Grayling is considered to be the most beautiful representative of the salmon family. This fish is always a prey of increased interest among fans of "silent hunting". The fact is that summer and even winter fishing for grayling is always full of excitement. Therefore, those who at least once caught this fish always with pleasure recall their incredible game, the difficulties of posting, etc. In addition, grayling is quite valuable prey. This fish has delicious, tender and at the same time quite fatty meat. Therefore, many catch this inhabitant of the rivers not only out of sports interest.
general information
Being a representative of the salmon family and a close relative of whitefish, grayling is found only in water bodies located in the northern hemisphere of the planet. This fish loves cold water rivers. Sometimes it is found in clean lakes with a pebble or rocky bottom.
The main part of all grayling subspecies is found in Russian reservoirs. This predatory fish is omnivorous. Its feed is most often larvae, gammarus crustaceans, mollusks and insects that accidentally fall into the pond. Grayling does not mind eating caviar of other underwater inhabitants. Moreover, often large individuals eat their fry, and sometimes attack small mammals - voles or shrews. In spring, starting from the first days of April, grayling, having wintered in the deep holes of the lower reaches of the rivers, leave their “apartments” and rise to the upper reaches, often under the ice. And with the beginning of the flood, they begin to enter the tributaries to spawn.
Fishing for grayling
It is better to catch this representative of the salmon family from the first decade of June. Effective and gambling fishing lasts until ice appears on the river. In the winter, grayling is considered more difficult, since with the onset of cold weather this fish is practically inactive.
In addition, grayling does not like a lot of light, so on clear sunny days it goes to the deep layers. In summer, fishing is most productive at sunset and before sunrise, as well as at night or in cloudy weather. You can use any fishing rods on grayling.
It is important to consider that this fish likes to be away from the coast, therefore it is very good if there is a boat.
Winter fishing
Many people think that grayling in winter is no less exciting than fishing in the open season in the warm season. Most of the populations of this representative of salmon can be found in Siberian reservoirs, in the Urals and in rivers of other northern regions. It is here that huge armies of winter-fishing anglers spend hours sitting on ice in the hope of pulling out this beautiful underwater predator. Almost all northern rivers provide an interesting and, most importantly, productive grayling in winter. Everywhere you can count on a good catch. Many ice-fishing enthusiasts go to Lake Baikal, where winter fishing for grayling is especially interesting. In the largest lake in the world, even in January, this fish is mobile. The main condition in such fishing is the discovery of prey sites.
Features of the choice of place
In winter, grayling usually takes place on stretches or channel extensions, where there is relatively calm water, as well as behind rifts - where the fish were fed in the summer. No less catchers and local grooves or pits with a slowed flow, located near the main water flows. You can try to catch single stones or snags lying at the bottom, after which the prey can take refuge from a strong stream, as well as in coastal areas, especially where the current “twists” a little. Winter fishing for grayling will be productive if you can find places where its concentration is large.
Grayling prefers running water, but does not stand on the stream itself, especially in the dead end. In the cold period, this representative of salmonids has a slow metabolism, so it spends energy efficiently. And the constant struggle with the course or the pursuit of quick prey exhaust him. This circumstance must be taken into account when searching for a promising place.
Grayling behavior in winter
This representative of salmon behaves differently from the usual for fishermen scavenger or carp. You need to go out for this fish in the winter, since the best bite occurs early in the morning. Later, his activity weakens, so luck smiles less and less. Then in the evening there is another surge. However, experienced anglers are advised not to hope for a bite at this time, but it’s better to go to the pond early. Throughout the winter, both the mobility and mood of this fish change. When severe frosts occur, there may not be a single bite in a whole day.
Therefore, in this case, the winter roads have to wait for a comparative thaw, or at least some increase in temperature. But when the cold recedes, production is activated. As a rule, on the third or fourth day zhor comes.
What to catch
The best grayling tackle in winter is a fishing rod and mormyshka. Both ways of fishing this fish are quite effective, so each angler can choose the most suitable option for themselves. Grayling gear should not be rude. This representative of salmon is quite careful and shy. Therefore, grayling should not doubt transparent water, but immediately attack the bait offered to it. The line should be selected no more than 0.16 mm. It should have a breaking load of up to two to three kilograms. This is enough to quickly display even kilogram copies. At the same time, a thicker fishing line can scare away prey, and a thin one can break both from a sharp bite, and from subsequent jerks.
You can choose any one. You should not especially think about its design. Some experienced anglers make it with their own hands. For grayling in the river to be effective in winter, the tackle as a whole must be convenient for the person himself and reliable. Unless when fishing on mormyshka, you need to try to choose a light fishing rod so that your hand is not very tired for the whole day.
Mormyshki on grayling
When catching this fish in winter, you should choose exclusively “working” bait. Most often, such a bait are artificial flies or mormyshki. For grayling, it is better to take a gray, yellowish-red and wheat-colored nozzle of a heavier look with a weight of 1 gram or more. Mormyshka game should be carried out slowly. Some seasoned winter roads use auxiliary hooks to attach the rods. They should be twenty centimeters above the mormyshka. The tip must be directed down so that there is no catch on the edge of the hole. Grayling will react best to artificial bait, which in its appearance is something between a mormyshka and a fly. She is considered very catchy. The flattened and flat bait for grayling in winter also works well, which, sinking smoothly to the bottom, thereby attracts the attention of prey. To winter fishing ended with a rich catch, it is necessary to take into account the model of the selected mormyshka, as well as color, shape and size.
Other lures
In the event that a mormyshka never existed in this river, it makes no sense to use such a nozzle. Experienced winter roads often use flies instead of mormysks for grayling. At the same time, cargo is attached to the end of the fishing line, and baits themselves are tied up on short leashes. The equipment is lowered to the bottom and held there motionless or make a game with it.
Of the natural baits for winter grayling, the most common are small earth or dung worms, maggot, larvae of burdock and bark beetle, bloodworms, amphipods, pieces of fish or shrimp meat. Grayling has its own preferences in each river, and this must be taken into account.
Technique and tactics of fishing
Winter fishing for this representative of salmon is always an active search process. Few people manage to immediately discover a large concentration of prey and sit in one hole all day. Usually, after fishing several fish, one has to drill ice again, or even move to other, more promising areas. Grayling is a shy fish, so it does not immediately bite in the drilled hole. The fisherman has to give the prey a little “rest” so that it calms down and ceases to behave wary.
Grayling in small rivers in winter is well caught after additional stimulation of its activity. It's about bait. It can be either a simple forage bloodworm mixed with ground, or pieces of chopped worms or maggot. And although this does not work in all rivers, it’s worth trying. Catching prey should only be in the bottom layers, although in the absence of bite in several holes, other horizons must be checked. Very rarely, but it also happens that grayling is under the ice.
The best animation of the bait during the winter ice fishing of this representative of salmon is a smooth rise from the bottom soil. Most bites happen when the mormyshka rises five to seven centimeters. The grip of this fish is not only sharp, but also powerful, therefore, the fisherman always needs to be careful in order to have time to carry out a precise cut. Once on the hook, the grayling begins to behave quite aggressively. If there are any deep obstacles nearby, then it is imperative to force its survival. Otherwise, the hooked fish will immediately leave for shelter, and already there is no way to get it, so you will have to tear the line.