Grayling Fishing. 175 



of sport would "be so much actual gain. Whether the grayling, heing rather 

 a ground rooter, as the formation of his mouth and snout shows, does not 

 pick up a good deal of trout spawn, seeing that in the winter, when trout 

 spawn, they are active and in good fettle, is another question ; hut a very 

 little artificial hatching would easily set all that right, and as the grayling 

 is not a very pronounced fish-eater, as soon as the fry were ahle to feed 

 they would he safe from them. Could the spawn be procured it would 

 be easy enough to distribute them. The case of the Clyde shows that 

 clearly ; and the odd part of the thing was that when the grayling 

 were introduced into the Clyde they soon exceeded in size the trout in 

 their native waters. But I have seen a fish or two move while we have 

 been talking, and I see you have changed your cast." 



" Yes, I have put on a bumble and a smaU caperer ; they will suit 

 just beyond yon hatchway ; there, where the little brook falls in in 

 that wide swirley hole, is always a safe find, and I shall be disappointed 

 if I don't get a tug or two there." 



The pool in question was a biggish eddy caused by two falls, the streams 

 meeting and uniting at this point. On the side we stood the water was 

 deep and swirly, but on the further side it eddied up under some spreading 

 branches of trees on a bank of beautiful gravel, making a wide shelf of 

 some three feet deep, and here the grayling usually " most did congregate." 

 Although there were few at present very active, I could see several shadowy 

 forms (true "umbra" doubtless) moving slowly from deep to shallow and 

 back again with scarce perceptible motion, waiting a descent of fly. Forth 

 went the slender line over the broken water tUl it was swept on to the 

 shelf ; but it came all round into the straight with no result. 



" That top chap moved at it ; but — Ha ! then he took a natural fly. 

 Now for it again," and once more the line extended itself. 



There was a good big shadow at the head of the shelf, suddenly I lost 

 sight of it, and the next moment our friend was playing the old game of 

 give and take in a lusty pound and a halfer which I landed for him. Again 

 the line went forth, and again a shadow was missing from the gravel, 

 and once more a lusty fish plunged down the rough centre stream, and 

 we followed him, to the point, where we landed him also. 



