GRAYLING OF MONTANA 



own. No sultry atmosphere, no stinging, buzzing, 

 annoying insects ; surely it would be perfection 

 indeed ! 



The grayling lies deep in the water, quite near 

 to the bottom. He rises eagerly, and the fly is 

 not taken until it has passed him. If he misses, then 

 he quickly disappears. When the hook is struck, 

 then the superb fin is brought into full play, and he 

 now fiercely struggles to go deep down again. In 

 this effort, he exerts his strength to the utmost, 

 and tests well the skill of the rodsman. 



The grayling is considered by many anglers as 

 being fully equal, in fighting power, to the trout, 

 although their manner of taking the fly is entirely 

 different, the trout rising with a dash and snap 

 which the grayling does not equally display. Leap- 

 ing above the water, and taking the fly in the down- 

 ward turn, seems to be a favorite habit of the 

 trout, while the grayling takes it more deliberately, 

 from beneath. Yet so far as my personal experi- 

 ence extends, I have never seen the Montana 

 species leap from the water when hooked ; yet the 

 Michigan grayling frequently does, and as often, in 

 some instances, as five or six times, a trait, — by the 

 by, not shown by our brook beauty, fontinalis. 

 Nearly all fresh-water fish, when tightly held, will 

 fight on the surface, but few indeed, of their own 



291 



