AXIOMS, NOTES AND THEORIES 145 



first part of the season is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but during 

 October and until the close of the season, the most favour- 

 able period is from n a.m. till 3 p.m. Sunshiny weather 

 appears to bring the grayling on the feed, and although no 

 grayling may be seen rising, it is worth while fishing very 

 carefully during all the hours above mentioned. No part 

 of a grayling stream should be neglected. Grayling will 

 be found, not only under the banks of the river, in the 

 deeper runs and shallow glides, but also in the most rapid 

 and rougher parts of the stream. 



I have found that the best flies to use for grayling are 

 the Red Tag, Orange Tag, Bumble, Green Insect, Olive 

 Quill, Light Blue Dun, and Water Witch. I have 

 never killed grayling save with the fly, but large baskets 

 are made with the worm, gentle, and " Grasshopper," 

 the latter also having several maggots impaled on the 

 hook. The Grasshopper is perhaps the most effective 

 bait, but I do not consider it a very sporting method of 

 fishing. 



But the prettiest form of bait fishing for grayling, in my 

 opinion, is with the float. A No. oo hook, a gentle, and very 

 fine tackle should be used, and with a very light rod, and a 

 spinning reel such as the Illingworth, this method of fishing 

 will afford excellent sport. 



Grayling are in season from July until March, but they 

 will rise at the fly at all times, and in the lower portions of 

 the Test and Itchen, during the May fly season, I have found 

 them an unmitigated nuisance. They are best for the table 

 in October and November, and I think during those months 

 they afford the best sport. 



I do not think the introduction of grayling into a trout 

 stream is in every case advisable, as they undoubtedly oust 

 the trout to a considerable extent in some rivers, and the 

 quality and number of the trout certainly seem to suffer.* 



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