With yet another successful trout season coming to an end in the UK and a definite autumnal feel in the air, many river anglers attention will switch to grayling fishing. We’re lucky enough to have rivers in the UK with brilliant numbers of wild grayling. There’s something about a crisp winters morning, blowing the cobwebs off the thermals and a days grayling fishing that I just love. Being rewarded when you see that distinctive dorsal fin slide over your net that’s what it’s all about!
On a typical day targeting these fish, my set up would be to fish euro nymph style, a popular method when fly fishing for grayling. I use a 10ft 4# rod with a french leader and braided sight indicator which will soon be available from Fulling Mill. The French leader has advantages such as little to zero drag when drifting your flies as well as the ability to get your flies to the depths you need them.
When it comes to grayling flies I usually opt for a 2 fly cast of jig nymphs. Using jig patterns really minimises your chances of hooking the bottom of the river as they fish upside down. From the indicator, I use around 3ft of Fulling Mill Fluorocarbon tippet to the first fly, on the dropper, a size 16 Pink Tag Jig and 2ft below that on point, a KJ CDC Red Tag Nymph size 16.
Grayling will often shoal together in the deeper pools on really cold days, where some weighted nymphs will be your port of call, but, don’t hesitate to fish right under your feet, you might surprise your self with a few fish right close to the banks.
Love them or hate them, squirmy worms are simply super effective grayling flies. Coming in all different fluorescent colours, red and pink are certainly the most favoured. It fishes extremely well in both clear and coloured water, and can often tempt those ‘impossible’ fish.
On mild days, albeit hatches may be sparse it is worth fishing the duo method. A great way of searching water and finding fish in nice bubbly pocket water. My go-to set up is a big bushy, buoyant dry fly, such as a sedge or Klinkhammer with a nymph suspended underneath. Olive quill nymphs and copper pheasant tails are proven fish catchers.
If you’re lucky enough to catch your self a bigger fish, don’t forget to give it the rest it needs before getting the camera out and releasing it. If you are wanting to photograph the fish allow time to recover, wet your hands, support the fish in the palm of your hands, get your image and hold the fish in the water for it to swim away safely.
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