We are pleased to say that Hwyel Morgan has confirmed that he will be attending our Spring Open Weekend we caught up with him for a rundown of his recent trip during the break in the season and some top tips for winter Grayling fishing.
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| Hywel with beautiful River Dee Grayling |
This winter the Grayling season has been a disaster with most rivers unfishable due to water levels, but prior to the recent storms we have seen very cold temperatures and river levels that are great to get out there and catch some girls. With a limited number of fishing days, it’s important to take advantage when the water is right so bundle up and brave the cold while you have the chance. For me there is nothing better than waking up in freezing temperatures and driving down a river before dawn and getting ready for a day of adventure. With that in mind I got off the ice and spent a day on the Welsh Dee with good friends Steve and Callum Smalley and Andy Taylor and after a delicious bap breakfast cooked by Steve we headed down the river! !
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| First of all – breakfast rolls |
After the big floods, the river has changed a lot since my last visit and the runs and pools are very different. The areas that always held fish were empty and it meant a challenging day trying to find the fish. This is a good lesson to any angler, as fish move and find new places to feed and hold, places that were once very productive will die.
Grayling start to shoal up at this time of year so you need to be mobile and cover a lot of water but once you find them you are in for a fantastic sport. Top tip here is to make sure you are properly fitted with proper clothing that will wick away sweat while keeping you warm especially when the sun goes down!!
The methods are simple at this time of year and it is a french leader with a jig fly on the point and 1 or 2 flies on the cast depending on the depth and clarity. Make sure you have a good selection of different weighted jig flies so you can switch to heavier or lighter flies as you move through different runs. Basically you want the point fly to flow under the river like a natural insect, if the point fly enters and does not move then it will be lighter and on the other hand if you do not feel the point fly along the heavier the bottom.
In the past I always carried a spare rod so I could change techniques quickly but since the development of the Daiwa HM 9/10ft 3-4wt I don’t need to because the rod does everything I need it to do, however I carry everything. my other casts have been done with tronix pro foam winders and if i need to change tactics then it takes seconds to do it. One last thing if you are not a confident wader then a wading staff is a must as it will help you in tricky situations and let you cross safely.
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Hywel is a World record caster, Welsh internationalist, TV presenter and a Daiwa game consultant as well as a fantastic Guide and Instructor. Check out his website hywelmorgan.co.uk, or on social media instagram.com/hmflyfishing or facebook.com/HMFlyFishing for more information and upcoming events including a trip to the Glasgow Angling Center Open Weekend 8th – 10th March 2024.
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