My key tip is to make sure you are fishing deep enough. If you aren’t occasionally touching the bottom you need to use heavier flies or even add a split shot or tungsten putty to your leader.

Further Resources

View all river flies for January
View still water flies for January
Go to fly shop

The post BEST FISHING FLIES FOR JANUARY GRAYLING ON THE RIVER appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

The post Video – 5 Grayling Flies That Catch Fish appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

What is upstream nymphing & prospecting?

From my experience in coaching fly fishing to both novice and more established anglers, upstream nymphing seems to many to be a dark art. Something mysterious and misunderstood. I believe this is because of a trap many new anglers fall into which is to start their river fly fishing careers by fishing slow sections of river for rising fish.

This is completely forgivable, anglers are merely following logic. They arrive at the river and seeing fish rising in the slow pools, try their best to observe what the fish are taking, match a dry fly to the hatch as best they can and cast it to the rising fish. This is all good stuff. Many new anglers will struggle to catch in these situations. This is because they have probably chosen some of the hardest fish to catch for a beginner. In slow-moving pools fish have all the time in the world to examine your fly as well as those little imperfections such as your knot, the crease, and kinks of the leader in the surface film, the floatant dispersing into the water. Additionally, every little splash and indiscretion in your casting ripples through the pool as well as all the waves from your wading which move through the water like a Tsunami.

Those rising fish are so tempting and not knowing any different a new angler keeps going back to them again and again, often with the same results. Many new anglers also walk through all those fast rifles and glides without so much as casting a second look at them never mind a fly. As you will find out later in this article, it’s those bits of water that contain the key to your success!

A nymph in nature is the part of the lifecycle of an aquatic fly. A nymph lives in the water, exactly where it lives depends on the species of fly. Some nymphs cling to the bottom of stones, others bury themselves into the stream bed. At some point in the year (when depends on species) these nymphs ascend to the surface and hatch out as an adult fly.

Trout and Grayling feed heavily on nymphs either as they tumble down the stream after being dislodged or, when they ascend to the surface to hatch into flies.

Upstream nymphing involves casting an imitation of a nymph upstream and then allowing the fly to tumble back down the stream towards the angler. On visually detecting the take by observing the movement of the fly line the angler strikes to set the hook into the fish.

There are two types of nymph fishing – sight fishing and prospecting. To sight fish is to observe a fish feeding on nymphs and deliver an artificial nymph to that particular fish. This is common when nymph fishing on clear chalk streams where visibility is good. On the fast running streams of the North, however, observing fish feeding on nymphs is difficult if not impossible even with the best polarised glasses.

In these situations, an angler needs to observe the flows of current, bubble streams, riffles, rocks and pools and predict where the fish will be lying. The angler then needs to cast the nymph in such a way so it runs through these places in the correct direction and depth to tempt the fish, this is commonly referred to as prospecting.

When is a nymph not a nymph

As we have already learned, a nymph is a specific stage of the lifecycle of an aquatic fly. In fly fishing, we do however imitate all sorts of bugs, creatures & larvae. For simplicity, most fly anglers will still call the method “upstream nymphing” even if they are casting a fly that imitates a small shrimp or larvae. The term “upstream nymphing” is more a reference to the method as opposed to the fly.

The Tackle.

Rod, Reel & Line

All anglers have a preference as to their rod but there are a couple of key factors in choosing a nymphing outfit. Firstly, you will be casting an awful lot so something light is essential. Luckily, most modern tackle is fairly light – even budget rods. Something in a #4 weight is ideal. In terms of rod length, you should go for a 9-foot rod if you are not constrained by trees. If movement is limited, then choose a shorter rod.

The action of the rod is important. You need something with a soft enough action to play hard fighting fish at close range without bumping them off when they shake their heads. Avoid fast or tip actioned rods. A mid-tip action or even something a little softer (if you can get on with it) is ideal.

