Posts Tagged ‘grayling’

Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

 The Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series (click on link) is a great informational resource provided by the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game. Containing biological and species descriptions for well over a hundred Alaskan mammal, bird, & fish species; the Notebook Series gives you a great overview of our wild residents.

Here is  a small excerpt from Arctic Grayling

Life history:Grayling have evolved many strategies to meet the needs of life in what are often harsh and uncertain environments. Grayling can be highly migratory, using different streams for spawning, juvenile rearing, summer feeding, and overwintering. Or, in other areas, they can complete their entire life without leaving a short section of stream or lake. Winter generally finds grayling in lakes or the lower reaches and deeper pools of medium-sized rivers such as the Chena and Gulkana, or in large glacial rivers like the Tanana, Susitna, and Yukon. Their tolerance of low dissolved oxygen levels allows grayling to survive the long winters in areas where many other salmonids would die. With the coming of spring, grayling begin an upstream migration to spawning grounds. Like salmon, grayling faithfully return every year to the same spawning and feeding areas. Grayling spawn for the first time at an age of 4 or 5 years and a length of about 11 to 12 inches.

Little Green Stonefly

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

This is a good early season pattern for rainbow trout and a great pattern for grayling all summer long. Little green stones will hatch throughout the season in variable numbers depending upon altitude and river substrate. Normally they are more abundant during the late spring and early summer, however I’ve seen them coming off the water in February during mid-winter warm ups. Tie up a few as occasionally trout will key in specifically to this vibrantly colored pattern.

Hook: Standard dry fly hook sz. 12

Thread:  Chartreuse 8/0

Tail: Chartreuse super hair

Wing:Underwing Cream sheer wing  Overwing Chartreuse super hair

Body: Light green or chartreuse floss

Hackle: Grizzly dyed chartreuse