The Arctic Grayling Experience
Fishing for Arctic Grayling at Scott lake Lodge involves a ride in a float plane, one of the authentic experiences of being in the north. There are a lot of choices for Grayling fly outs and all except Lefty Falls are inflows or outflows of lakes we fish for pike or lake trout so combination days are the rule: a couple of hours with the “ling” as many guides call them and the balance of the day with pike and lake trout. Typically waders are used for our Grayling trips. Just think of “A River Runs Through It” and you have the idea of what Grayling fishing looks like, except we have good waders. Fishing Grayling from the boat is possible only at Sandy Lake and only when the river flow is at a mid-season or later flow. And catching Grayling from the boat is just not the real Grayling experience. Grayling are best appreciated when the angler is right there with them in the moving river. Bring a good attitude, some bug dope and a sense of adventure. Your guide will bring everything else.
Choose Your Fishing Experience
At Scott Lake Lodge we have a wide range of world class fishing experiences. (See also The Northern Pike Experience, The Lake Trout Experience, The Fly Fishing Experience.) We are proud to offer you the choice of making the experience yours by choosing your schedule and your destinations. Perhaps you are looking to knock a few items off your bucket list by landing a trophy northern pike or trophy lake trout. Perhaps you are a die hard fly fishing enthusiast and you want to target all three main species on your fly rod. Perhaps you are after the triple crown trophy experience, a trophy of each of our three main species. We have put together our Scott Lake Lodge Experience Packages with pre-built agenda and destinations. These are the starting points, a healthy suggestion of how to follow your passions while at Scott Lake Lodge. Now we want you to take our suggestions and make the plan, the experience, your own. We encourage you to begin with one of our Experiences, talk with your fishing guide, and craft your own truly memorable fishing adventure and experience at Scott Lake Lodge.
LEFTY FALLS
Shown on some maps as Hunt Falls, Lefty Falls by any name is one of the most beautiful places in Canada (yes, that’s saying a lot). In addition to having the serenity and solitude of a national park quality setting, Lefty offers first rate grayling fishing. After a fifteen minute hike (fairly steep and not for everyone) to the base of the falls you can fish downstream for about a mile.
The Grease River here is fast but with enough pools to provide wonderful fishing with either fly rod or spinning gear. Lefty typically produces great numbers but not necessarily our biggest grayling. Twenty inchers are possible but rare: a great angling experience is standard. For reasons no one seems to understand but everyone loves, bugs have never been an issue at Lefty. Perhaps because the surrounding terrain is high with few low areas there are almost no mosquitoes at Lefty and only occasionally a few black flies. But there are apparently enough caddis and midges to keep the grayling fat and happy. Many Scott customers do a half day at Lefty and fish Scott for the balance of the day. If you love light tackle fishing and are one of those enlightened souls who love grayling you will want to spend a full day.
IVANHOE
The Dubawnt River flows through it, along with Labyrinth, Sandy and Smalltree lakes. The Dubawnt is the fountain of great fishing, especially for grayling, wherever it flows. The outflow of Ivanhoe offers terrific grayling fishing but it does require a long walk from boat. In low water periods, like the 2013 season, it is difficult to even get the boat to the trail for the twenty to thirty minute hike to the prime half mile stretch of river. When guides can make it work, the boat trip down the river to the trailhead offers first rate pike fishing so the trip is not just a scenic ride. The grayling experience here offers a little more adventure than many Scott anglers want, but the hike is a powerful reminder that you are in a pristine wilderness.
LABYRINTH
Labby, as it’s called by our guides, is our most popular grayling destination and it works at both ends of the lake. The outflow offers the longest stretch of grayling water and is reached with an easy walk. Sometimes, especially in low water, the prime grayling pools are invaded by pike, often trophy sized, which while a bonus if you bring a heavy rod, does put fear in the grayling world and makes catching them a bit tougher. But there are a lot of pools downriver on this stretch. This section could fill a day. If one’s interest is more a quick in and out for grayling, the inflow is the best bet; the pools there have been quite consistent. Either end of the lake provides opportunities for big grayling.
SANDY
Another lake on the Dubawnt chain, Sandy is one of our very best pike lakes and does have limited grayling fishing at the outflow. When conditions are right (low water) grayling can be fished from the boat but the real grayling fishing happens when the boat is parked, waders donned and some downstream hiking gets into the picture. The current is strong and the footing irregular, but for the sure footed it’s a great option.
SMALLTREE
Smalltree is the most distant and overall probably the most desirable of Scott’s fly outs. Its pike fishing is legendary so few anglers want to sacrifice any pike time for a stab at grayling.
But it does offer a solid grayling option. The outflow section is short and essentially gives anglers just one pool to fish but it’s a dandy. It is an easy hike to the pool. Some days it’s hot; some days it’s not. When it’s on, it can produce huge, girthy, grayling. Some of our biggest have come out of that single pool.
GARDINER
There are grayling at the outflow of Gardiner but it has not been a popular grayling choice. It is one of the longer hikes and the stream is brushy. If Gardiner is the only fly out you are taking and you really want to get a grayling, you can do it there.
SELWYN
New to our list of grayling rivers, an inflow to Selwyn has some good sized grayling in the small pools that break up the fast and deep rapids. A short walk down a portage trail will get you into some pools. What’s further upstream? We don’t really know, lots of room for exploration for the intrepid grayling angler. Beyond the first couple of pools there are many to be explored, what to take first casts? This is the place for you.
WHOLDAIA
The holy grail of Grayling waters we fish. Grayling from a boat? You bet. Imagine 18-21’ Grayling swirling in the current beneath your boat. Mere feet down stream, big lake trout and voracious pike are waiting to pick off any that stray out of the fast water…including the one on your line! A long trip from the comforts of Scott Lake, but worth it.
Some of our Favorite Arctic Grayling Pics
