CH. V.] SEA FLY-FISHING. 75 



pularly called the "tongue/' as the toughest part. 

 It will be found near that part of the fish with 

 which it adheres to the rocks. 



Where Cuddies (the young of the Saithe or 

 Coal-fish) abound, it is almost hopeless to attempt 

 fishing with mussels, for the moment the bait is 

 down, it is nibbled off* by them, while they them- 

 selves, from their small size (generally from four 

 to six inches in length), manage to escape the hook. 



The best way of having your revenge on them 

 is with a small white fly made of a piece of goose's 

 or gull's feather, which may be tied in the simplest 

 manner, merely taking care to allow a piece of 

 about three quarters of an inch in length to pro- 

 ject beyond the hook. With flies thus made and 

 set up in the following way almost any number 

 may be taken: You should use a stout rod and 

 line, (which must be on a reel,) with a strong gut 

 collar (casting-line) a little longer than the rod. 

 To this collar you may attach, by pieces of gut 

 three or four inches long, as many flies as there is 

 conveniently room for. Eight or ten is a common 

 number, but this may be doubled. Between the 

 line and the collar it will be found very useful to 

 have a swivel, and also above the tail-fly a weight, 

 which may be a length of about a dozen shot, like 



