284 SALMONID^ OF BRITAIN, 



shire, and Worccsterslnre. lu these latter streams, wliicli may be called natural 

 grayling waters, the whereabouts of the fish may be determined upon with some 

 certainty. Anything in the shape of a ghde, before or after rough water, should 

 not be neglected. A graA'elly shelf on the edge of a swift, deep stream, is a 

 favourite haunt of the fish. A bit of still, smooth water between two currents 

 formed by an obstacle, and a hollow, worn by deep water out of a loamy bank, 

 giving a lay-by in the nature of an eddy, are also places to wdiich the fly should 

 be introduced. But, as grayling often travel up and down and across in a slow 

 persistent sort of fashion, no labour is lost in fishing down every bit of water ; and 

 if it is fished down fi'om beginning to end two or three times in saccession, 

 so much the more likelihood of finding fish, as well as of keeping the blood in 

 circulation on a cold day (Field, October 25th, 1884). 



The larger fish frequent the deeper pools or sluggish portions of the stream, 

 sometimes selecting the vicinity of the roots of a tree which juts into the water, 

 sometimes being more in mid-water. What is termed a grasshopper in Worcester- 

 shire, which looks like a nondescript caterpillar, with the point of the hook 

 covered by gentles, is considered to be the best bait there and in the Shropshire 

 and Herefordshire districts, commencing to be employed about September and the 

 two following months on warm days succeeding frosty nights. Having a quill 

 float and a stitfish rod it is worked on the sinking and drawing plan, having sunk 

 to the bottom it is raised about a foot and allowed to sink again, while the stream 

 should suffice to carry it on a little way with each successive jerk. In Derbyshire 

 streams it is said not to be much of a success. The principal ground baits are 

 fishing with gentles, worms are likewise employed.* The grayling occasionally 



* A correspondent of The Field (February 19th, 1887) observed how he has fished in Yorkshire 

 streams by " swimming the worm" during the best months of the year. " The rod best adapted 

 to the purpose is a stiffish fly rod, from 10 ft. to 12 ft. in length, fitted with upright rings ; it 

 should not, however, be too heavy, as such a one becomes very tiring to the wrist_ at tlie 

 conchuling portion of a long day's fishing. The reel that I prefer is a plain check ebonite one, 

 and it must be kept clean and in good working order, so that the line may run easily from it upon 

 tlie first rush of a heavy fish. The line should be of tapered, waterproofed silk, say, 25 yards in 

 length. The tackle should consist of a cast from 2J yards to 3 yards in length, commencing with 

 a couple of lengths of strong undrawn gut and tapering down to the same quantity of the very 

 finest drawn ; to the end of this, wrap one no. 7 fine wire round bend hook with well-waxed 

 crimson silk, but before doing so either heat the shank of the hook in the flame of a candle and 

 bend it slightly outwards with a pair of pliers, or else wrap in at the top of the shank a piece of 

 stiff hog's bristle, this arrangement being intended for the purpose of keeping up the head of the 

 worm ; with one small shot about 4 to 6 inches above the hook, your tackle is complete, with the 

 exception of a tiny float about the size of a hazel nut, which you adjust to your cast by means of 

 a small quill plug, having due regard to the depth of stream. 



" When the angler finds that he is faihng to hook flsh, and that, after striking at an apparently 

 good bite, the tail of his worm is gone, he should take off the single hook tackle and substitute for 

 it a couple of no. 2 fly-hooks, wrapped about one -third of an inch apart ; but I only employ this 

 tackle under the circumstances named, as in nine cases out of every ten, owing to his rolling 

 propensities, the fish generally contrives to break off one of the hooks either in his mouth or in 

 the meshes of the landing-net, and then you have to waste valuable time in repairing damages. 

 In very bright, low water, I generally commence operations at the extreme tail of a pool, and fish 

 every likely place until I come to water about one foot ni depth, so, after you have fished to this 

 point hasten to the next suitable place. In slightly coloured water the angler may fish down 

 stream, casting across a little above him from tlie commencement of the swim ; if, however, 

 snow-water be present, it is very little use to continue fishing, as grayling never take well under 

 such circumstances. Grayling usually take the worm in a very erratic manner ; perhaps for two 

 or three hours the angler will never have a single bite, and suddenly he will begin to catch fish 

 almost every swim, and when he is congratulating himself upon his success, the sport ceases as 

 suddenly as it began. My old instructor, Dick Smith, used often to say to rae, ' You don't come 

 out to save worms, my lad, but to catch fish,' and many times since then have I fully appreciated 

 the truth of his remark, for a grayling may often be induced to take a lively red worm, when a 

 dead one, hanging like a piece of moss on the hook, will not tempt him at all ; always, therefore, 

 have a plentiful supply of worms with you. 



"In conclusion, let me again impress upon anglers the necessity of sticking to their work, if 

 they mean to make up a good dish of grayling by the above means. Many a time, after fishing 

 for hours without having a touch, have I felt inclined to reel up and wend my way homewards, 

 for you cannot moon about on the bank and smoke your pipe as Mhen in pursuit of the keen-eyed 

 trout during the summer months ; but patience has prevailed, and perhaps in the last couple of 

 hours in the afternoon I have made up a basket of fish to which is accorded the honour of having 

 a red mark affixed to the account which I have subsequently entered in my angling diary." 



