Fish and Fishing 



it. The leaping of the grayling is extremely grace- 

 ful, both on the hook and in play, when not dis- 

 turbed. As a gamy fighter it is equal to the trout, 

 though it takes the fly much more quietly, most 

 often while the fly is under water; then, in a 

 flash, turns, like a somersault, fighting every inch 

 its hardest to get back to the bottom. In size it 

 rarely grows more than two pounds in weight, 

 the average being about a pound, but, with 

 careful angling, quite a number may be caught 

 from the same pool, as they invariably lie in schools 

 together. Its food is mostly insects and their 

 larvae, small minnows, crustaceans, and other 

 small creatures. They coexist with the red-throa.t 

 trout, each seeking out such portions of the 

 streams as are best suited to them. In fishing 

 for grayling the smallest possible flies 

 Fishing snou ld be used. One, or two, can be 

 placed on the cast, which should be 

 exceedingly fine. Good flies are black gnat, 

 coachman, gray hackle, black hackle, iron-blue 

 dun, red ant, and cinnamon. The rod, line, and 

 leader can be exactly similar to those used for trout 

 fishing. Cast down stream or cast across stream, 

 letting the fly float down to the foot of the pool. 

 When the fly has passed by, the fish darts up 

 swiftly, and back to the bottom, often a number 

 of times, seemingly as if afraid to touch it. But 

 it is game, and the fly is at last taken; the same 

 method is pursued ; up goes the great fin to plunge 

 it downward, fighting stoutly to get free. 



A good deal of careful work is necessary in 

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