Arctic Grayling

At a glance

Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 16 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

The strictest bag limit is 1 (Utah); the most generous is 10 (Alaska).

Across 4 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 12.5 in.

Confirmed by 483 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• Its large, sail-like dorsal fin shimmers with iridescent purple, blue, and orange spots.
• A prized fly-fishing target, it rises eagerly to dry flies in clear streams.
• Found in cold, clear rivers across Alaska and Canada, often near the Arctic Circle.
• Can live up to 18 years in the frigid streams it inhabits.
• A member of the salmon family, closely related to trout and whitefish.

Where Arctic Grayling are seen

• Alaska186 iNat obs
• Yukon84 iNat obs
• British Columbia43 iNat obs
• Utah36 iNat obs
• Montana34 iNat obs
• Northwest Territories23 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Arctic Grayling

• AlaskaUnited States · official source
• AlbertaCanada · official source
• British ColumbiaCanada · official source
• ColoradoUnited States · official source
• Federal Waters (DFO)Canada · official source
• IdahoUnited States · official source

Background

Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family Salmonidae. T. arcticus is widespread throughout the Arctic and Pacific drainages in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia, as well as the upper Missouri River drainage in Montana. In the U.S. state of Arizona, an introduced population is found in the Lee Valley and other lakes in the White Mountains. They were also…

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Arctic Grayling article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.