Montana Grayling in Alberta?

[maddog]

Has anyone here ever caught a Montana grayling in southern Alberta, or heard of one being caught in Alberta?

I seem to remember reading about them when visiting Waterton, but anything I have read lately suggests that they were never really present in Alberta streams.

Thanks for any information. It is just for personal curiosity.

[SilverDoctor]

Not sure about Southern Alberta, but Greyling are a fishery in Norther Alberta. I've fished for them North of Rocky Mountain House, lots of streams up there with Greyling. I thought there where two distinct strains depending on life history: fluvial (stream dwelling) and adfluvial (living in lakes and spawning in streams). I did read that Montana Greyling where in trouble as far as numbers go in some streams.

[yonderin]

Allegedly they MIGHT be found in the Belly.  Have never heard of any being caught to confirm.

A couple of stocked ponds in K Country.

All of my Grayling experiences have been north of the 16.

[Taco]

I caught a couple 10-15 cm ones in the Belly just downstream of the 49th Parallel. Area locals also confirmed to me that there is or was a population of Arctic Grayling much closer to the Belly headwaters on the Montana side. I remember reading somewhere that Barry Mitchell and Don Andersen caught one in a irrigation diversion on the Canadian side of the Belly which is what sent me on my quest to catch a native southern Alberta grayling. I have no idea of their current status as all this was 20-25 yrs ago. 

[SilverDoctor]

Cool stuff Taco.

[bowbonehead]

Arctic Gray-ling do exist in the Belly although more-so on the Montana side of the border.... however these are considered exotic as they were introduced to the drainage. They do exist naturally in the upper Missouri drainage and were also found in Michigan which are now extinct due to habitat degradation ....... So while they are found in Southern Alberta occasionally they are introduced vs the native ones found from the McLeod river north in Alberta  ie Arctic watershed

[Taco]

Well there ya go! Learned something! Thanks BBH,

 

[DonAndersen]

Perhaps 25 years ago I caught a Grayling of about 10” in the Belly River while  fishing with Dean Baaynes. 
Heard fish Fish and Wildlife captured another near Glenwood. 
 

Don

[SilverDoctor]

Wish there where more Greyling opportunities in the southern province.  Closest we have around Calgary is a couple of small ponds. Wish we had some stream fish.

[LeeAB]

I remember catching a 10" male Grayling at the Belly River Campground in Waterton in the early 1990's.  Another note here, I have never heard of a Grayling showing up in the Trout Unlimited Fish Rescue on the Belly River either, that said I participated in only a few but one would think you would here of a Grayling if it occurred.

My understanding is that the Montana Grayling were plants from the Au Sable River in Michigan which are now extinct.

[troutfriend]

TUC collected one small Grayling in the canal exiting the Belly River in 2011 according to this report. guess there is some spawning occurring?  http://www.tucanada.org/files/1/2011 FR Report.pdf

[fishjunkie]

I went down this rabbit hole on refugia Grayling populations in Alberta and area.  Interesting stuff to me https://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~etaylor/Stam&Tay2004.pdf

A grayling fossil was found in January Cave ( Cataract Creek Region)  that dates from if I remember correctly ~23,000 thousand years ago so I guess they were once native to southern Alberta

[maddog]

Thanks for all the cool replies. Southern Alberta graylings sound pretty rare. I'm not sure if it's possible to check it off my list.

[BowLurker]

I know that Quarry Lake in Canmore is stocked with Grayling, but I have never caught one. Not sure if this stocking programme is still running either.

-M.