Species

Grayling

An elegant salmonid with a large, colourful dorsal fin (the flag) that needs clear, cool rivers and is a classic for fly fishing.

Thymallus thymallus

Photo: High Plains Grifter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: March to April, depending on the water into early summer, on shallow gravel beds (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: highly threatened
Typical method: Fly fishing
Top bait: Dry fly

Plan a day fishing for Grayling

How to recognise it

Large, flag-like dorsal fin with rows of spots
Pear-shaped pupil that comes to a point at the front
Large scales, small mouth and small adipose fin

Easily confused with: Looks like whitefish (Renken, Felchen), which also have an adipose fin but only a small dorsal fin; the large flag gives the grayling away.

How to catch it

Methods: Fly fishing, Float fishing

Baits: Dry fly, Nymph, Maggots, Caddis larva

During the day, when insects are hatching; many fly anglers especially value the autumn.

Habitat and food

Clear, cool and oxygen-rich rivers with a gravel or stony bed, the grayling zone named after it; also in mountain lakes. Lives sociably in groups behind stones and under overhanging banks.

Mainly insects and their larvae, plus small worms and crustaceans; happily takes insects that land on the surface.

Size and age

Adults usually 30 to 50 cm and 500 to 1500 g, large specimens up to 60 cm and 3 kg (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 60 cm, heaviest published weight 6.7 kg, maximum age 14 years. The sources differ considerably on the maximum weight.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): highly threatened. IUCN: not threatened (Least Concern, 2023).

Grayling: closed season and minimum size by German state

These rules apply in Germany only. Fishing in the UK, the USA or elsewhere? The local rules apply there (link below).

Baden-Württembergminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.02. to 30.04.
Bavariaminimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.01. to 30.04.
Berlinminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.12. to 31.05.
Brandenburgminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.12. to 31.05.
Bremenminimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.03. to 15.05.
Hamburgclosed season 01.01. to 15.05.
Hessekeep only from 30 to 45 cm · closed season 01.03. to 15.05.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaminimum size 30 cm
Lower Saxonyminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 15.05.
North Rhine-Westphaliaminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 30.04.
Rhineland-Palatinateminimum size 30 cm · closed season 15.02. to 30.04.minimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.01. to 31.05. only in some waters
Saarlandminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 30.04.minimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.01. to 31.05. only in some waters
Saxonyminimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.01. to 15.06.
Saxony-Anhaltminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.12. to 15.05.
Schleswig-Holsteinminimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.01. to 30.04.
Thuringiaminimum size 35 cm · closed season 01.02. to 31.05.

From the official state fisheries regulations, retrieved 2026-10-11. All rules by state

Check the rules

In Germany, closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each state and can be stricter for single waters. All German rules by state, with the legal source. Outside Germany, the local rules apply: licence and agency by country.

In the kitchen

An excellent food fish with delicate flesh; the slight thyme-like smell disappears when it is cooked. Because it is so threatened, only keep grayling mindfully and where it is allowed.

Sources (3)

Last checked 2026-10-18. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

Know more?

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