Dawn Grayling & Brown Trout on the Wye
River Wye below Hay‑on‑Wye — dawn grayling and brown trout on June 24
Below Hay‑on‑Wye the first light finds grayling and wild brown trout tight to the seams where fast water peels into pool tails. Short-line nymphing is turning heads in the opening hour; seams from the riffle mouths into pool tails are the prime water.
Surface activity is sparse today, so anglers are working deep shaded pockets with Czech or Euro nymphing during bright periods. Run a heavy tungsten bead point with the strike fly 4–5 mm above it and fish the drift slow. Small tungsten-beaded patterns read the current best: size 16 Red Nymph, size 16 Quill Nymph or a Hare’s Ear fitted with a 2 mm tungsten bead.
Patterns, rigs and where to place them
Wet flies carry June: the Black Hopper (size 14, wet), March Brown Spider and Iron Blue Dun cover most takes. If carrying a single fly the size 14 Black Hopper wins more often than not. When the surface dies switch to a double dry rig—sight fly with an 18” trailing fly—using Elk Hair Caddis (size 12, cream tag) or Griffith’s/Black Gnat in 18–20.
Water remains high for June; clarity varies but deep shaded pockets of 2–3 ft hold the sportiest fish. Expect brown trout in the 12–18 inch bracket on the Wye below Hay‑on‑Wye. Brown Drake hatches taper off as the month closes; focus mornings on pool tails and seams while the light is low.
No fish are rising this morning, yet a hooked 14‑inch brown trout strips out and explodes the surface in the morning seam beneath the willows.