GRAYLING FISHING 181 



pronounced, although the fish are still quite 

 plentiful. 



It is in October that fly fishing for grayling comes 

 on. This remains good throughout the long fall 

 of the leaf, in the pure air of Westmorland, and 

 longer still if the winter, up to Christmas, is mild. 

 The flies used should be small, and on this account 

 the ordinary Eden trout flies sometimes answer the 

 purpose quite well, and are generally adhered to 

 by local anglers. Visitor grayling fishermen, how- 

 ever, use special flies, such as the Green Insect, 

 Apple Green Dun, Red Tag, etc., following, in 

 the main, Mr Pritt's example and teaching in this 

 respect. 



Sometimes it will be found that grayling hardly 

 look at either the local or special flies. When the 

 fall of the leaf is taking place it seems, at odd times, 

 to bring on to the water some exasperating, minute 

 insect, like the midge, on which the grayling feed 

 all the time, just breaking the surface of the water 

 with their noses, and paying scant attention to 

 anything larger that is thrown over them. 



Grayling are coming into season in late August 

 and September, and, for an hour before darkness 

 sets in, during these two months, good sport may 

 be had with them at the tails of streams. Big 

 baskets are often secured in the autumn with the 



