Grayling
name: Grayling
other names: Lady of the stream
Their pronounced dorsal fin, richly imbued with colorful spots, makes them one of the most unusual and handsome fish in our rivers today.. Male and Female Grayling are strikingly colored; both are silvery gray, with a purple to blue iridescence. The sides are marked with numerous v-shaped or diamond shaped spots. The head is olive green with a mauve iridescence, and mauve bands also border the dorsal fin. Mauve and orange areas run down the prominent pelvic fins. Females are usually less brightly colored than males, and tend to have shorter dorsal fins; the depressed dorsal of males extend back to or beyond the adipose fin.
Grayling tend to prefer swift running water with deep currents and gravel, or rock and gravel beds, the presence of grayling in a river is a sure indication of the purity of the water. Grayling can often be caught from behind rocks where the fast current is broken.
Grayling are bottom dwelling fish, they feed mainly on nymphs, shrimps, worms and larvae and other river borne foods but they do rise keenly to the surface for hatching flies and often take them with a delicacy that belies the fish's size.
Males usually grow faster than females. The average size caught is two- to three-pounders are commonly taken. Maximum life span is 10 years; these beautiful fish are unfortunately very slow-growing and late to mature.
Grayling offer great sporting opportunities for the river fisherman. They provide excellent sport to the dry fly, wet fly and nymph. Rods and line can be light for these fish as the right balanced tackle makes sure you receive the most from the fight. Mainly use a floating line and if nymph fishing just use a small sinking tippet. Grayling can be choosy feeders to make sure your fly patterns are close to the prevailing insect life.
