248 ROD AND RIVER 



which they are in best condition. I have had 

 excellent sport just before Christmas, when the 

 weather has been open and mild. Indeed, the 

 best bag I ever made was at that time a few 

 years ago, and the pick of the basket was caught 

 when it was growing dark. The olive dun was 

 then coming down, though it was so late in the 

 day. 



Thus it may be seen that, where there are 

 grayling, the fisherman, instead of being obliged 

 to put away his rod at the end of September, is 

 able to look forward to another three months of 

 sport. Now, this is a very great advantage, for 

 it reduces the dead time to three, instead of six, 

 months ; the latter is a weary time to a man to 

 whom the pleasures of hunting or shooting are 

 denied. 



Although somewhat choice in their selection of 

 flies and tackle, I think that grayling are better 

 rising fish than their first cousins, the trout. There 

 are few days on which some fish cannot be found 

 on the feed, so long as there is any fly on the 

 water, and they will very often take well when 

 there is an utter absence of any fly at all. I had 

 on one occasion a remarkably good day's sport 

 when the wind was blowing so keenly, and the 

 weather apparently so utterly unsuitable for fish- 

 ing, as to make me feel almost ashamed to be 

 seen with a rod. Not a fish was stirring. I made 



