# Bucket List Grayling



## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Never caught a grayling before. It's on my list. Trying to find a decent place to catch one or two in the Uinta's. I don't mind hiking a couple 3 miles or so. And if I find them what are some go to flies or do they pretty much take anything like trout do?


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

Round Lake, Sand Lake and Fish Lake. Last time I was there any small dry fly seemed to work. Mosquito, Adams, black ants, etc.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

I'm surprised you have never caught one before. They are a fish after your own heart in that they have never seen a dry fly they don't like. (Ok, most of the time) In the Uintas, sometimes they prefer white in the pattern, sometimes black, but a lot of the time they will hit anything plopped in front of their nose. Their mouths are small, but you don't need to use middle Provo midge sizes to get bit. I usually use size 12-16. Black ants, renegades, Adams, and mosquito are my faves but sometimes oddballs in the fly box work better. I usually use fly-and-bubble for 50+ fish days in the Uintas (don't tell PBH ), but they are dumb enough that I can do well with traditional fly gear too and compared to you I kind of suck at it on stillwaters. 

As for where, the previously mentioned lakes in the Weber drainage are excellent but do require a bit of a hike. The DWR has stocked grayling in a lot of the lakes around the Crystal lake trailhead and you don't have to go far to get one. That said, my favorite lake is 3 miles in on a not-so-strenuous hike that I really enjoy. I usually try to go once a year. I can PM the lake if you want or I suppose you can come with me if I'm able to go.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Not the Uintas, but Silver Lake Flat is loaded with them.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

High-N-Dry -- wait until summer and come have a weekend down here on the Boulder.


Catherder -- I heard that.


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

HighNDry said:


> Never caught a grayling before. It's on my list. Trying to find a decent place to catch one or two in the Uinta's. I don't mind hiking a couple 3 miles or so. And if I find them what are some go to flies or do they pretty much take anything like trout do?


This might help... I helped buddy from the east put Arctic Grayling on his life list... (I got some too)..

https://www.backcountrychronicles.com/arctic-grayling-fishing-life-list/

It may be a while before you can get up there this year... I think Trial lake still has 48 inches of snow on it.

Good luck on your trip.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

StillAboveGround said:


> This might help... I helped buddy from the east put Arctic Grayling on his life list... (I got some too)..
> 
> https://www.backcountrychronicles.com/arctic-grayling-fishing-life-list/
> 
> ...


You mentioned in your blog that you wanted to try grayling. There is certainly nothing wrong with harvesting a few from these alpine lakes, but I suppose I could chime in on that, having eaten grayling a number of times. In several lakes which have both brookies and grayling, including one of the lakes you visited, I've found the brookies taste much better. Grayling flesh is whitish and to my taste, not as flavorful.

A couple of years ago, I went with our scout troop to a lake with brookies and grayling. As part of the fishing merit badge, the kids needed to clean, cook, and eat a fish. The scouts also thought the grayling were yucky and the red meated brookies delicious. I suppose I'm not the only one with the above opinion. Everyone's taste varies, so you may find things differently.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I wonder if the taste of the grayling is noticeably affected by local diet. The ones I've cooked up have been really flavorful and my wife thought it was one of the best fish she had eaten. But I've also heard plenty of people mention they dislike the taste. 

Might have to find a different place to camp and fish for them next time. No matter the taste, they are a stunning fish to have on the line in the late afternoon. One of my favorite memories.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

The Ice Ponds in downtown Evanston.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Whiskey Island Lake on the North Slope of the Uintas has small grayling.

Turn off Rt 150, the Mirror Lake Highway, at mm 37. Go up FS road 110.....stay left. Turn left on FS 711 and go to end of road. Its about a 1/2 mile bushwhack walk on level ground due west to Whiskey Island.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Whiskey Island Lake on the North Slope of the Uintas has small grayling.
> 
> Turn off Rt 150, the Mirror Lake Highway, at mm 37. Go up FS road 110.....stay left. Turn left on FS 711 and go to end of road. Its about a 1/2 mile bushwhack walk on level ground due west to Whiskey Island.


Have you been up there last few years? Last time I went up there, there wasn't a fish to be seen in that little lake. Stocking report says 2015 they dumped 1508 2.4" grayling in there. Easy enough to get to after some boulder hopping and a pretty area, but all we saw were big salamanders, which was cool. Read reports that lake does winter kill some times(?)


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

gdog said:


> Have you been up there last few years? Last time I went up there, there wasn't a fish to be seen in that little lake. Stocking report says 2015 they dumped 1508 2.4" grayling in there. Easy enough to get to after some boulder hopping and a pretty area, but all we saw were big salamanders, which was cool. Read reports that lake does winter kill some times(?)


Yes, the lake winter kills from time to time. If there's no fish Andrew just walk over the mountain to the west and you can catch all the grayling you want in Fish or Sand lakes. Its actually closer than hiking up the Dry Fork....a little gnarly though. ha


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## BearLakeFishGuy (Apr 15, 2013)

Good grayling lakes are a good hike off the Crystal Lake Trailhead in the Uintas. Margorie Lake, Weir Lake, and also Potts Lake. I've caught grayling in all of those. Dry flys. Parachute Adams was my go-to.
Good Luck


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

backcountry said:


> I wonder if the taste of the grayling is noticeably affected by local diet. The ones I've cooked up have been really flavorful and my wife thought it was one of the best fish she had eaten. But I've also heard plenty of people mention they dislike the taste.


Finally had my chance to try grayling and thought they were delicious... 
Guess I will have to try them from another place sometime.


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