A standard weight forward floating line that matches your rod is all that is required in most circumstances. Much of your upstream nymphing will be in quicker water so you are likely to be fishing at fairly close quarters to enable you to keep control of the line, if you fish a very short line then you may not feel the rod is loading enough when you cast, you could experiment in these circumstances by overloading the rod by 1 line weight (ie. using a #5 weight line on a #4 weight rod) to compensate for the shorter line.

I’m not a big fan of either double taper lines or “delicate presentation” lines but that’s just my personal view and I know that many other anglers enjoy fishing with them.

As with much river fly fishing for Trout and Grayling, the reel isn’t crucial to the setup. Get a dedicated river type reel that’s and small and suitable for the line weights you will be using. Spend as much or as little as you like, it’s not going to catch you any more fish!

Glasses

A good pair of polarised sunglasses will help remove the surface glare. This may help see fish near the stream bead taking nymphs. Also it will help you observe “the take” allowing you to react and strike in good time. It’s also essential for eye protection when fishing.

Hi-Viz Braided Loop Or Minicon

This will be your “strike indicator”. Everyone has their favorite colour, I like the hi-viz green variety.

Mucilin Grease

Apply the grease to the braided loop and the last few feet of the fly line. This will help it sit up high in the water so it’s visible. Keep reapplying as required during your session so you see every take no matter how subtle!

Mucilin Quick Sink

Whilst we want the fly line and braided loop to float, we want the leader to sink. Apply this degreaser to the length of the leader with wet fingers to remove any oils and grease and help it cut through the surface film.

Fluorocarbon or Mono Leader

I don’t bother with tapered leaders for upstream nymphing, my casting is good enough to turn over the fly and the weight of the nymph will turn the leader over crisply. This is just my personal preference and if you prefer to fish using a tapered leader then go for it!

I prefer using Fluorocarbon for my nymphing fishing as it’s slightly more resistant to abrasion from the rocks and tends to sink a little better. Again, this is my personal preference and if you want to use Mono that’s fine.

The Flies.

This is the important bit. You need to consider two things when choosing your nymphs.

Fly weight.

You will need a few different weights of fly as most of your upstream nymphing will be targeting fish around the bottom of the stream bed. As stream depth varies throughout the river, so your nymph weight will also need to vary.

Fly imitation.

You need to fish with nymphs that imitate the nymphs that the Trout & Grayling feed on in your stream. In reality, this is reasonably easy as there are a few patterns that should cover the likely flies. I would argue that the depth of your fly and the direction of travel in the stream is as (if not more) important than the pattern you use. The flies listed below are tried and tested and will catch fish all over the UK.

Light Nymphs

Medium Weighted Nymphs

Heavy Nymphs

Watercraft & Where To Fish.

Flow rate

To fish a nymph in a dead drift (so it tumbles downstream at the same pace as the current) requires some flow in the water. Ideal nymphing water has enough flow so the nymph will travel back down the river towards the angler and be ready to be recast before it snags on the bottom. That said, it’s important under normal circumstances that every so often your nymph does touch the bottom – this shows that it’s getting down to the feeding zone around the stream bed.

It is possible to fish a nymph in slow water (see active nymphing below) however this water may be more suited to dry fly fishing. Another option in very slow water would be to use an indicator to support the nymph so it fishes at a fixed depth.

Bubble streams

Bubble streams are areas of concentrated current where the bubbles on the surface of the water are concentrated into a line on the surface of the river.

These are always good fish holding areas as a concentration of current also means a concentration of food moving down the stream. Fish will often sit in or around bubble streams feeding on nymphs and other food items as they tumble down the bubble stream.

Riffles

A riffle is a fast turbulent area of water, normally located at the head of a deeper pool. Riffles are excellent nymphing areas. Fish will sit in the riffle at the head of the riffles to get first dibs on food entering the pool. Fish also tend to be confident feeders in riffles as they are well-hidden from predators by the turbulent water. You can’t see the fish in the riffles which also means they can’t see you, this gives the angler a distinct advantage.

