Fly Fishing Forum banner

Best methods / flies for grilse

4K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  billg 
#1 ·
As its comming to that time of year when the grilse will make an apperance in my local river and many others (water permitting) I was wondering what flies and methods you use to attract these fish. I have never caught very many grilse as they just seem to get their heads down and run very hard through the water that I fish only stopping in the odd place for a quick rest before continuing up river. I am sure that the fish that i have had on this stretch have been running and not resting, I have only had sucess on small flies fished high in the water and quite quickly. As well as giving me advice could you also do a rain dance as its too hot here and the river is too low for the salmon to run. Cheers.
 
#3 ·
Flies, matter very little, grilse will take most of the usual suspects. Stoats Tail, Munroe,Shrimp patterns, Willie Gunn trad and tied shrimp style. If the water is low keep the flies small, 10s 12s I would go as far to argue if you are getting no action it is not the flkies that are wrong it is just the grilse have gone.
Down and across on a full floater, may be a polyleader if I was just above the tidal reaches.

Finally try a Collie Dog/ Sunray shadow worked fast across the pool, if you don't get a follow there are no grilse there.

I think of grilse as gangs of teenagers, full of energy and life with an IQ about the same as their age. Cannot sit still and chase and torment anything in sight.
 
#6 ·
Hi Rod:

I will give you a couple of sunrays when you come up to the Gaspe. They also work well on sea-trout.

Now let's see; 2 video tapes and a couple of sunrays....anything else!

See you soon and you can pm me for the latest fishing conditions, etc.

Bill Greiner
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top