GRAYLING. 39 



autumn and winter fish, as the Trout is belonging to spring 

 and summer. Grayling do not bound out of the water or 

 jump at the bait like the Trout, but will rise with great 

 velocity to the top of the water to seize the fly, descending 

 with equal rapidity to the bottom, the dorsal-fin, used for 

 this purpose, being remarkably large. The best Flies are the 

 hackles, partridge, dun, black, red, &c. ; small blue dun and 

 hare's ear flies, march-brown and sand flies. When the water 

 is clear and smooth, they will take a dun-gnat tipped with 

 gold tinsel, beneath the surface, using a very fine casting-line 

 and allowing it to float with the current ; you will not see a 

 "rise" but a peculiar curl in the water, which with a little 

 practice you will understand equally w^ell. In the winter, 

 when the weather is warm, they will rise for an hour or two 

 in the middle of the day at dun-gnats and very small soldier 

 palmers. The artificial grasshopper is an excellent bait ; the 

 following semi-artificial bait is sometimes very successful :- 

 the shank of a No. 6 hook is partially covered with lead, and 

 then whipped with light green floss silk, a piece of split straw 

 should be bound on either side with a ribbing of yellow silk. 

 Place a real grasshopper on the bend of the hook, and use it 

 either with, or without, a very small quill float, which 

 must be just large enough to carry the amount of lead on 

 the hook without extra shot. 



The Rod for bottom-fishing should be of light cane, and 

 about twelve feet in length ; the winch-line should be fine 

 prepared plaited silk. Use a very fine three yard gut line 

 and a quill float ; if you fish with gentles, or wasp grubs, use 

 a No. 9 hook, if with red worms No. 7 or No. 8. Fish about 

 two inches from the bottom, letting your float swim as steadily 

 as possible ; if you fish with gentles, throw in a few occasion- 

 ally, just above the swim ; when using worms, throw in a 

 few chopped worms, not many at a time, but a very small 

 quantity often. Grayling, when hooked, require gentle hand- 

 ling ; having a tender mouth, unless carefully treated, the 

 hold will frequently break away. 



