Arctic Grayling

Description: While Arctic Grayling are not actually a species of trout or salmon, they are a very close relative to trout and salmon and are in the family Salmonidae. In the lower 48 states the only native populations that remain are found in Montana and a sliver of Wyoming which have been whipped out in most of their native waters. These fish once also occured in Michigan, but are now extinct there. The main reason for the demise of the grayling in the lower 48 states is competition with non-native fish and habitat destruction. While there are other species of grayling found elsewhere in the world, the Arctic Grayling is the only species that is found in North America. Grayling mainly feed on insects, but will often feed on fish eggs when available. Grayling are spring spawners and do not build reds, but instead lay their eggs over gravel and rocky areas allowing the eggs to drop into the cracks. Their eggs are about half of the diameter of trout eggs and hatch much sooner that those of trout and salmon usually after only about two weeks.

Description: The large sail like dorsal fin that is found on these fish make them totally distinct from other members of their family. On their dorsal fin, they usually have rows of pink and lavender/ blueish spots and a red or orange border. In comparison with trout and salmon, grayling have much smaller mouths and very small teeth. Grayling tend to have large scales, and a deeply forked tail. The coloration of grayling ranges from a iridesecent blue and lavender to a dark blackish blue color, and they usually have spots toward their head that appear as angular shaped blotches.