Seeing as the river I fish on only permits grayling fishing only during winter looks like alot of maggot filled frosty mornings

I am interested, what are your tactics for winter grayling?

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Trotting with a bulk shotted Avon, feeding either maggots or sweetcorn.
Find the holes in the river bed and you've found the Grayling. They shoal up in the winter.
Last winter, one of my best bags came when chubbing. Using a ledgered piece of breadflake ( size 8 hook )right on the edge of a slack. Had 6 grayling all over 2lb in less than an hour.
I would suggest the Itchen has to be one of the best grayling rivers in the country.

Well agree about the Itchen - if not the ledgering tactics - doesn't seem quite the done thing to ledger for grayling. I use a big loafer float anything upto 4 or 5 ssg for the Itchen. Keep the maggots going in and stay mobile - I like a roving approach - perfect for cold winter days....


Chris

Chris, I probably put the full stop in the wrong place ! What I mean is I was chubbing when I caught the " big six"
Agree entirely about the roving approach, but when you find a shoal it's usually a fair size.

And they can be of a 'fair size' too on the Itchen. My best ever haul on this lovely river was 17, 2lb+ fish in a day. Included in this was NINE 2lb fish caught right at the end of the day in CONSECUTIVE casts. In the end it was a bit like the Mr Castwell story - not quite sure if it was heaven or hell!!! - we certainly 'found the fish' that day. Still searching for that elusive 3lber however, my PB has been 'stuck' on 2lb 15oz for 4 seasons now!!!

Roll on the first frosts....


C.

Chris, take a look at 'The Anton' for good Grayling. There are a few public sections of it as well as some beats run by Rooksbury Mill and the normal 'Test' agents. (Not giving much away here as you'd have to know the Test to know where I'm talking about).

My prefered method is trotting a redworm (brandling) under an avon or quill checking it every 3 yards or where I know the fish hang out. They fight so hard on a frosty morning you forget that your hands are numb.

Are they the only fish which dosn't smell fishy?
Tog

I was chatting to a kent angler who was fishing across the border at fishers green in Essex, he told me there are grayling in the river medway. I had not heard of this before can anyone confirm?

I've also heard rumours of grayling having been introduced to the upper Medway a few years back.

see also:

freespace.virgin.net/r.spencer/Venu.../medway2ken.htm

TL - leon

Bit of a clue here too...

/host65.ipowerweb.com/~anglingp/deta...=99&mode=search


C.

I have never caught a grayling and there certainly are not any in essex, but the medway in kent isn't to far too drive to.