Rocks

Rocks provide refuge from the current and are excellent fish holding areas. Fish will often sit in front of a rock where the current pressure is reduced by water bouncing back off the rock. The will also sit slightly back and off to one side of a rock in the “V” of current, this is a good lie for picking up food as it runs down the stream.

Immediately behind a rock looks like it’s a good spot, however, the water can have a washing machine effect here meaning the fish doesn’t have a predicatable line of current to feed in, this is why the fish will often sit slightly to the side in the “V” where the current line is more predictable.

Glides

A glide is a smooth but fairly quick area of water, it often has a reasonable depth to it and makes excellent nymphing water. Glides often have some depth to them so a heavier nymph may be required.

Slower Water (Active nymphing)

On the whole, very slow water isn’t suited to nymphing as the nymph is unable to move through the water with the current to allow the fish to intercept it. In slow water, it will often just sink to the stream bed. This is why slow pools are more suited to dry fly fishing. There will be circumstances when nymph fishing is still required particularly when targeting Grayling that are not rising to dries. In these circumstances, you could either use an indicator to fix to the depth of the nymph so it doesn’t hit the bottom. Another option is to give the nymph some movement in the form of a retrieve to keep it off the stream bed. This can be very effective, you can treat the slower pool as a stillwater. You will however often need to get the fly deep down to the stream bed and this will take some experimenting to find the correct retrieve to do this. Takes will often be more subtle here, you need to keep in touch with the fly and strike at the smallest of movements in the braided loop.

Coping With Varied Stream Depth.

Fly anglers are often habitually lazy! As you wade uptream fishing, you will encounter varied stream depth from the shallow fast riffles to deeper pools and glides. It’s really important that you carry a variety of nymphs that can cope with the varied stream depth and more importantly use them! Keep changing your nymphs to suit the water infront of you. It only takes a few seconds to change a nymph and can be the difference bewtween blanking and catching. Your nymph should be catching the bottom from time to time, this shows it’s getting down to the feeding zone. If it’s not getting down then change to something heavier!

The Technique.

Upstream nymphing requires a tight, accurate cast and good line management. Using false casts, work out the required length of line and then deliver to the water. As the line travels back down the stream towards you pick the slack line off the water using your line hand. At the same time as retrieving the line, you may find it useful to slowly raise the rod tip, this will help pick off slack line developing on the water near the tip of the rod. It important to cast upstream when nymph fishing, Trout may not be clever creatures but show a keen instinct for what is food. They are expecting their food to come down at the pace and direction for travel of the current, an upstream presentation is by far the best way to do this.

This is a balancing act, you need to retrieve to pick up the slack but leave a tiny bit of slack in the line so the nymph still runs down the stream in a dead drift. If you retrieve the line too quickly you will start to pull the fly and this will mean it rises up in the water. At the same time as the nymph and line are coming back down the stream towards you, you need to keep an eye on your braided loop. In normal circumstances, your braided loop will travel back down the river at the pace of the current. If however, your braided loop stops or slows down it indicates that something has obstructed your nymph. It could be a rock, weed, or a fish. You must react very quickly with a firm strike to set the hook.

How fast will a nymph sink?

Judging where your nymph is in the water column is vital to success when nymph fishing. In most circumstances when you are prospecting with a nymph, you will want to be just off the bottom. How deep your nymph sinks will be determined by the length of your leader, the weight and profile of your nymph and speed of the current. Make sure you are occasionally touching the bottom with your fly, this way you know you are deep enough. If you are not occasionally touching the bottom you are not fishing deep enough!

So, tight lines and enjoy your nymphing. Please check out huge selection of premium flies on our shop! >> VISIT SHOP 

The post Guide To Traditional Upstream Nymphing – In Particular Prospecting With A Nymph appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

Grayling have a down turned mouth, designed for picking off food items near the stream bed, they spend much of their time feeding in and around the rocks and gravel. Presenting a fly in this zone can make all the difference.

