Grayling Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Unmistakable oversized, sail-like dorsal fin, tall and long with iridescent purple, blue, and turquoise spotting
• Dorsal fin often edged in pink, orange, or red, and noticeably taller in mature males
• Slender, silvery-lavender to grayish body with small black spots scattered near the head and shoulder region only
• Small mouth, forked tail, and an adipose fin present near the tail
• Large, iridescent eyes and a slightly pointed snout; grows to about 12-20 inches in most populations

Common look-alikes

• Whitefish: has a plain silvery body with a small, unremarkable dorsal fin, lacking any of the grayling's iridescent coloring
• Juvenile trout: much smaller, with a plain dorsal fin and a different spotting pattern spread over the whole body rather than concentrated near the shoulder
• Mountain whitefish: similar slender shape but with a small pointed snout and no large colorful dorsal fin

Where you'll see one

Arctic grayling inhabit cold, clear rivers, streams, and lakes across northern North America, Siberia, and parts of northern Europe, generally favoring well-oxygenated water below about 65 degrees F.