GRAYLING FISHING. 83 



from 4 to 5 pounds. A Grayling weighing half a 

 pound spawns, but a " Shot" Grayling does not. 



The mouth of the Grayling is exceedingly ten- 

 der ; and consequently both striking and playing, 

 the fish requires to be handled carefully. For the 

 same reason, and also from the peculiar character 

 of the banks, a net is almost a necessity in Gray- 

 ling waters. The light pocket-net shown in the 

 engraving opposite will be found the most con- 

 venient for the purpose. 



Grayling but seldom take the minnow, either 

 natural or artificial, or the worm. The three most 

 killing ways of fishing for them being with the 

 artificial fly, with the artificial grasshopper, and by 

 float-fishing with gentles. 



. FLY-FISHING. 



Fly-fishing for Grayling begins in earnest in 

 August that is, about a month earlier than either 

 the grasshopper or gentle fishing and continues 

 through September and October. Fair bags may 

 not unfrequently be made as late as November, 

 but a warm day, and the middle hours of it, are 

 then desiderata. Indeed, as soon as the weather 

 becomes cold, the warmest hours of the day, say 

 from 12 till 2 or 3 o'clock, will usually prove 



