The Essential Fly

Hints & Tips To Perfect Your October Fishing!

12 October 2021  |  Sarah

October Fishing...
What Is Happening?
What Do You Look For?
What Do You Use?

Answers in an email...
What Is Happening?
Having waved goodbye to the Brown Trout season, our thoughts shift towards Grayling from October onwards. Whilst many will be dusting off their boxes of heavy nymphs, there’s no need to be hasty here as chances are plenty of insects will still be hatching off. Aside from Large Dark Olives, and some Pale Wateries (if you’re lucky) there’ll be plenty of willow and needle flies about (small Stoneflies). Bear in mind too that due to shortening days, Grayling will sense winter is on its way and will be keen to top up their reserves for the cold months ahead.
 
What Do You Look For?
Grayling have a reputation for holding in fast streamy water and this is where most anglers make a beeline for.

Yet, when flies are hatching you’re better off seeking out the slower parts of a river, with pool tails being a favourite.
Here, due to increased surface tension, flies become trapped for longer at the surface, making them easy pickings for fish.

Be mindful too that Grayling are quite delicate when they rise, so look for dimples rather than great eruptions of water that are frequently caused by Trout.
 
What Do You Use?
As Grayling don’t have teeth, we can go a little finer with tippets, confident they won’t get shredded, which often occurs on the Trout’s pin sharp teeth.

Regarding tippet diameters / breaking strains The Essential Fly's own Fluorocarbon Tippet 2.86lb (0.135mm diameter) is perfect as it’s thin enough to give your flies freedom of movement, yet robust enough to protect against breakages.
As Grayling are very sensitive to micro drag on flies, we recommend using the lightest rod rating you’re comfortable with. For many this might be a 4-weight outfit, though if the breeze isn’t too server, a 3-weight rod will give you the edge. 
As for rod length, many prefer 10 footers these days though if you’re happy with one of 9ft, or 9.5ft that’s fine.
 
October Hatch Chart

Free Hatch Chart

Our hatch charts are offered free of charge to registered customers.  They are released throughout the fishing year in advance to enable you to prepare in time for your fishing trips. They offer a reference chart by way of a guide as to what should be hatching in normal weather conditions. Please check the access instructions below.

Accessing the Hatch Chart - New Location

  1. Go to www.theessentialfly.com
  2. FIRST login to your account using your own email address and personal account password
  3. From the main menu bar across the top of the screen look for the Hatch Chart link
  4. Hover over this link and from the sub menu that appears the Hatchchart link will appear

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