Autumn is a double-edged sword to the fly fisher. A time when the end of the Trout season is mitigated by the onset of winter grayling fishing. Aside from the cold – which bothers some more than others! – it is enjoyable target species fishing. Reach for the thick socks, fishing gloves, and neoprene waders along with heinous amounts of undergarments that make tying your bootlaces nigh impossible.
The pull of a good grayling is a unique thrill; and as recognizable as their beautiful scales, distinct spotted markings and even their smell!
Methods to catch grayling vary, depending mainly on ambient weather conditions, water characteristics and your fishing preferences. Though I think it’s fair to say that Euro-nymphing ('high sticking') styles are most prevalent here in the UK.
That’s not to say that dry flies should be overlooked. I never cease to be thankful for how often the Lady of the Stream will take a small dry fly on even the coldest, overcast of days. I usually fish a size #18 or #16 fly such as an up-winged or wally-winged gnat. Other flies not to be overlooked here include the ‘IOBO’ (‘It Oughta Be Outlawed’), the Griffiths Gnat and CDC emerger style flies.
In my own experience, the ‘right day’ for winter grayling dry fly fishing is hard to characterize, it seems that Grayling are either ‘having it’, or they’re not. Which is why to try the above patterns – if only for a break from ‘high sticking’ – is always worth a speculative wager (and gives your rod arm a rest). Even if no fish are apparently ‘topping’, grayling may be surreptitiously sipping at small flies like midges. Barely disturbing the water’s surface, scarcely revealing their whereabouts.
For those who prefer nymphing, then we might conveniently ascribe this into one of three approaches: traditional upstream; Czech; and French leader. (I did say these are convenient, you can approach nymphing in other ways but I feel they all come back to one of these basic styles).
For me, traditional upstream is the 'weakest' method for winter grayling. First, because it requires constant recasting; which seems a tad excessive when grayling are probably at your feet. Second because it offers less control of your flies compared to Euro-nymphing and third, because the latter keeps your flies in the water for more of the time. It does have its uses when water is deeper and/ or in slower runs, where the current will not adequately present heavier nymphs. In such cases a tandem rig can be used with a heavier fly on the point and a lighter nymph on the dropper. The heavier fly helps anchor the rig as it moves downstream towards you and the dropper (therefore) can move enticingly in the current. The dropper can be extended in deeper runs to keep its fly nearer the bottom. Traditional nymphs, Gammarus and my own ‘Irfon Bug’ are my patterns of choice.
Czech nymphing is a Euro method that entails using minimal fly line outside the tip ring, combined with a tapered leader to fish two or three flies as a team. Traditionally, heavy Czech nymphs similar to those shown above and more recently, tungsten jig flies (see later), are favourite patterns. I find Czech nymphing best suited to faster and/ or shallower water, especially runs of ‘riffles’ as are often found in channels or at the head and tail of a pool. Bubble lines are also a good indicator of where you should be placing the flies.
These are not cast out in the traditional way but are ‘flicked’ in an arc upstream at close range. The arc made by the rod tip when doing this ensures an open loop in the leader and is much less prone to tangles when using more than one fly. Then, the rod is held high and its tip should ‘lead’ the team of flies along with the current and by keeping a ‘tight’ line one is always in ‘contact’ with the flies. This means that you will feel as many takes as you might see (if the rig is set up correctly one often feels the flies occasionally bounce or pull on the bottom).
The metre or so of plastic fly line outside of the rod tip can act as indicator as well – if it is kept ‘cocked’ as per a swingtip when used in ledgering – this piece of line will show takes as either an upstream pull on the ‘swingtip’ or a ‘dropback’ if the fish darts downstream. Most Czech nymphers use a fluorescent braid or multi coloured plastic indicator link as the primary indicator method. Note however, that indicators that are wound into a spring shape, while giving good visual indication can often absorb much of the feeling that is experienced with a straight line or braid indicator; and in my view therefore, are less favourable.
