Things to do during the 'Off' season

**garethl** · 11-05-2009, 06:37 PM

It's currently 'Off' season here in South Wales, so as I'm not living up in the head waters fishing for small wild brown trout anymore, I like to spend the winter months on the lower river where we have a good head of grayling present.

If you're going to freeze your ass off through the winter months, it's nice to be able to catch a species of fish that makes it all worth while.

This nymph got hammered all day long!

Grayling are quite partial to these...

**greendrake** · 11-05-2009, 07:32 PM

There are some impressive grayling in those shots.Curious though,why do they close the trout season but not grayling. In Maryland the trout season is open year 'round.Even in states nearby that have a closed season,the catch and relese waters are open year round.
Will

mikeytwoshoes · 11-05-2009, 07:44 PM

ya - those are some good sized grayling.

I don't understand the euros fixation on grayling. yeah they're kinda pretty (like a whitefish I think) but at least the ones I've encountered in the states, which are more like this in size

had to be the dumbest damn fish in the river. my wife and I caught well over a hundred of them one afternoon on the ruby river, they'd hit anything that floated near them.

**garethl** · 11-06-2009, 05:48 AM

Hi Greendrake, we have close seasons for trout over here, primarily, to allow for the trout’s spawning to go as uninterrupted or disturbed as possible. For example, on my local river, it’s headwaters and tributaries are completely closed for fishing throughout the winter months to allow this, however (and as the lower river has a good head of grayling - classed as a coarse fish over here, but still a member of the Salmonid family), fishing is allowed to continue as grayling spawn at a different time of year to trout and continue to feed through the winter months. Wading over trout redds, etc, even on the lower river, might still be an issue, but there are efforts by all fishing clubs/associations/individuals to keep this to as bare a minimum as possible.

mikeytwoshoes, our grayling can get to some impressive sizes and, as mentioned above, as regulations close down fishing for wild brown trout throughout the winter months, a lot of anglers switch to the grayling as their quarry of choice. They are known to become quite picky at times too, with only the finest tippets and smallest flies attracting their attention. That said, you hit a shoal that’s not been disturbed for a while, and you could be in for some great fun :)

**Mostyn** · 11-06-2009, 06:20 AM

Hi GL,

Good post; and some nice photos! Here's one of you that I took a couple of weeks ago!

Another!

and an almost 3LB Grayling in the net!

Sorry I can't be with you at the BFFI on Saturday! But I'll see you on the river soon!

Mostyn

**gusstrand** · 11-06-2009, 10:09 AM

Oddly, the only trout season in Texas is coming soon... it's an artifical tailwater fishery created by TU that is open in the winter due to summer temperatures... rubber trout.

I've been here in Texas five years now, and have yet to fish it. Five years without a salmonid. Access in TX is akin to European access - almost all land is privatized and you have to buy a lease. Growing up on the west coast and living a decade in the Northwest, I still just can't get my head around that.

My "season" is year 'round here. I've become used to the green fish, and appreciate them. Bass and panfish are the order of the day, but there are also some fun ones - I love going after the Rio Grande Cichlid (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum) in my small creek. They are surprisingly spooky in my local creek, and make for some cool fun, as they change colors and flash when "emotional."

**adam** · 11-06-2009, 10:17 AM

Cool thread.

**Doctor** · 11-07-2009, 10:18 AM

Gareth , a lump of the Monnow mafia will be on "my" bit of the Kennet tommorow,with assistance from boy will run up some pics of rob and the trilby moth!Possibly some at lunch time :shh:

**garethl** · 11-07-2009, 05:21 PM

Doctor, bumped into Dave today, and he mentioned he's heading down your way tomorrow. Hope you all have a good day, and yes please, I expect some photos :D Have a great one!

flytyer187 · 11-07-2009, 07:03 PM

those are nice fish, I live in colorado. we are year round -- no season. I get ot catch big trout everyday I go fishing. I love colorado for that & think that's how it should be that everywhere-- at least you guy's have graling to beat up, thats still cool