I would go as far as to say your choice of Grayling flies is probably less important than the depth and way it’s presented. Pretty much any shrimpy caddisy nymphy type of fly will do the trick but you need variation in the weights of your flies to cope with anything from fast riffles at the head of pools to 6 foot deep glides.

Changing the fly as you wade up the stream to cope with the different depths is the key, all the time you need to make sure your fly is getting down to the river bed. If you are not getting the fly hung up on the rocks on every so often you are not fishing deep enough.

Here’s is a selection of Grayling flies with varied weight to cope with all situations the river is likely to throw at you!

Shallow Water

Medium Water

Medium to Deeper

Deep

The post 5 Awesome Grayling Flies For Varied Stream Depths appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

With the first frosts of the year, the water has started to cool although the mist above my local reservoir would indicate that the water is still clinging on to its Autumn temperature for as long as possible.

Water temperature is probably one of the most important factors in the behavior of our quarry. Firstly as a cold-blooded creature, the water temperature governs the blood temperature of the trout and therefore governs its metabolism. The colder the temperature, the slower the metabolism and the less active the fish will become.

The temperature of the water also has a direct correlation to the amount of Oxygen that can be saturated in the water. Cooler water can hold more saturated Oxygen than warmer water – and the more Oxygen the better. So you can see that cooler water can be a positive and a negative for fishing-  It’s never straightforward, is it!

Throughout cooler weather, hatches of insects will become less frequent and less food will be available on the surface meaning that feeding fish can be looking for food near the bottom.

On the rivers, efforts will be concentrated around Grayling fishing as the Trout season is closed. For Trout fishing, most of the bigger deeper reservoirs will close through the winter and Trout fishing in very cold weather can be difficult on these large expanses of water as the can be deep – putting low lying fish out of range. Smaller still waters, however, can provide some great fly fishing for trout through the winter months. I’ve had plenty of good days with sheets of ice floating near my line.

So, what does this all mean? Well, what it means is that you can still catch fish but don’t expect lots of dry fly fishing and don’t expect fish to be chasing and attacking flies in very cold water temperatures. On rivers, Grayling will tolerate even the coldest winters day but it’s likely that deep nymph fishing or heavy Czech style bugs will be required. For the small stillwater, midges will be the only consistent hatching insect of the winter months so I like to concentrate my efforts around fishing deep and slow with bloodworms, midges and small nymphs such as Diawl Bachs. Stripping bright lures during cold weather may not be particularly successful as fish are less likely to chase and attack these patterns.

On both rivers and still water milder spells may encourage small hatches of flies and if you can target your fishing around the warmer parts of the day (around lunch time) when the fish are likely to be at their most active then better results can be achieved.

Wherever you are fishing, don’t forget some thermal socks, neoprene gloves and a good flask of hot soup!

The post Fly Fishing & Flies For Cold Weather appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

The post Upstream Nymphing For Grayling appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

Where & When To Fish For Grayling

Grayling require clean, well oxygenated water either neutral in PH or slightly alkaline. Limestone or chalk streams are ideal however there is a good head of Grayling through many northern rivers and in Scotland & Wales too. Grayling will not live in acidic waters or those that have even the slightest hint of pollution and are often the first fish to disappear when water quality is degraded.

Your local angling club will know which of the rivers in your area contain Grayling . You need to find a river that has a recognised and fishable population of Grayling in order to stay on the right side of the law during the winter (If you are fishing in a river that contains trout, as trout are out of season through the winter)

The season for Grayling can vary slightly from river to river but being spring spawners, the Grayling season is similar to coarse fish. Grayling come in to their own during the Autumn and Winter months.On my local river the Grayling season runs from June 16th -14th March.

