The Arctic Grayling
Thymallus arcticus
More about the Arctic Grayling
Arctic grayling are a freshwater fish that can be found in abundance in drainages of the Arctic Ocean.
Migration
Arctic grayling have evolved many strategies to meet the needs of life in harsh and uncertain environments. Some grayling migrate. Each spring they may travel up to 100 miles for spawning, returning to feeding grounds in summer and wintering in fast moving rivers or deep lakes.
Reproduction & Growth
o They spawn for the first time between 4 and 7 years
o Females lay between 1,500 and 30,000 eggs
o Grayling may spawn many times during their life
o Fry hatch 3 weeks after spawning
o They emerge at a length of around 0.5 to 0.7 inches
Finding Grayling
Grayling are referred to as “the flower of the fishes.” They are closely related to and resemble salmon. Grayling, however, have one major distinguishing feature — their spectacular dorsal fin.
Fast Facts
Common Name: Arctic Grayling
Scientific Name: Thymallus arcticus
Average Size: 13 inches long, 3 pounds in weight. The largest measured was 30 inches and 8.4 pounds
Range: Native throughout most of Alaska, along the U.S./Canada border, and as far south as Montana. Widely introduced in the rivers of the western U.S.
Habitat: Freshwater fish preferring clear, cold open waters and large rivers
Lifespan: Typically 15 years, record of 32 years
Diet: Mainly insects, sometimes smaller fish and on occasion voles and shrews
The arctic grayling mount on display in the Mason Exhibit was taken from the Mackensie River, Northwest Territories in 1989.