# When was the last grayling caught?



## fishspanker (Oct 1, 2002)

I fished a lake in the UP back in "1972" caught an 8 inch fish that I released. I was wondering if anyone has caught anything later then that?


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## Radar (Sep 20, 2002)

I think the last actual "native stream grayling" was caught in 194? in the U.P. in the Otter River. There is a lake in the lower U.P. that has some in it from previous plantings but not native.


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## riverboy (Mar 20, 2002)

According to Bob Linsenman book "Au sable River Journal" He states the last Ausable river system Grayling was caught in 1908.


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## fishspanker (Oct 1, 2002)

Radar- I have done alot of fishing back in the old days at the Otter river and Otter lake - caught many a good size walleye there not to mention pike. This was prior to when the dam was built. The lake that I caught the grayling in was lake manganese and I was wondering if this lake was planted with fish. I am sure that I was not the only one who caught one.


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## Radar (Sep 20, 2002)

FIshpanker- I'm not sure. There is an article in Michigan-Out-of-Doors from a while back that I think is titiled "Demise of the Grayling". I've heard of Manganese Lake. It is a good trout lake isn't it?? 
When I used to live in the U.P. I always wanted to make it over to the Otter River system and Lake. I heard there are some gator pike in it. And also heard there is some monster brookies in the beaver dams throughout the river system. Then again just about every free flowing brook, stream, creek, and ditch in the U.P. harbors brook trout.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

in MI was probably caught in the Cedar River in Antrim County sometime between 1984-1986, if you count re-introduced fish. Nobody knows, those fish were gobbled up by the browns in that river about as fast as they were planted. The DNR planted them in the Cedar in 1984, the last time the effort was mounted to re-introduce grayling to this state. I'd give anything just to see one. 

Take care,

Linda Gallagher
Michigan Outdoor News
http://messageboard.outdoornews.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard_mi/ikonboard.cgi?s=3df5e0434adbffff


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## fishspanker (Oct 1, 2002)

Linda

Thank You for your reply. The lake that I fished was Lake Manganese in the UP. You would'nt happen to know if that particular lake was stocked with Grayling. I had been there earlier in the season and saw an old timer in a row boat pull out a beautiful splake about 6 lbs. I went back with a mepps to try my luck when I was shocked to pull out a small grayling on the second cast from shore. I will never forget it. This was back in the mid 70's. Thanks Steve


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## Stinky (Jan 19, 2002)

In the early eighties. I am sure they were planted. We caught and released quite a few that season.


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## mtorzews (Jan 20, 2000)

Its sad that grayling don't live in any place in Michigan.

I have caught grayling fairly recently in Arizona.

The DNR there drained a smaller size mountain lake to remove the resident brook and brown trout. They then placed a fish trap on the inlet stream to keep other fish from reentering.

After refilling they stocked the lake with grayling and native "apache" trout (a type of cutthrout native in Arizona).

These fish have coexisted for about 10 years. The trout average about 14 inches, the grayling about 12. You'll catch 2 to 3 grayling for every trout. 

I don't understand why this can't be done in Michigan.

Personally I would rather catch trout to grayling. To me trout are prettier, taste better, more difficult to fool, and better fighters. But it would be nice to occassional catch Michigan's native fish.

Mike


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## o town (Oct 29, 2000)

Grayling, natives, have been gone since the early 1900's due to logging, silting, water warming or whatever.
Grayling were a marginal species in MI and are sorely missed but were super vulnerable to subtle changes at the edge of their range.
The planting of Wyoming Grayling was really futile gesture, an honest and genuine one at getting the species back, but it didn't fly and I'm disappointed it didn't work.
Salute the species, but it's gone, and it probably won't come back.
o town


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

a friend of mine caught what looked loke a small grayling in the two hearted river north of newberry in 1986. we only caught the one and after i wish i would have taken a picture.


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## o town (Oct 29, 2000)

Hope I was wrong about the demise of the Grayling and hope a pocket survives somewhere.
Time is right for them to finally come back, but, again, MI was a really marginal habitat for them.
Best to you all for the Holidays.

o town


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