Operation Grayling

Elk Hair Caddis Size 12

 In the spring like to set a goal for the coming fishing season. This years trip / goal was to scratch another of Alberta's game fish species I have yet to catch off the list. There are seventeen different game fish in Alberta, according to mywildalberta.com and I've caught all but five of them. The five that still have not met my net & camera are as follows, Arctic Grayling, Bull Trout, Golden Trout, Lake Sturgeon and Sauger. Although I may have caught a Sauger while night fishing on the North Saskatchewan River and mistakenly thought it was a Walleye. So it will remain on the list for now ha ha!

 It was a hard choice, but in the end it came down to the best chance of catching fish closest to home. So my brother Jordan and I decided on visiting Alberta's own Arctic Grayling rivers and creeks. Having never fished for Grayling, only hearing rumours of their existence. It was time to put the research cap on and start with a river we would best have a crack at landing one. After a few days of research Jordan and I decided on the Little Smoky River located in the ES4 fishing regulations zone in the central north west part of Alberta.

 To gain access to the river we used a forestry / oil road 3km north of the town of Fox Creek. The name of the road escapes me but just follow all the big trucks and you'll get to the bridge crossing. Not the best for river access now that we've been there but it worked for our first prospecting mission. At least there was a bridge over the river and we didn't have to hump a mile or two to access the river not knowing the outcome. At this bridge crossing we could see if this section of the river held what looked like fishable water. It did, so we were cautiously optimistic as we geared up.

 Being that the day before our trek was Canada Day and the amount of foot traffic we saw on the riverbank, I had a feeling we could be in for a long day. As we made our way up stream Jordan and I encountered many sweet runs and deep pools and yet no fish to show for it. So we had a water / snack break and as Jordan made his way back to shore he tripped and ended up filling his waders with water. Rookie move, ha ha! In fairness to my brother the bottom was quite unsettled and extra slimy even in felts. Since he was half soaked and we were on a break Jordan took it upon himself to seal the deal and full on swim in the river.

Jordan On The Nymph Waiting For A Taker...No Take To Be Had  :(

Jordan Goes For A Swim, I Mean Falls In The River Ha Ha!

34 Above & Slow Fishing = A Dip In The River

Jordan's First Grayling On A Nymph

 Once we had refuelled and cooled down it was back to the task at hand. Jordan finally had a fish on and just as he went for the net it was gone. All we knew was that it was silver and a fish. So it could have been a Grayling but we will never know. However that showed us that some life was present in the river and shortly after that I had about a 3" fish attempt to take my size 10 dry fly which made me chuckle.

 The next portion of the river was a long shallow riffle run so we worked our way through it fast. With myself getting yet another monster 3" fish slash, I use those words loosely, at my dry fly. I was not about to re-rig to micro dry flies and start chasing bait so we moved on. I could see upstream that some prime water lay a head so I replaced my current dry dropper set up with a tungsten weighted Prince Nymph and a strike indicator.

Two casts in and I am hooked on to a fish, I yelled over to Jordan so he could assist me with the netting and just as he got to my side I noticed that it's a Rocky Mountain White Fish. Feeling a bit deflated I netted the 10" white fish and quickly released it. Knowing that if there's one there are more as you tend to find whites in bunches. I quickly recast to the same run and sure enough I am hooked up again. This time it was a Grayling!

Close Up Look Of Those Cool Spots

12" Grayling, One More Shot Before The Release

Kev's First Ever Alberta Arctic Grayling On The Fly

 Mission accomplished, now it was time for my brother to get his Grayling and our goal for the trip would be complete. But the Little Smoky had other ideas and that would be the only two fish we would land in four plus hours of fishing. We made our way back to my truck a little deflated that our trip to that point wasn't a huge success and that's when I toss out the question, "should we try another creek on our way home?" Delegating Jordan to the stream of his choice and that my friends would be the game changing move of the day.

 As we drove back towards the town Whitecourt, Jordan pipes up with, "how about we try this ****** River?" I am not telling you the name in fear I will have given up the honey hole of all honey holes. You can just know it's around the town of Whitecourt and I will leave it up to you to search it out on your own Grayling mission. I agree with Jordan to at least go give it a look and base our decision once we were river side.

A short drive down yet another logging road we hit the river and at first glance it didn't look like that section of the river had much holding water. So we followed it down and came across a section that showed promise. Since it was only 4pm we geared up and went for it. Now I would compare this river to be much like Shunda Creek, if any of you've fished that out by Nordegg you'll know what I am talking about. A narrow skinny water creek with the odd pool scattered in here and there. So its what I call a blast and cast river. What I mean by "Blast and Cast," is a quick two maybe three casts per section of water and if nothing is on the take you move on.

 In honour of my father in law George who failed to join us on this mission, I guess having your newest grandson come for a visit trumps fishing with the boys, I pulled a page out of his play book and went strictly dry fly. Not knowing the river I first tied on a size 10 stimulator and Jordan stuck it out with the nymph. On my first cast plop and slop a small about 6" fish takes the dry but I can't hook up as he's too small to take the hook. Three more casts and three more of the same attempts from small fish. I know in the back of my mind that I don't have any small stims but I do have something smaller in a size 12, so I tie it on.

 Fly of choice, Elk Hair Caddis with an olive body. As I am tying my fly on I hear all this laughter coming from down stream. A bait fish in the river all of about 1.5-2.0" has decided to take his size 14 nymph. The only reason Jordan knew it was on is when he went to recast something was wiggling at the end of his line mid swing. I made my way down to him as he laughed at the remaining bait fish trying to take a piece out of his fly as it drifted by and that's when it happened. A Grayling darted out from under a rock and took the nymph. Finally my brother had his Grayling! Our day was complete, so we thought.

 We could see that down stream there were some excellent pockets of water and we couldn't leave until we gave them a spin. So side by side we fished the pools, I would run the dry through first and then Jordan would come in behind with the nymph. Laughter and smiles all around as we suddenly realised we were over ten fish each just in the last three pools. I even managed to get a small rainbow trout to join in on the fun. Jordan lost his fly to a sunken tree so I forced him into a dry fly only challenge.

 Each one of us only getting five casts per pool and then the next guy would get his shot and what you caught is what you caught then we would move to the next pool. By the time we fished the next four pools down and then back up stream it was a dead heat at five fish each. As we approach the last pool, Jordan laid down his final cast and took the lead. So it was up to me to net two fish in five casts but hey no pressure I like to be challenged. Seeing how the last time we fished together in the fall he sneaked out the win, I wanted my redemption ha ha. First three casts I miss two fish. One being my fault and on the second, the fish just missed my fly. So I place my fly perfectly in the run and GLURP! I am on. Made short work of the fish and released the fish back so I could capture the win on my last cast. That would not end up being the case as my fly drifted flawlessly through the run with no fish to answer the call. So dry fly challenge came to a draw which actually is a fitting end to another perfect day out on the water with my brother.

 In short, we completed and exceeded the task set forth. What started out a a bit of a tough go ended in a fury of action that I never expected to come via the dry fly. Couldn't have asked for a better day out on the water with my brother. Days like these are what gets you through the winter months and your trapped in your house tying flies at thirty below zero dreaming of days on the water.

 Tight Lines,

 Kev.

Dropper "Collared" Nymph Size 14