Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing VarmintWife Catches Grayling!

Last week the VarmintWife and I trekked up to a high mountain lake here in SW Montana to try for Grayling with our fly rods.
I had been to this lake MANY times in the past and often caught and released more than 100 Grayling per day.
But it was her first trip.
Once to the lake she soon caught the first fish of the day - a nifty 12" Grayling.
The Grayling I have caught here in the past run up to 14" and I have never heard of anything larger being caught here.
We used a black small jig type fly with a red bead head and a small strike indicator.
A great time was had catching and releasing (which was easy to do with our barbless hooks).
Only saw one other angler at the lake that day and he had journied there from Michigan to catch a wild Grayling - he also did pretty well that day.
In the past I have seen anglers at this lake from MANY states including New York, Georgia, Texas, Washington, Florida, Minnesota as well as an angler from Germany.
Although we always practice catch and release this lake allows 5 Grayling to be kept.
I have never eaten a Grayling but someday if I catch a big one I think I might try one at the table.
The VarmintWife sure enjoyed her day of hiking and fishing and the "bugs" gave us no real trouble at all.
Back about 20 years ago the VarmintWife caught a dandy 17" Grayling on the upper Bighole River but that was on a spinner bait - those fish are mandated by law to be released.
Those fish there in the Bighole are the LAST native Grayling population in the lower 48 states - or so the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks advertises.
The Game Department here has been "transplanting" Grayling to many rivers, lakes and streams throughout SW Montana.
I have caught them in two other lakes and in four streams to date.
Good luck to the Graylings - they are a unique and worthy fish.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Nice!! The only grayling I have caught was in Alaska.. Great fish.. I think we ate some on that trip, but it was over 35 years ago so I am not certain.. Nice story.. Have a good one..

Grayling are neat! No pictures?

I fished the only one time on the Clearwater in Alaska. Great fish...would love to do it again...

Pictures dude?