Fishing in December is often challenging because the onset of winter usually brings cold and wet weather, and this year was no exception.
I’ve had to fit my fishing in around floods. So, let’s take a look at how I got on this month…
Fishing in December on the Welsh Dee
The wet and windy weather that rolled in at the start of December pushed the river level skywards. After the initial heavy rain, the river level began to fall by Friday but was still high (0.9m @ Manley Hall).
The break in the weather was enough to tempt me out fishing at Llangollen before the start of the Hanak European Grayling fishing competition on the 4th of December.
Grayling fly fishing at Llangollen
I planned to fish the Cottage pool, but I met a couple of anglers heading back to their car. They had been practising for the grayling competition. Therefore, I changed my plan and headed upriver to fish Duncans, a pool that fishes well in high water.
Fly fishing Duncans Pool
After parking by Llantysilio church, I walked upriver to Duncans Pool, passing the glide above Horseshoe Falls, where the water was flowing too fast to fish.
The river was flowing quickly through the majority of Duncans Pool. However, there was a zone of fishable water on the inside bend of the pool.
I set up my rod to fish a team of Czech nymphs space 18″ apart on 4 lb fluorocarbon leader because no grayling rising (point: #13 PTN with a 4 mm orange TB; middle dropper: #14, purple collar black PTN with a 3.5 mm silver TB; top dropper: #18, Hares Ears 1.5 mm copper TB).
I began fishing the slack water zone with the nymphs. After a few casts, my line stopped, and I tightened into my first grayling of the day, which had taken the Hares Ear nymph.
After several casts, the Hares Ear nymph added a small grayling and an OOS brown trout to my tally.
Near the tail of the pool, I tightened into a bigger fish that made a B-line for main flow, stripping line from the reel. Unfortunately, the fish threw the hook as I tried to get it under control.
Dejected and cold, I nearly called it a day but decided to change my nymph set up and fish the pool again.
The pheasant nymph on the middle dropper wasn’t tempting anything. Therefore, I switched it to a pink squirmy worm (#14).
The change was a good move because, after a few casts, I caught a larger grayling on the squirmy.
The squirmy produced three more graylings in quick succession…
I was now on a roll.
My renewed enthusiasm helped me push through the penetrating cold and catch another three grayling, two of which fell for the Hares Ear nymph and the other on the squirmy worm.
By 3 pm, I’d almost lost the feeling in my frozen right hand. Therefore, very pleased with…
My tally of 9 grayling and a couple of OOS brown trout.
I called it a day, went back to the car for a hot drink, and drove home with the heater on maximum.
On reflection, when fishing is slow it’s clear that…
a change of approach can change your fortunes.
18th December – Grayling fishing at Llangollen
After the Hanak grayling fishing festival, the weather turned nasty, and a week of heavy rain pushed the Welsh Dee skywards, with the level peaking at 1.7m (Manley Hall gauge).
It took a week of settled weather for the river to drop to a fishable level. The river level was still high (0.9m @ Manley Hall) but running clear. All of which tempted out to fish Duncans Pool again.
It was a cold, overcast day, and not surprisingly, there wasn’t a hatching fly insight. Therefore, I decided to test a couple of new nymphs that I’d tied recently (#14 pink lace nymph 3.5mm TB and #16 peacock caddis 2 mm metallic pink TB) on the middle and top droppers respectively. These were teamed, with a #12 olive tungsten jig-back on the point.
Starting opposite the 2nd rock outcrop, I slowly fished down the pool, concentrating on the slack/fast water seam. After about 15 minutes, my indicator dipped under the water, and I lifted the rod into a fish.
a grayling surface momentarily before darting downriver
Eventually, I gained the upper hand and guided it safely to the net. The grayling had taken the newly tied pink lace nymph on the middle dropper.
Fishing to the end of the slack water produced two takes, which I missed.
To warm up my cold, stinging fingers I put on some dry gloves, poured myself a hot brew, and contemplated my next move. It was too early to go home, so feeling refreshed, I fished the nymphs through the pool again.
About halfway down the pool, I caught another grayling that had fallen for the peacock caddis.
I didn’t have any more takes fishing the remainder of Duncans Pool and called an early end to a slow day on the Welsh Dee.
Grayling fishing at Llandderfel – 20th December
For my last fishing trip of the year to the Welsh Dee, I ventured upriver to Llanddefel. The river level had continued to fall and was reading 0.39m on the gauge at Bala, a good height for grayling fishing at Llandderfel.
It was a cold, overcast day, and I hadn’t seen any fish rise. So, I opted to start fishing a team of nymphs on a 4lb fluorocarbon (point: #12 PTN with a 4.5 mm TB; middle dropper: #14, purple collar black PTN with a 3.5 mm purple TB; top dropper: #18, Hares Ears 1.5 mm copper TB).
On walking from the car park, the first pool I reached had a lovely piece of fast at its head, which looked like a good grayling lie.