A little hat tip for you: If you have always fancied fishing the chalk streams such as the river Test or Itchen but have paled at the price of a days Trout fishing then have a look at the Grayling fishing on offer. I have seen Grayling days on the river Test at a fraction of the price of a days trout fishing.

Grayling Habits & Habitats

Grayling have a habit of shoaling far more than trout. When you are Trout fishing there is a tendency to move on from a pool once a fish has been caught however the opposite should be the case with Grayling. Once a fish has been landed and released, just a few minutes of quietness and the shoal will start to feed again. It’s not uncommon to take several fish out of a pool without having to move.

A quick look at the down-turned mouth of the Grayling suggest that it’s evolved as a efficient bottom feeder and whilst this is often true, the Grayling will also freely rise to surface food when it is available.

The beauty of the Grayling is it will feed in even the coldest of winter days.

Tackle & Equipment For Grayling

Chances are, if you already fly fish for trout in the river, you will have all the gear you need. If you really get in to your czech nymphing for Grayling then you might want a nice long rod with a fairly soft action. For czech nymphing I use a 10 foot rod with a soft action. The extra length gives me the reach I need to search the deeper water. I have found tip action rods have a tendency to bump fish off when hooked at such short range. Again your standard trout leader set up of a tapered leader will suffice for most situations. For nymphing  I like flurocarbon to help get the flies down and also to protect against abrasion on rocks and snags

Here’s my Grayling gear that I use:

Nymph, wet and dry fly – 9 foot #4 weight with a 5x tapered leader.

Czech nymphing a 10 foor #5 weight with a soft action and 5x fluro carbon (not tapered just straight off the spool)

In addition to your fishing gear have a think about investing in the following –

Neoprene Waders
Neoprene Gloves
Thermal Socks
Good thermal fleece
Thermos flask & some tasty soup!

Nothing is better than being in the river during winter and feeling toasty warm!

Methods & Tactics Of Fly Fishing For Grayling

The first thing to say about successful Grayling fishing is that you need to be adaptable. If you insist on only fishing upstream dry fly through the trout season then you need to break out of that mindset and approach your Grayling fishing more openly.  That’s not to say you will not have some good days fishing that method but you will limit yourself quite severely especially once the colder weather of winter arrives.

When I am Grayling fishing I like to pick my days. A cold but dry frosty day through the winter is perfect. I avoid going out in the wet and wind, I am too old for that now!

Picking the right time of day is a good idea too, I like to be out during the warmest part of the day, around midday when the low sun reaches its highest point in the sky. The extra degree of warmth this brings can be enough to trigger a few flies to hatch and the Grayling can reveal themselves with a rise.

Dry Fly Fishing For Grayling

When there is a hatch or a few terrestrials on the surface Grayling can rise to a fly just as well as a trout. Be prepared to move to a dry quickly as winter hatches can be quick and finish after just a few minutes of activity. An upstream presentation to sighted or rising fish is the best way of dry fly fishing. You can try bringing a fish up when nothing is rising but some of the other methods listed below might be better “searching” tactics.

SHOP FOR DRY FLIES >>

Wet Fly Fishing For Grayling

Wet flies, fished in the top 12 inches of water can be very effective but only when Grayling are prepared to move up off the bottom to take food in this area. When they are feeding on ascending nymphs or other food in this area then fishing wets and spiders can be very effective. Wet flies can be fished either as a team or single fly. The least effective method of fishing wet fly for Grayling is to cast across the stream and swing your flies round. Try a method that will present your flies so they move with the current like all the natural food. An upstream cast, square across or if fishing downstream, use a reach cast to allow the flies to travel down the river in a natural drift – you will catch far more fish using these methods!

SHOP FOR WET FLIES >>

Nymph Fishing For Grayling

Grayling are natural bottom feeders and respond very well to a nymph fished deep near the stream bed. Caddis larvae, upwing nymphs and freshwater shrimp are all good imitations. Cast upstream and allow the nymph to come back towards you. Tungsten beaded nymphs may prove very useful for Grayling fishing as they are a little heavier and get your fly down to the stream bed quicker.

