Grayling Fishing

Hello all,

I've finally got my act together and booked a couple of days in early november fly fishing for grayling on the upper Test.

I'm on the look out for the right tackle and so far I've got myself a 8' 6" 4/5 rod, number 4 w/f floating and more flies than I'll ever need (not counting hook ups in the bankside foliage). As I have another spool to fill I plan to use Double Taper number 4 line.
As for leader I was planning a tapered 6lb leader with a 2-3 lb flurocarbon tippet.

Am I in the right ball park?

Thanks all,

Jon

Never done it mate. But I understand that the grayling is a tasty fish and a good fighter.
Good luck. Grayling is one species I'd like a go at myself.
Going by the natural average size of these fish, I'd say you were about right. Keep your tackle light including the rod but allow for the odd stray brownie.

Sounds like you are OK with the tackle Jon. Personally I would up your leader tippet to 4lbs. Test grayling can get quite large and from my own experience they are very dogged fighters indeed.

Morning Jon,

I fish the Test regularly for Grayling in Autumn and Winter. Your tackle sounds ideal. One thing I would all is t not go too light. 3lb sounds ideal for nymphing, 2lb for dries if you really have to. There are still loads of big browns about and they take readily all the wy through winter. In fact I probably catch more browns grayling fishing than I do in summer trout fishing. One other point I'd mention is to keep your leaders short. As short as 9 feet. Much of the water you'll be fishing will be relatively shallow. Grease your fly line up well and with a short leader you should see the takes before the grayling have a chance to spit the fly. They can be ever so fast. I've seen people fishing with long leaders who never see half the takes they get because theres so much slack between fly and fly line.

Which beat are you going on? Wherwell? let me know and I'll let you know if I've fished there and try and advise you on decent spots etc.

Cheers

Rich

Great info, gents. Very much appreciated, I'll certainly be bearing all the advice in mind when it comes to tackling up.

I'm fishing the Bullington Manor beat, Rich.

So, short leaders, strongish tippets are the order of the day.

Thanks again

Jon

Hi Jon,

I've not fished there. If it day ticket though would you mind posting the details? always keen to try new fisheries.

Kind regards,

Rich

I'm no expert on Grayling but I've had a few over the last couple of years.

I've found that some days they will take sombre flies, brown nymphs etc. On other days these will be ignored, but a pink shrimp will take them, or perhaps a goldhead hares ear with a small bright tag.

It seems that Grayling often have preferances, possibly based on what they are feeding naturally on. It's rare to just catch them whatever you chuck at them.

Rich,

I booked it through www.fishingbreaks.com. Somebody had given me some gift vouchers for this outfit, but they look pretty good. Although pricey.

Cheers,

Jon

Another guy to try for advice on the Southern rivers is Dave Martin at Go Fly Fishing UK. Dave runs a tuition and guiding service with Steve Rhodes who is chairman of the Grayling Society. The web site is www.goflyfishinguk.com

Dave guides on the Southern chalk streams and Steve on the Northern rivers.

Yes it is a plug but they are mates!