht / Daily News