MEADOW LAKE
Outside of Pinedale is a special lake that houses the finest arctic grayling in the country. It is aptly named Meadow Lake for its pristine setting, and is so prolific that the Wyoming Game & Fish use it for a brood lake, harvesting the eggs from these grayling to stock lakes all over North America.
Grayling are a spring spawner, migrating into inlet tributaries to spawn over gravel beds. Grayling are easily recognized by their large dorsal fin that looks somewhat like that of a sailfish. Grayling might take to flies quickly, but that does not mean that they are quick to be hooked. Grayling feed heavily on natural insects, especially when floating, but they will also hit a nymph. Because grayling are in the cleanest and clearest water, your fly presentations must be delivered properly.
Grayling are a lot of fun to fish. Our area lakes and streams are so clear it is easy to see them, and be sure to wear a good pair of polarized sunglasses. When a grayling comes to a fly, his dorsal fin and head will come up out of the water at the point of a V-like wake in the water. This is where your angling skills come into play. Be patient, a grayling will look before he leaps.
Grayling are slow, but deliberate strikers. They like to move in close, take a good look at your drifting fly before they take it. Because a grayling can be seen, before it takes a fly, it is often the cause for anglers to miss hooking them. Grayling will follow a fly for five feet or so before they are ready to strike.
Many frustrated fisherman have claimed that grayling have a tender mouth because they try to set the hook as soon as the fish raises, bringing the fly sailing back towards them. This is not the case, grayling have a rubber sucker type mouth. What happens is that the over-anxious angler has not let the fish take the fly before setting the hook.
To hook grayling on dry flies with consistency, let the fish have the fly for a bit, then just lift the rod tip and tighten up the line. When setting your dry fly in this manner, you will have a grayling doing its water dance on the end of your line.
Some of the best grayling fishing takes place late in the evening when the lake is smooth as glass and they are feeding on the surface. It gets pretty exciting when you can watch your fly sitting motionless on the surface; the water opens up; and a grayling emerges its head with a small fly in its mouth, then disappears as its large dorsal fin rolls and he goes back under.
This is the time to tighten the line and let the fun begin. Feel the strength of this small fish as he takes a surface run, splashes wildly, circles and comes out of the water with his sail-like dorsal fin glimmering in the brilliant evening light.
Pricing
Two Rivers Emporium is offering a special fishing trip to Meadow Lake during the month of June to fish for the arctic grayling. Whether fishing sub-surface or with dries, grayling are the hardest fighting fish for their size you will ever encounter.
A guided fishing day on Meadow Lake is $385.00 for two, either fishing from a boat or float-tubing.Two Rivers Emporium is operated under HMLR and a Bridger Teton special use permit.