Grayling
Season: 16th June to 14th March inclusive
Fly only during the trout season on Foundation water.
Trotting a maggot is allowed on some beats from October to March.
Up until a few years ago, grayling were undoubtedly one of the Wye's least recognised assets. Once seen as a nuisance species, they are now treasured. The river provides some of the best grayling fishing in the UK with not only a large numbers of fish but also specimens of considerable size. Once hooked, the elegant grayling provides anglers with terrific sport.
Although they have become more prevalent in the lower river in recent years, the main stem of the Wye upstream of Hay and larger the tributaries such as the Irfon and Ithon again provide the best grayling fishing. Unlike other river systems, however, Wye grayling tend to stay in the larger channels.
The best of the grayling fishing for the whole river and arguably in the UK is to be found on our Wye Booking Office beats.
The grayling season follows the coarse - 16th June to 14th March - which means the Wye can provide top quality fly-fishing all year round. Although catchable throughout their season, probably the best time of year for grayling is from September to November as they feed in earnest and start shoal in preparation for the winter. January and February can also be productive months if temperatures are not too harsh.