Once cast, the flies are allowed to drift through the swim and then are recast (flicked) upstream again (rinse and repeat!). Always let the flies swing up at the end of the downstream drift, rather than instantly recasting – as the line tightens at drift end, the flies will come up in the water and this is often the time when takes occur. If a few casts do not produce fish, you can take a step across the river to fish a new line. Again, rinse and repeat. Where double bank fishing allows, once you have reached the far side of the river, take a step downstream and repeat this overall approach as you make your way back to the bank you started from. This allows you to cover all of the water and, will often become more productive, as you start to release food from the riverbed while wading your way across the river (and back). I’ve felt grayling ‘bumping’ into my wading boots while fishing this way on many occasions. If you have not tried Czech nymphing before, stick with it. At first, you will probably find it improbable that grayling can be caught so close to your feet!
The French leader method is much like Czech nymphing with a few important differences, mainly that there is no coated fly line, only a long tapered leader (circa 9M) tied to backing on a small (light for ease of constant holding) reel. To this is normally tied to a tippet ring -> thinner dia. short fluorocarbon leader -> length of short indicator (last two may be vice-versa if desired) -> tippet and droppers. Non purists like myself simply use a length of mono (c. 15lb) in place of the long tapered leader. Variations include fluorescent tapered long leaders for added sighting, camo leaders, and “if I tell you I’ll have to kill you” specifications for knotted leaders requiring a master’s degree in structural mechanics to understand them and the patience of a saint to tie. You pays your money, you makes your choice as they say…
Flies can include those as discussed this far, but more often will be a team of (3) heavy ‘hook point up’ flies (to increase hooking capability and mitigate snagging the bottom) such as jig hook and slotted tungsten bead flies. More recently offset tungsten beads are increasing in popularity; whose raison d'etre is to enable a standard Czech nymph (grub) hook, to fish point up like a jig hook. They also claim to be heavier (size-for-size) because there is no slot in them.
The biggest advantages of French over Czech are first, that the avoidance of plastic coated fly line makes for greater sensitivity and less propensity for the line beyond the rod tip to be affected by wind. Second, it is easier to effect a Euro style 'flick' cast much further and to control the resulting drift at greater distance, and fish deeper water.
Convenient rule-of-thumb: Czech = closer fishing in shallow/ faster water; French = slightly longer range fishing, deeper water, windier days.
Finally, a word on rigs. I've purposely avoided to much detail here because there is a wealth of information on the web and because it's an issue that is informed very much by personal opinion. My 'go to' rigs are as follows.
For upstream, I sometimes use an indicator depending on light/ water conditions but more often than not prefer to mucilin the line tip and watch this closely on the downstream retrieve. I use two flies, heaviest on the point. The leader tippet is approximately 1.5 times the water depth and the dropper is about 100mm long, circa 400mm from the point.
For Czech I sometimes use an inline (typically braid) indicator, or use the 'swingtip' indicator method described earlier. If I use two flies, heaviest is on the point. If I use three flies, heaviest is on the middle dropper. Leader length is 1.5 - 2 times the depth being fished (below indicator if used) and the droppers are spaced about 400mm apart (reduce in shallower water).
For French I use a fluo braid sighter about 150 - 200mm long tied in with perfection loops or tippet rings. The tippet is about 1.5 - 2 times the water depth. If two flies are used, the heaviest (the anchor fly) is on the top (100mm) dropper which is spaced 400-500mm above the point fly (or less in shallow water). For three flies I use the anchor fly on the top dropper if I want the remaining two flies to fish near the riverbed. Or, I use the anchor fly on the middle dropper (400mm above point fly) to keep the point fly near the bottom; and a lighter fly (even spider!) on the top dropper to move enticingly higher up in the water column.
Oh, nearly forgot. In any of the above scenarios never overlook Sawyer's Killer bug; this is a potent grayling fly. I dress mine with copper underbody which makes it sink but remain 'light' enough to move about (rather than hug the bottom). For Czech and French my go to anchor fly is a size #10 or #8 heavy grub hook buggy nugget with heavy lead wire underbody and a tungsten countersunk bead.
Tight lines and threads,
Gary
MyFliesWetsAndDries.co.uk
All flies shown in this article were tied by yours truly. Please cast me a message if you would like any of these patterns tied for yourself! (Shop 'Contact' button, or email fishmyflies@outlook.com)
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