A class 4-6 single-handed rod covers most inland fishing for grayling and trout. Everything here is advisory: adapt it to the water, the hatch and the species, and check the rules locally.
Which fly rod and class should you choose?
A class 5 single-handed rod of 9 ft is the most versatile choice for grayling and trout in rivers.
The reel and line should have the same class as the rod. All of it is advisory.
| Fishing | Species | Rod | Line | Reel | Leader | Handles fish | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling and small trout in clear water | Grayling and Arctic char | Single-handed rod class 3-4, 8.5-9 ft | Line class 3-4 (WF floating) | Fly reel class 3-4 | Leader 9 ft, 0.12-0.16 mm (5X-6X) | Up to ~1.5 kg | A light class gives a soft presentation. Small dry flies, emergers and nymphs for shy fish. |
| All-round grayling and trout (river) | Grayling and brown trout | Single-handed rod class 5, 9 ft | Line class 5 (WF floating) | Fly reel class 5 | Leader 9 ft, 0.15-0.18 mm (4X-5X) | Up to ~3 kg | The most versatile class. Handles dry fly, nymph and a little wind in a flowing river. |
| Bigger trout, streamers and wind | Brown trout | Single-handed rod class 6-7, 9 ft | Line class 6-7 (floating/intermediate) | Fly reel class 6-7 with a smooth drag | Short, strong leader, 0.20-0.25 mm | 3-5 kg | A heavier class casts big streamers and copes with wind on open water. |
Dry fly, nymph or streamer?
The nymph is the default most of the time, the dry fly when fish are rising, and the streamer when you are after bigger trout.
Here are the five main types and when to use them.
Dry fly
FloatsSits on top of the surface and imitates a hatched or fallen insect.
When: When the fish are rising to surface insects.
Emerger
In the surface filmHangs half-submerged in the film, imitating an insect rising to hatch.
When: During a hatch, often better than a dry when fish pick gently.
Nymph
SinksFished below the surface, imitating insect larvae and nymphs.
When: The default when nothing is rising, which is most of the time.
Wet fly
SinksFished below the surface, often several on the leader, swung round in the current.
When: Classic and simple in rivers, effective when fish are chasing.
Streamer
SinksA big fly imitating baitfish, leeches or crayfish. Stripped in actively.
When: For bigger, hunting trout and to cover a lot of water.
Well-known patterns
Rakkelhanen and Klinkhammer are widely used dry flies, the Pheasant Tail and the goldhead nymph are widely used nymphs, and the Woolly Bugger is an all-round streamer.
Rakkelhanen
Grayling, troutAll-round surface fly, easy to see in current.
Klinkhammer
Grayling, troutBody hangs in the film, takes fish keying on emergers.
Adams
Trout, graylingA grey all-rounder when you are unsure of the hatch.
Superpuppe
Grayling, troutA Norwegian classic during caddis hatches.
CDC emerger
GraylingDiscreet in the surface film for shy fish in clear water.
Pheasant Tail
Grayling, troutA slim nymph imitating mayfly nymphs.
Hare’s Ear
Trout, graylingA scruffy all-round nymph that takes most things.
Goldhead nymph
Trout, graylingA brass head sinks fast in deeper pools and current.
Heggeli
Trout, graylingA Norwegian wet-fly classic, swung in the current.
Red Tag
GraylingA small wet with a red tag, an old grayling favourite.
Woolly Bugger
TroutAn all-round streamer imitating leeches and prey.
Mickey Finn
TroutA yellow/red baitfish imitation, stripped actively.
Pick colour and size to match the hatch on the water. These patterns are well-known favourites, not a fixed answer.
How do you cast and fish a fly?
The overhead cast is the basic cast, and a dead drift, where the fly drifts at the same speed as the water, is the key to a natural presentation.
Overhead cast
The basic cast. Accelerate and stop the rod crisply forward and back between 10 o’clock in front and 1 o’clock behind, and let the line roll out fully before laying it down.
Roll cast
For when you have no room behind you. Roll the line forward in a loop, useful in rivers with vegetation or a high bank.
Dead drift
Let the fly drift freely with the current at the same speed as the water, without the line dragging it unnaturally. The key to a natural presentation.
Mending
Throw a curve into the line up- or downstream after the fly lands, so the current does not pull the fly too fast.
Wet-fly swing
Cast across or slightly downstream and let the current swing the flies round. Follow with the rod and be ready for the take on the swing.
Kit list
Besides a rod, reel and line of the same class, you need a leader, tippet and 50 to 100 metres of backing.
Rod
- Single-handed rod class 4-6Max ~3 kg9 ft, all-round for grayling and trout in rivers and lakes.
- Light rod class 3Max ~1.5 kg8-8.5 ft, for shy grayling and small streams in clear water.
- Rod class 6-73-5 kg9 ft, for streamers, wind and bigger trout.
Reel
- Fly reel in the same class as the rodA large arbor recovers line fast. The drag is used on big fish.
- Backing50-100 m of thin backing under the fly line gives margin on long runs.
Line & leader
- WF floating lineClass 3-7Weight forward in the rod's class. Standard for dry fly and nymph.
- Intermediate / sinking lineClass 5-7For streamers and fishing deeper in still water.
- Fluorocarbon leader & tippet0.12-0.25 mmTapered or an X system, thinner in clear water.
Accessories
- Fly boxesSeparate dry flies, nymphs and streamers.
- Floatant & sink puttyFloatant for the dry fly, putty to take the shine off the leader.
- Waders & wading bootsFor river fishing and edges in mountain lakes.
- Polarised sunglassesSee fish and structure, and protect your eyes from the hook.
- Unhooking pliers & nippersGentle unhooking and quick tippet changes.
- Fishing licence on your phoneBuy it on inatur or iFiske before you start.
Which species can you catch on the fly?
Grayling and trout are the main species on the fly, while char take small nymphs and emergers on calm evenings in mountain lakes.
Grayling
The classic fly-fishing quarry. Loves small nymphs and dry flies in clear water. Needs a discreet presentation and a long, thin leader. Often rises to tiny insects.
Brown trout
Dry fly when it rises, nymph otherwise, streamer for the bigger ones. Fish along edges, inlets, rocks and current seams at first light and dusk.
Arctic char
Less common on the fly, but takes small nymphs and emergers at the surface on calm evenings in mountain lakes. Try it when it is dead calm and char are rising.
Common questions
Which line class suits a beginner?
- Class 5 is the usual all-round choice for trout in Norwegian lakes and rivers. Class 3 to 4 is finer for small streams and grayling, and class 6 and up when you need to cast big flies or into wind. Rod, reel and line must share a class for the cast to load. Fly rod, class and technique
Dry fly or nymph?
- A nymph most of the time, a dry fly when you can see fish feeding on the surface. Almost everything a trout eats it takes underwater, so a nymph fishes where the fish actually are. When you see rings during a hatch, the dry fly is both more fun and more effective.