Arctic Grayling Animal Information
Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) - A.K.A. Prince of the River, Sailfish of the North. Standing in your corner on the edge of a crystal clear mountain stream, you cast your dry fly near the edge of a large boulder. Your opponent comes out swinging and lands a solid hit on the end of your line. You reef back on your pole in your best defense… the fight is on. The Arctic grayling is symbolic of the clear, cold streams of the north and is intolerant to altered or polluted environments. When the grayling is freshly caught, it smells like the herb thyme. Hence, the genus name Thymallus. Due to overfishing, competition, nonnative species, and habitat loss, the grayling has almost disappeared from the northern United States. The diet of grayling consists of any available food (fish, zooplankton, etc.), but they prefer aquatic and terrestrial insects. Grayling are dark on the back with iridescent gray sides. Their long sweeping dorsal fins are dotted with large iridescent spots. The grayling is a popular sport fish because of its amazing colors, readiness to take a hook, and their tendency to leap out of the water when caught. They can live to be 18 years old and weigh up to 4 pounds.
