H2 MODERN SEA FISHING 



straight edge, the other being curved. Hold the mussel in the 

 left hand so that the narrow end rests in the palm of the hand, 

 the beard and straight edge pointing away from you. Rest 

 the flat end on the joint of the first finger, and place the thumb 

 on the upper shell above it. With the thumb, gently push the 

 upper shell to the left, holding the lower shell firmly on the 

 first finger. The shells will slightly slide apart and disclose an 

 opening for the knife. Then insert the point of the knife and 

 pass the blade between the body of the fish and the broad, 

 flat portion of the lower half of the shell ; this will sever the 

 one side of the powerful muscle which holds the two shells 

 together, and the rest is easy. Run the knife round the edges 

 to divide the various filaments. Then, and not before, prise the 

 shells. Cut the remaining muscle which adheres to the upper 

 shell, fully open both shells, and the bait will be seen lying un- 

 mangled in the lower one. The two important points to be 

 observed are that the shells must be first slid apart, and that no 

 attempt to prise them open should be made until the muscle 

 which is clearly shown in the illustration, and marked A A, has 

 been severed. Sport often depends in a great measure on the 

 careful opening of the mussel. If badly opened, these baits 

 cannot be made to stick on the hook. 



But now comes, to the novice, a tremendous difficulty 

 to put this soft mass, which appears of the consistence of liver, 

 on the hook so that it will remain there. Lying almost hidden 

 between the two halves of the mussel will be seen a little, dark 

 brown, tough, leathery tongue (B), and through this the hook 

 should be first placed. It should next be passed through the 

 bait from side to side, and finally through any of the tough 

 filaments, the round, hard, white piece of muscle which was 

 cut when the knife first went into the shell being put on the 

 point of the hook last to keep the rest in place. The knack 

 of it all is not acquired in a day. But the difficulties are 