Grease up the last foot of your fly line with mucilin to help it sit up in the water. Any stops or movement in the end of your fly line and you should strike! Grayling are very quick and you need to strike at every little unatural movement. A quick tip, nymph fishing should be done down near the stream bed, if your nymph is not getting caught on the bottom occaisonaly then you are probably not deep enough. In fast deep water, it’s impossible to fly cast a nymph heavy enough to get to this depth and you will need to switch to czech nymphing (see below)

SHOP FOR NYMPHS >>

Czech Nymphing For Grayling

Probably the most devastating method for Grayling fishing through winter. Czech nymphs are big heavy flies, often representing either caddis larvae or freshwater shrimps. The point of czech nymphing to to fish your flies down near the stream bed in types of water where traditional nymphing will not get deep enough. These flies are too heavy to cast using the traditional fly cast so instead are lobbed upstream using the weight of the flies on a very short line of just a few feet. The flies sink quickly and move downstream under the rod tip. Apply a bit of mucilin to the tip of your fly line and watch it like a hawk. You need to strike at every stop, pause or deviation of the line. It may just be a rock but it could be a fish! Again, ensure you are fishing deep down near the stream bed. If you are not catching the bottom every now and then, you are not fishing deep enough!

SHOP FOR CZECH NYMPHS >>

Flies For Grayling

Grayling can be caught on many different flies and everyone has there favourites I have put together a selection of my favourite Grayling flies on the shop website – Click Here.

The post Fly Fishing For Grayling – A Quick Beginners Guide appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

We have created a grayling section on the website for the most popular grayling flies.

CLICK HERE FOR GRAYLING FLIES >>

1. A different mindset.

You can’t approach a grayling day the same as you would for trout fishing in spring. You must be prepared to use heavy flies if required and methods such as Czech nymphing to get your flies deep where the grayling are lying

2. Pick your time.

In winter the warmest part of the day is around noon when the sun is the highest, time your fishing to cover this period as there may be a small hatch which will make the grayling more active near the surface.

3. Be prepared.

Hot drinks, plenty of food and warm clothing are essential. Neoprene gloves can be very useful. Remember it’s always the fingers and toes that get cold first!

4. Be prepared to go bling.

If you don’t get results with imitations of what’s on the water then you need to try bright attractor patterns if you want to catch.

5. Grayling can shoal.

If you catch a grayling then stay where you are and fish out the water again. On many occasions, I have taken several fish without even moving my feet.

Here’s 5 awesome Grayling flies for Winter fishing:

The post 5 Grayling Fly Fishing Tips appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

Here’s 5 Grayling facts to wet your appetite.

1> When the dorsal fin is fully erect a males spines will trail to the rear however a females will not.

2> Grayling have a reputation for smelling like thyme.

3> The current UK records stands at 4 pounds and 3 oz from the river Frome in Dorset.

4> A smallish fish in UK waters, Grayling grow to huge sizes in Scandanavia with fish in excess of 14 pounds being caught.

5> Grayling fry grow faster than both Salmon and Trout.

View all our Grayling fishing courses.

The post 5 Fabulous Grayling Facts appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.

• Sawyers Killer Bug
• Klinkhammer (matched to whatever colour the hatch is)
• Gold Ribs Hares Ear
• Red Tag
• Snipe & Purple

Note: It’s only worth trying a dry fly for Grayling if you can see them rising. You are unlikely to tempt them to the surface when they are not in the mood! Also try fishing a team of 2 or 3 wet flies this way you can search the pools better and find how the fish are feeding.
More information on Grayling fishing can be found at the Grayling Society Website.

That’s all for know. Have fun and hopefully see you soon.

The post Grayling Fishing Tips appeared first on Peaks Fly Fishing.