Grayling in coloured water

[The Flying Tench]

Well I count myself fortunate to have been able to go fishing in a river today when I read of weather conditions further north, but our local chalkstream which is normally a safe bet for some grayling was higher and more coloured than I can remember it. The water temperature was right up at 10 degC, and there was some clarity in the water - I guess I could see about 10 inches - but, unusually I got no grayling bites at all apart from one fish which was impersonating a minnow - literally a 2 inch grayling! I was surprised cos, even though the grayling I have caught myself from this particular stretch have not been big, I have never failed to get bites before.

 

As usual when I blank, though, I ask what I did wrong! The flow at parts was perfectly OK for trotting, despite high winds and a lot of debris (small branches etc) in the water. I remember reading that in coloured water you should use big, and preferably smelly, baits - but I'm not sure that applies for grayling?

 

I associate grayling with clear streams, so one possibility is that they don't feed much when it's cloudy?

 

I'd be interested in any comments.

[Newt]

If they are primarily sight feeders, the conditions would have made it difficult for them.

[Jeff S]

Up here in Yorkshire I seem to have better luck when the water is cloudy. I only fly fish for them using bead heads, spiders and the occasional czech nymph when it is really cloudy. They seem less timid. Probably because they can't see how clumsy I am...

 

At least you didn't blank

Edited January 22, 2008 by Jeff S

[Chris Plumb]

JC - were you on the L.? Most unusual to struggle there? Coloured water and grayling don't go together at all. However it's not always totally hopeless - I remember going to the Itchen at the back end of last season when it was bank high and really coloured up. We'd booked the fishery for an IAC fish-in otherwise we'd probably not bothered at all. In fact I was so sure of the poor conditions for grayling I put out a feeder rod in the hope of a chub or two. Not for long!! A guy trotting upstream of me soon had a brace of 2lbers from a long glide - and quick as a flash I was back on the float - resulting in my biggest grayling for 6 years - a 2lb10oz specimen. Exception not the rule I'd say though!

 

 

C.

[dapper64]

I have caught grayling in cloudy water but only the odd one,like you say I think they prefer clearer water.

[seph]

As Chris says, Grayling and coloured water don't go together but like Chris my PB of 2.10 came on a coloured river. Admittedly the colour was dropping out of it and i was not too confident on seeing the river but that day I managed 3 fish over the 2lb mark.

[The Flying Tench]

JC - were you on the L.? Most unusual to struggle there? Coloured water and grayling don't go together at all. However it's not always totally hopeless - I remember going to the Itchen at the back end of last season when it was bank high and really coloured up. We'd booked the fishery for an IAC fish-in otherwise we'd probably not bothered at all. In fact I was so sure of the poor conditions for grayling I put out a feeder rod in the hope of a chub or two. Not for long!! A guy trotting upstream of me soon had a brace of 2lbers from a long glide - and quick as a flash I was back on the float - resulting in my biggest grayling for 6 years - a 2lb10oz specimen. Exception not the rule I'd say though!

C.

Yes, it was the Lambourn, and as you say unusual to struggle there. Well, judging from comments the colour was obviously part of the problem.

[Jeff S]

Guess I'll do much better in the clear.