Description
The grayling has become an iconic species, with its own Society the members of which are often fanatical about their favourite quarry. It is easy to see why. The grayling is a beautiful fish, and, as the wild trout season nears its end with around six months of close season ahead, the best of the grayling season arrives. Furthermore, because grayling feed happily in near arctic conditions, fishing continues through the winter months.
Of course, fly hatches in winter are few and far between, so dry fly or unweighed spider wet flies become less effective. But that is of little consequence when it comes to winter grayling fishing. For, with its underslung mouth, pear-shaped iris that takes in more light in the dull depths, and its streamlined shape and large dorsal fin, the grayling is well adapted for feeding on foods gleaned on the river bed. So leaded nymphs or bugs are in the fly-fisher’s armoury and, for a change, a long-trotted tiny worm.
Chris Hosker, an engineer by trade, is one of the best three all round river trout and grayling fishers I have known. When he is not slaving away in industry he can invariably found paddling in his favourite streams in the North of England, Welsh Dee, Scottish Boarders and Europe. There he has perfected every facet of fly-fishing and the art of long-trotting for grayling. In these two programmes on winter fishing for grayling, Chris concentrates on his up-to-date Czech nymph techniques. He shows us his leader set-up. He ties for us the weighted Nymphs that he uses. Then he demonstrates how to use leader and nymph to catch grayling. And so that we can see that the technique is easily learnt, provided that you closely follow the Master’s advice, Chris quickly teaches a junior member of Corwen & DAA to catch winter grayling on his Czech nymphs.
Long-trotting a small worm beneath a float is a relaxing way of fishing. Haven’t we all enjoyed watching a float since we were children? Yet for consistent success there’s more to it than putting a float on the line, tying a hook to the end and impaling a worm on the hook. The floats that Chris shows are the perfect ones for catching grayling. You must get the ‘shotting’ right according to the water conditions…drop the float and bait in the water….watch it drift off, downstream….watch….it dips under….grayling on!
DVD 2 CONTENT
Tying of Nymphs, Leader make up, Many more tips on tackle used in DVD 1