Arctic Grayling

[ham]

So im headin up to a fly in lodge north of Yellowknife on friday mornin for 5 days, get some big pike and laker action. But last time I was there i remembered theres a waterfall that feeds into the lake that has a large amount of arctic grayling. Last time i was there i didnt have a fly rod but I saw others catchin grayling just down from the falls. So this time around plan is to take the fly rod and try for some of those grayling, so does anyone know what patterns might work for the wild grayling, I assume it would be a little different then the stocked grayling we have way down here. Different bugs? Different fish? Just throw some suggestions out there on what you think might work to target em. Thanks boys

[Guest bigbadbrent]

they'll be easier then the fish down here, same flies, maybe smaller

 

anything black & red, and you're fine

[admin]

Chironomids work great under an indicator. I used one that was a yellow body with a red bead head and red ribbed that worked exceptionally well for grayling. If they are hitting surface flies, I always like to use Griffith's Gnats and CDC and elk in sizes 14-20.

[Neil Waugh]

Just show 'em a Stimmie. Works on the House, Freeman, Embarras, West Pembina creeks. Or Barry Mitchell's H and L Variant. But why aren't you taking your big fish flyrod for the other dudes? Ice out, pike in the back bays, lakers at the surface. Show me the money.

[Hawgstoppah]

#14 - 18 black ant with a hi-vis post on top of it so u can see it. You'll slam them.

[SanJuanWorm]

Royal coachman is magical for grayling.

[PAV]

Royal coachman is magical for grayling.

 

Coachmans are very good as well a black knats. Thats all I used growing up in the Yukon.

[wildman]

All I used for Grayling when I was in the Yukon was a Red Tag dry fly.

 

They were clearing the water chasing after it!

 

Enjoy,

 

WM

[Castuserraticus]

I've had good success with a streamer like a clouser or bugger to keep the smaller grayling from hooking themselves. The dry fly is fun because the fish can be so kamikaze. There's no such thing as a bad cast with the wild ones.

[Guest Sundancefisher]

Coachmans are very good as well a black knats. Thats all I used growing up in the Yukon.

 

I vote for Coachman also. Had a 100 fish plus day once on them. Take floatant. Also take lots of flies as they get ratty fast.

[trailhead]

So I guess the recommendation is any dryfly will work, I had a 100 fish day at a location similiar to the one you describe. Literally hundreds of grayling at the base of the waterfall and they would fight over the fly. The only time they would disappear was when a big laker or pike would swim by. Pretty cool, though in all honesty after awhile I got kind of tired and tried to see what different types of flies they would take, and all the flies I tried worked though the dark ones worked best.

[Tako]

Don't overlook your normal lake patterns like leeches, damsels and dragons as well. That being said, skating a caddis across a smooth run is probably the most effective grayling tactic ever. Stimmys may look cooler, but a caddis will float higher and create a better wake in the water. Chironomids work well if they're hatching, but if you don't see the hatch, don't waste your time. Sounds like a good trip, let's have lots of pics of those monster northern grayling

[DutchDryfly]

For on top big klinkhammers all the way up to size 6 and if they are fussy use small #22-24 black cdc flies.

Try when you are there also some muddlers and clouser minnows. You will be surprised how big of a fly a grayling will take.

[cdock]

I've had success on BH Pheasant Tails, Griffith's Gnat and yes the old San Juan Worm.

[cowtownscribe]

My fav dry fly for the Grayling up north is still the Black Gnat. Caught my first one on the Yukon River, and my last one on the House River with the pattern. Good to see that the older patterns still pull 'em in.

 

I also concur with the H&L Variant.

 

CS.