114 GRUB FISHING FOR GRAYLING. 



without paying the penalty in nett results. When 

 the combination of artificial and natural lures is 

 artistically worked by an adept, the slaughter amongst 

 the heavy fish, which seldom or never rise, is immense. 

 Although grayling are very partial to small baits, 

 having a small mouth, they absorb a bunch of hooked 

 threaded gentles, etc., with as much avidity as an eel 

 will worsted threaded worms. The best time for 

 grub-fishing for grayling is from September to 

 February, and the most severe weather is often the 

 best for sport. 



One of the brightest angling remembrances our 

 memory retains, was an excursion after the grayling- 

 time of year, in December Christmas-eve, in fact 

 water and locality, the Derbyshire Wye, near Amber- 

 gate. Our party consisted of three rods ; the 

 morning was frosty, dry, and clear, the air deliciously 

 pure and exhilarating, the usually yielding turf was 

 sufficiently hard to considerably increase our powers 

 of locomotion. In the midst of the whitened land- 

 scape, the river flowed as tranquilly as on a long 

 summer's day. We had arrived, fitted-out for grub 

 and hopper fishing ; and with a favourable prospect of 

 sport we set to work. The fish proved in excellent 

 condition, and in feeding humour, and our humour 

 was, therefore, speedily equally excellent, notwith- 

 standing several losses of unusually heavy or subtle 

 quarry. The " permit " being well-nigh boundless, we 

 wandered far away from our starting point, and by 

 the middle of the afternoon had left our quarters and 

 luncheon miles behind, and when we assembled for a 