Therefore, from the body of the main pool, I fished the nymphs upriver. After a few casts, my line tightened into the first grayling of the day that had taken the purple nymph on the middle dropper.
Fishing the rest of the pool produced another two grayling that fell for the purple nymph.
I moved downriver to the next pool where I struggled to catch anything other than juvenile grayling. Further downriver, I came to a small island with a deep, slow-flowing pool that had the hallmarks of a winter grayling hideout.
Starting just below the drop-off zone of the pool, I fished my way slowly upriver. It proved to be a good move because it wasn’t long before I tightened into a big fish that took off downriver. After a short struggle, I guided a lovely grayling to the net that had taken the PTN on the point.
After a quick photo and returning the grayling, I continued fishing the nymphs upriver. Near the head of the pool, I caught another nice grayling that had fallen for the hare’s ear nymph on the top dropper.
The light was fading quickly, so I called it a day and headed back to the car, pleased with a successful grayling fish trip.
River Eden fishing in December for Grayling
Before Christmas (23/12), I squeezed in a grayling fishing trip to the River Eden near Carlisle.
It was a cold breezy day but I hoped to catch a few grayling because after the recent floods river was running clear and steady at a level of 0.69m (@ Great Corby).
No flies hatching, so I set up my 11ft 3# Vision Nymphmaniac rod to fish a team of nymphs space 18″ apart on a 4lb fluorocarbon leader (point: 14# Hares Ear quill nymph with a 3.5mm silver TB; middle dropper: 14# orange 3mm TB quill nymph; top dropper: 18# hares ear nymph 1.5 mm TB).
The gusty conditions made bit detection difficult, and after missing several takes, I caught the best grayling of the day on the orange tag PTN.
Fishing until the light faded produced several small graylings that fell to the quill and hare’s ear nymphs.
If you’re interested, the following post has more information on fly fishing for grayling fly in winter.
Grayling fly fishing in December summary
In between the December floods, I experienced some fruitful grayling fishing trips to Welsh Dee and River Eden. Short-line nymphing techniques produced the best catches when fly hatches were absent.
Overall, I have had a great time grayling fishing in December, and I hope January brings me more grayling success on the Welsh Dee and rivers further afield.
Happy New Year to you. Great to see you got out and did well I only managed two trips but picked up a few large ones on the squirmy hopefully levels will be better next month!
Hi Simon,
Great to hear you have caught a few large grayling.
Cheers, Andrew
Lovely grayling pictures and I do like the detailed photos of the flies you were using. I have not fished the Dee in winter but did win our EPFFA National on the Eden in November 2013 using Czeck nymphs when it was running quite hard. It’s a great method but not one I enjoy having to utilize but needs must. Funny enough I won the same match in Nov 2015 on the Ure but this time all the grayling were on dries.
Hi Iain,
Thanks for the feedback on the post.
Tight lines, Andrew
Great article, shows dedication in those conditions. Some good fish.
Cheers
Thank you for the posts. I have been unwell, but continuing to enjoy and learn from these . John
Hi John,
I hope you get better soon and manage to get out fishing.
Best regards, Andrew
Some nice fish there, well done for sticking it out in what sounded like cold conditions. I used to love fishing for Grayling but we don’t have them over here in Ireland so I make do by reading blogs like this instead. Interesting how you use different coloured beads on the nymphs and I am now wondering if they would add something to PT and hare’s ear nymphs I use for trout?
Hi Colin,
I have fish PT & HE with a range of coloured beads (including white) for grayling fishing, and they often catch brown trout. Therefore, definitely worth a go where you fish. Let me know how you get on.
Cheers, Andrew
HNY Andrew
Another good blog, reaffirming the grayling tactics used on these rivers in accord with the ones I use in Derbyshire. It always nice to think I’m not barking up the wrong tree.
Its been sooo cold though I haven’t ventured out much. I must get a grip (& alittle more free time).
Keep going and really like the pix!
BR
Charles
Hi Charles,
It has been cold recently and the grayling fishing has been hard work. I was invited to fish the Derbyshire Derwent last week with a friend and I managed to catch a few grayling and a couple of large OOS brown trout, one was in the 3lb bracket. It was a cold day and the fish would only take a squirmy worm.
Good to hear you are enjoying the blog.
Cheers, Andrew.
Yet another informative blog, Andrew, thanks. You’ve got me thinking about one of the flies that you used (squirmy worm) I’ve never tied one, I think I’ll have a go and see how I get on with it.
Peter
Hi Peter,
A few Squirmy worms in your fly box is a wise move because there are days when they will save a blank.
Great to hear you enjoyed the blog and thanks for the feedback.
Cheers, Andrew
Hi Andrew , happy new year ,another good and informative piece , hope I can put some of your very useful tips into practice soon .
Cheers Alan
Hi Alan,
I hope you have a good Christmas and New Year. Would be great to know how you get on with the tips in the articles.
Cheers, Andrew