Thymallus arcticus

7/3/19
Wind River Range, Wyoming
On the hike back from an above-the-treeline lake where my wife and I caught Golden Trout in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, I noticed a fish in the outlet stream a mile or so from the lake (and about 1,500' lower in elevation). I had read about and seen pictures of this beautiful and elusive species before, but had never thought I would happen upon one outside of Alaska. There were several Arctic Grayling in a deep pool in the stream, holding in the current with many Brook Trout, and my wife and I quickly found when throwing our nymphs on which we had caught Goldens to the Grayling, that we had to weed all the Brookies out of a pocket or pool before we could get Grayling to bite. That we did, and ended up catching a releasing a few dozen before the setting sun forced us back onto the trail to find our car before dark. As usual, my wife caught the biggest, at 16", but this 12"er was our first.