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Swan song for Brown Trout and grayling dry fly fishing
September 30, 2023

Grayling dry fly fishing

With more settled weather forecast for October after a wet and highly variable summer, dry fly fishing for grayling is on the near horizon. Today is the final day of the brown trout season so get out and catch a few to say goodbye.

Dry fly fishing for grayling can be extremely productive and with the changing colours in the foliage and the fabulous colours in the dorsal fins it can be a very satisfying experience. If you want to experience dry fly fishing for grayling I will be running guided days throughout October and early November for only £125. Days are typically from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm or until it gets dark (whichever comes sooner). They are on the middle Tees which is a more gravelly environment preferred by grayling, with easier wading. Get in touch if you would like a guided dry fly day.

The main hatches during October will be willow or needle fly, a small stonefly. The Onstream-guide “F” terrestrial in size 16, although not designed to imitate needle or willow fly, appears in the grayling’s eyes to do just that and it is usually accepted without hesitation. Leaf fall also contains lots of small buggy terrestrials so this fly does an excellent job of covering all bases. Pale wateries can also be abundant and again the size 16 Onstream-guide pale watery is usually fool proof. Finally after cool nights or even frosts midge can hatch in significant numbers. The ever reliable Griffiths gnat is the go to pattern for any midge hatch.

On most warm or mild days grayling will be free rising. Location is the key with grayling fishing and they are not distributed like currants in a bun, but found in certain types of river pool usually with gravel and a uniform pace and depth. Get out and target the lady of the stream on dry fly in a river near you.

Regards,

Jonathan.

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