Grayling

[DickHead]

I'm thinking about picking a day and going after some Grayling. I know they ain't very big, but the photos and bragging rights would be worth it, IMHO. Also, I understand several areas to snag them require a small hike, which seems like a good time. This is going to have to be by the end of the month, I'm sure, because of the longer days. Any suggestions on where to go and what to use? Anyone interested in a mid-week day trip after some?

This is from another web board
http://www.utahonthefly.com/gallery/files//1/9/4/9/P1010447.JPG

[Sombeech]

Chivato and I caught a couple of arctic grayling at China Meadows, up in the Uintahs.

This picture was taken with a 35mm camera, and now I realize I should have zoomed in on the fish a little more.

They are hard to catch because of their small mouths, but we managed to pull in atleast 2 of them.

[Sombeech]

BTW, I believe we were using nymphs. We weren't having any luck with floating flys. They were all feeding under the surface.

[DickHead]

Tell me more! Where can I access China Meadows? Other species in there?
When was that trip?

[Sombeech]

The trip was probably a year ago.

It was fairly easy to get to. I drove my Ford Taurus, so the road was good. It was a populated area though, so it was a little difficult to find a spot that hadn't been hammered.

China Meadows is just south of Bridger Lake, and West of Henry's Fork. I believe we went through Mountain View Wyo., and from there, it's a little fuzzy on what roads we took. Like I said, it was a main area, so there were campgrounds and everything.

I've got a map here of the Uintas, and it looks like there's a good dirt road that goes all the way through it.

I've heard that this is one of the few places that you can catch arctic grayling.

[icthys]

I just got back from a hike in grayling fish-a-thon. I caught over 50 of them. The lake also has some very nice sized ones. We are sure one day we'll find the state record up there. Last year I caught one that was just over 18". I didn't get a good picture of it but here's one that went 17".

[Sombeech]

WOW :hail2thechief:

Nice pic. Where was that?

Love the avatar BTW. :haha:

[accadacca]

Damn Wilbur! :eek2: That's a big grayling! I am not sure if he'll give up where he caught that one? :lol8:

[dmMatrix]

I know this is an old thread but I just though I would post some info on it too!!!!! here are a couple pics from our trip for grayling in 2010. I could only find one of the grayling, and it is only an 11 incher but I must say that it was a fighter. One of the most difficult fish to catch ever. There are also a couple of Brookies that were out of the same lake and an albino rainbow that was caught after we hiked back to the truck and caught a lake on the drive out.

450724507345074

The Grayling came out of Marjorie Lake in the Uinta Mountains. And the Albino came out of Butterfly Lake.

[ibenick]

Nice! I would love to get into some Grayling. Is Marjorie Lake the same thing as Margie Lake in Rock Creek?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=40.717106,+-110.769410&sll=40.641182,-110.741673&sspn=0.130257,0.176468&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=40.716265,-110.770469&spn=0.032528,0.044117&t=p&z=15

[dmMatrix]

Its not the same no. Marjorie Lake is 2.5 miles from the Crystal Lake Trail head which starts Next to Crystal Lake which is kinda between Washington Lake and Trial Lake off of the Mirror Lake Highway.

I hope this helps, I pinned the board with Marjorie, Washington, Mirror Lake Highway, and Margie Lake.

45097

[dmMatrix]

I'm still fairly new to Bogley so I don't really know how the map thing works, so if it shows up then YAY!!!!

Marjorie Lake, utah

[ibenick]

I was just down by that Marjorie Lake in October but we didn't head over to it. But then when I went looking on the map all I could find was Margie Lake. Thanks.

[LOAH]

Yeah, Marjorie is a nice little hike and a neat lake to fish. The grayling were tough for me to catch with a fly behind a bubble, but I got bites all day using a BH prince nymph.

I eventually caught one (yay, 6 inches or so), but should've had dozens.

Boulder Mtn is where the next record is coming from though. There are a couple of lakes down there that have really nice ones.

One of the Row Lakes has some big ones and Pear does too. Quite a few lakes have had them for a long time, but not all of them are easy to catch between the brookies.

The record isn't all that big though:
[I]
1998; 1 lb. 12 oz.; L: 17-

[dmMatrix]

Wow, and it looks like you caught it with a fly pole too!!! Awesome, everyone tells me that is rough since the don't come all the way to the surface all that often. Ours definitely weren't that big.

[ibenick]

Wow, and it looks like you caught it with a fly pole too!!! Awesome, everyone tells me that is rough since the don't come all the way to the surface all that often. Ours definitely weren't that big.

Who says a fly rod must be fished at the surface? :naughty:

Killer fish, LOAH. :hail2thechief:

[dmMatrix]

Who says a fly rod must be fished at the surface? :naughty:

Killer fish, LOAH. :hail2thechief:

Good point... I am still a newbie on the fly pole.... My wife is a slayer with it though.

[LOAH]

Oh, I've still never caught anything on the fly rod with a dry (surface). Had one hooked once, but it got off.:cry1:

Plenty of fish on nymphs though. The grayling above ate a copper john and many of his buddies took a killer caddis.

