WINTER FLY FISHING FOR GRAYLING – TOP TIPS WITH FISHPASS MANAGER JAMES CHRISTOFOROU
Offering brilliant and affordable sport right through the grimmest months of the year, the grayling is an absolute godsend for any fly fisher who gets withdrawl symptoms through the winter. Unbeknown to many, however, is the surprising amount of non-exclusive day ticket fishing available through the FishPass app and other schemes, from just £6 a day!
Indeed, anyone in Devon and Cornwall wondering where to fish for grayling, there are various beats open all year around- from the Tamar catchment to the edge of Exmoor. Just visit fishpassapp.co.uk and be sure to download the free app on your phone.
These fish are often in fine condition this time of year!
Before you set out, however, we have some useful tips on how to find and catch grayling, straight from FishPass manager, James Christoforou. Do also look out for a video with him and Dom Garnett coming very soon!
1. Keep on top of conditions!
Before we even set up that fly rod, an obvious question arises: when is the best time to fish for grayling? Are there any weathers or conditions it’s not worth bothering? Although famed for their willingness to feed in icy climes, grayling are sight feeders, hence murky, flooded scenes are not ideal.
“Autumn and winter bring quite variable conditions- so it’s very much worth checking the government website (Click HERE), to find a gauging station near where you want to fish and checking if it’s in spate or dropping,” says James.
“If you see a spike in the graph, the water will be high and coloured- but if you see it’s dropped and has maintained a steady level for a day or two, the chances are it’ll be good to fish.”
If in doubt, however, anglers are always welcome to contact James and the team, who can offer expert local advice on when and where to fish for grayling- just hit the FishPass contact page: https://fishpassapp.co.uk/contact
2. Where are the best places to find grayling?
While you might find grayling in quite skinny water through the summer, they will now be gathered in deeper spots. On many of our smaller streams this means steady runs with at least two feet of water, deeper pools and bends. Snaggy areas are also worth looking at- such as spots with overhanging trees and other cover, where the grayling can save energy and avoid predators.
The golden rule is to be mobile and cover plenty of water in your session, because the fish can be quite localised. They are often more nomadic than trout- so yesterdays dud swim can be today’s hotspot and vice versa!
3. Go “point up” to beat snags
Talking of locating fish on our snaggy winter rivers, one absolute must these days is to use jig style flies that fish “point up”.
“With any river that has woody debris- and the Tamar catchment has both storms and beavers adding to this- you definitely want to avoid snagging and jig-style flies are always worthwhile” says James
Whether you tie your own or buy is up to you. Turall produce both raw materials and finished flies that are perfect for the job!
4. Try Euro Nymphing
Many anglers still seem a little averse to fishing a long rod and long leader, especially on a smaller river, but this tactic is superb for searching the depths thoroughly! A 2, 3 or 4 weight rod of at least 10 feet is perfect for the job.
Quite often, grayling are not super spooky in winter conditions, so you can get quite close to them. “A long rod gives me great control- while also keeping a suitable distance from the fish” says James. Consider a 10ft rod with a similar length leader and even in the most cramped spot you can project a fly 20ft with a catapult cast.
5. Don’t rule out an indicator!
Of course, there is also still a place for fishing with a very simple indicator plus grayling bug setup. This is easy to fish and makes the takes obvious. It also allows the use of a shorter rod for those who prefer their standard river setup- typically a 7-8 footer in a 3 or 4 weight for smaller Westcountry streams.
You can also use a clip on indicator with your Euro Nymphing set up when you want to cover shallower sections – and this is something James often does. His first choice is a small Thimgamabobber Dohickey- which has a simple gate that locks it to the line. All you do is flip the latch open to slip it on or off the line, or change depths. Simple but very practical!
6. Vary your flies
As for the best flies to catch grayling, contrary to viral marketing there is no “one fly to rule them all”! It’s notable that James’s boxes contain a healthy mixture of patterns, with jig style and tungsten beaded patterns dominating.
Your fly choice will often be influenced by conditions. Smaller, subtler flies are well worth a try in cold, clear water- and with little hatching in the coldest months, James will often turn over some stones to get a better idea of what’s on the menu.
That said, grayling will also take quite colourful and even garish flies at times, ranging from “hotspot” nymphs to the notorious Squirmy Worm. Having different options is a must, in other words- but do think in terms of different sizes and weights as well as colours. In truth, it is very often the where and how deep we present our grayling flies that is the clincher, rather than specific patterns.
7. Apply some movement
While fishing flies “dead drift” is almost a sacred commandment to many river fly fishers, it’s noticeable that grayling often like some additional movement. James regularly notices, for example, that takes occur immediately after mending the line when using an indicator, which must cause the fly to rise and fall suddenly.
Grayling also like movement when we’re Euro Nymphing. Watch any competition angler and the very end of each cast is crucial, with many fish taking as the angler begins to lift their fly in preparation for the next cast! Hence, it’s worth paying close attention right to the very end of each delivery. Don’t be surprised if that take occurs right at the death, slightly downstream of you. Which takes us to our next point…
8. Try a change of direction!
While it’s always good policy to wade gently, grayling tend to be less spooky than trout. Quite often they will “unspook” within minutes if you alarm one. In fact, far from being alarmed by a wading angler, they can be actively attracted to the disturbance we kick up!
On this basis, savvy anglers will often fish behind their position, letting flies run downstream, or give a spot another try after a brief pause- covering the very water they were wading in a few minutes before! Try it for yourself, it really works.
James cradles an excellent Tamar catchment grayling.
9. Keep a diary and watch the catch reports
It’s so easy to lose ourselves in the moment and our own fishing, but a great final tip with grayling is to take a few notes. A fishing diary is well worth keeping, noting the best flies, spots and most productive times and conditions.
Of course, you can also benefit from others’ findings and another great feature of the FishPass scheme is that you can easily check recent catch returns and see what has been caught. Whether you use old-fashioned pen and paper or digital tech, therefore, keeping an eye on reports and logging your own findings are great ways to find more consistent sport.
And with that aim in mind, it only remains for us to wish you good luck on your next trip. Stunning grayling and excellent value fishing are just the tap of a screen away thanks to the FishPass app – while you can also be assured that all your money goes back into improving our rivers and ensuring that fly fishing can be enjoyed by all.
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