A low blow to calm a squirming grayling

Fly-fishing for grayling is very much at the hipster end of the angling spectrum at the moment. You’ll need a special beard and an 11ft fly rod rated for a #2 line to join the club, and a degree in engineering to understand the composition of the special leader to which you’ll be attaching your flies.

This style of fishing is known as ‘Euro-nymphing’. It sounds like a Belgian extramarital activity but it’s actually an effective and absorbing way to fish, especially in winter. I love it but before getting into the minutiae of grayling fishing and my lack of a beard, let’s consider the fish.

Often referred to as the ‘lady of the stream’ — a slightly twee name as plenty of them are males — grayling are at their peak in autumn and winter. Compared with the trout, which conforms more to a fishy interpretation