The Grayling Family 201 



rise, too, is different to a trout. A trout, from 

 lying close to the surface when feeding, takes 

 without effort the flies floating over him, and also 

 is easily scared. A grayling, from lying deep 

 in the water, quite close to the bottom, comes up 

 with great rapidity, and seldom takes the fly 

 until it has passed him; and should he miss it, 

 which often happens, disappears so quickly that 

 he may well be compared to a shadow — hence 

 the name of 'umber,' from umbra, a shadow. 

 Should you hook him, up goes his great dorsal 

 fin and down goes his head in his determination 

 to get to his hiding-place, and it depends on 

 his size and gameness, as well as the skill of 

 the angler, whether he succeeds or not. I have 

 often heard anglers complain that grayling are 

 more difficult to hook than trout. Experienced 

 anglers are all aware that grayling are not so 

 easily hooked on the rise as trout, but he offers 

 the best compensation in his power by consenting 

 to rise over and over again until if you do not 

 hook him the fault is yours, not his. When he 

 rises at a passing fly he must ascend at lightning 

 speed in order to cover the distance in time to 

 catch it; having done so, he turns instantly head 

 down and descends at the same speed. This is 