I forgot to mention:

On my trip to Marjorie a few years back, the guy I went with caught a solid 14 inch grayling and decided to keep it for dinner. When he opened up the belly, who'da thunk it, but it had some skeletons in it from small fish. :eek2:

Even with those tiny mouths, they'll prey on other fish if given the opportunity. Crazy huh?

Since I'm an avid minnow fisherman, I think I'll give that route a go with my #2 rod this year...Just to see if I can score on it.

[uintahiker]

I've had success for them in Marjorie. I've even caught a few of them in Washington Lake.
I've had the most success for them in Round Lake up the Dry Fork of the Weber River.

I was surprised at the earlier post that said they don't come all the way to the surface all that often- that's where I've caught the majority of them. A size 16 black ant has been money for me.

[dmMatrix]

I've had success for them in Marjorie. I've even caught a few of them in Washington Lake.
I've had the most success for them in Round Lake up the Dry Fork of the Weber River.

I was surprised at the earlier post that said they don't come all the way to the surface all that often- that's where I've caught the majority of them. A size 16 black ant has been money for me.

I have just never seen them on the surface is all. I was just told by others that they didn't like the surface all that much. But, as I can see now I was misled. I'm just happy to be expanding my knowledge so much with Bogley. Best outdoor site ever.

[uintafly]

A couple years back I had good grayling success at Caroline Lake along the Highline trail. We didn't catch anything huge but between 2 of us we probably caught 15 during the one evening we were there. My recollection is that we used a bh prince nymph just a couple feet below the surface.

[denaliguide]

I was just told by others that they didn't like the surface all that much. But, as I can see now I was misled..

i hope the grayling in alaska never get wind of this. i have had days, where the game was to find a dry fly, that wouldn't get a grayling to rise for it.

royal wulff's, royal coachman, parachute adams, double ugly (its like a double renegade), elk hair caddis, and humpy. those are my favorites.

[dmMatrix]

I will be hitting a couple of Grayling occupied lakes again this summer. Thanks for the tips :2thumbs:

Hopefully I will be able to snag some big ones too :nod:

[nelsonccc]

i hope the grayling in alaska never get wind of this. i have had days, where the game was to find a dry fly, that wouldn't get a grayling to rise for it.

royal wulff's, royal coachman, parachute adams, double ugly (its like a double renegade), elk hair caddis, and humpy. those are my favorites.

For sure. I guess I'm grayling spoiled. When we go to Fairbanks we go out to a cabin on the Clearwater and the river is chock full of grayling. The game is to see who's dry fly will catch the most fish! I've had grayling rise to nothing more than a hook and a piece of unwound feather! Then at night we'll tie super crazy wild dry flies to see if they'll work and they always do. I've had hours where we've caught 50-60 grayling if not more.

[dmMatrix]

For sure. I guess I'm grayling spoiled. When we go to Fairbanks we go out to a cabin on the Clearwater and the river is chock full of grayling. The game is to see who's dry fly will catch the most fish! I've had grayling rise to nothing more than a hook and a piece of unwound feather! Then at night we'll tie super crazy wild dry flies to see if they'll work and they always do. I've had hours where we've caught 50-60 grayling if not more.

HOLY CRAP!!!! That is awesome. Alaska would be so much fun to fish. Although, the fishing I hear about the most is always from a cruise ship ha ha.

[Deadeye008]

I've caught lots of Grayling in Round, Sand and Fish Lake up Dry Fork in the Uintas. I've always used a fly behind a bubble up there. Not any really big ones up there though. Last summer we took the Scouts to China lake and caught some really nice sized Grayling. At China Lake the thing that worked best was a Rapala minnow immitation. I like eating Grayling more than I do Trout.

[dmMatrix]

I was up at China Lake right at the end of the season last year and we didn't catch a thing. I was frustrated because I always catch something. I asked several people around the lake and not a soul was catching anything.

every other time at that lake we just slayed them non stop. But, now knowing there are grayling in there.... I may have to go back this year.

[dmMatrix]

I was up at China Lake right at the end of the season last year and we didn't catch a thing. I was frustrated because I always catch something. I asked several people around the lake and not a soul was catching anything.

every other time at that lake we just slayed them non stop. But, now knowing there are grayling in there.... I may have to go back this year.

I logged off and realized that it was Marsh Lake that we were at last year. Not China.... The road was blocked off to China so we decided not to fish there. I had my lakes mixed up. We aren't on that side of the mountains very often.

When we were done there though, we drove around to the North slope and Hit Butterfly, Pass, and Lily Lakes. We caught a few but you could tell the season was ending that is for sure.

[denaliguide]

The graying is a unique fish and it can easily identifiable by its high and broad dorsal fin. A almost neon blue color on its body and fins. Fly fishing, Alaska gray-lings are both prized and easy to catch. Alaska gray-lings do have a few preferences. They tend to like active, moving insects, smaller insects and also dry flies. The fish will also feed on minnows and crustaceans, though traditional light flies seem to be the most effective. There are fish like to use hot tubs (http://www.cedartubs.com/) in the sea or river.

im seeing a theme in his posts. hot tubs.

[REDFOX]

Grayling are abundant and easy to catch in Grebe lake at Yellowstone National park. I have caught a few hundred using leach patterns on a flyrod.