In 2015, at a humble fishing lodge nestled in the rugged wilderness of Northern Manitoba, a small piece of fishing history was made. One of the records for the largest Arctic Grayling ever caught in was shattered—right here at Munroe Lake Lodge.
This Arctic Grayling—caught by renowned Manitoban angler Gerald J.F. Hoy—weighed an incredible 1 lb, 12 ounces, the largest ever caught in the 4 lbs line class at that time.
Since that fateful day in 2015, this Arctic Grayling world record has been beaten by Bo Nelson and Peter F. Binaski in 2016—they still hold the record for catches they made a day apart in the same river in Alaska.
We’re proud that our lodge has played a small part in fishing history—the Grayling we have in Munroe Lake are sizable, thanks to the pristine, practically unfished waters in the lake and the surrounding rivers and streams.
The Arctic Grayling: A Prize for Anglers
Arctic Grayling is a uniquely beautiful species. They have a huge dorsal fin shaped like a sail, and they come in a wide range of different colours. One of the most remarkable things about the Grayling is their spots—they’re iridescent and come in red, purple, and aqua blue. The larger the Grayling, the larger and more colourful the spots—yet another reason to try to catch a trophy fish.
These fish are migratory spawners, and they can be found in rivers and lakes all around Northern Manitoba. Arctic Grayling are keen biters—they’ll latch onto almost any bait. This makes them a perfect target for new anglers just learning how to fish.
Here at Munroe Lake, we highly recommend fly fishing for Arctic Grayling. Our waters are teeming with fish, including Northern Pike. These fish are keen to bite—we’ve worked hard to preserve our waters, and few people have ever had the opportunity to fish at our lake. By fly fishing, anglers can dissuade the bigger fish from biting and focus on catching Arctic Grayling specifically.
The waters around our lodge are crystal clear—you can see the Arctic Grayling before you fish for them. Targeting the biggest Arctic Grayling is easy when you can practically reach down and grab them by eyesight alone!
Many anglers target Arctic Grayling. Competition is fierce—and that makes the record-breaking fish caught at our lodge all the more exciting.
The Record-Breaking Catch
Gerald J.F. Hoy is well known to anglers in Manitoba. His resume of records includes record-breaking Bigmouth Buffalo in four categories and the all-tackle record for Quillback.
As you might expect, we were delighted to have Gerald at our lodge. We hoped he might catch a record-breaker—and he did not disappoint.
Here he is with the record-breaker. Note its beautiful iridescent spots, its large tail and dorsal fins, and its brown-red colour. Arctic Grayling are truly amazing fish—you can see all of the features that make it such a spectacular catch in this photo. Grayling are smaller fish—this is quite a large Grayling at 1 lb, 12 ounces.
In this picture, you can also see the crystal clear waters at our lake. Grayling live in both the lake and the surrounding streams, spawning in shallow areas and migrating to deeper areas when the spawning season is over. The abundance of both shallow water and deep water in and around Munroe Lake make it an ideal habitat for Grayling—and an ideal spot to catch record-breaking fish.
The Impact and Significance of the World Record
The record-breaking Grayling had a significant impact on both the Lodge and Gerald J.F. Hoy. For him, it was another notch in an already illustrious career of fishing—Gerald, as you’ve seen, has broken a lot of records.
For us, it’s been a boon. We already knew we had some of the best fishing spots for Arctic Grayling in the world—now everyone reading this knows it, too. Want to break the existing record—or set records in new categories? We’ve got an abundance of large Grayling up here in the Great White North—and we invite you to come catch them.
The benefits go beyond simply encouraging more people to come fly fishing for the plentiful Grayling in our waters. At Munroe Lake Lodge, we care deeply for the conservation of Manitoba’s pristine north. We only invite a few anglers up to our lodge each year in our efforts to ensure that our lakes and streams never become overfished.
When anglers get the chance to show the world beautiful, record-breaking fish like the Grayling that Gerald caught, it can inspire the world to take better care of our waterways.
Munroe Lake Lodge's Commitment to Sustainable Fishing
Grayling are plentiful here in Manitoba—and we intend to keep it that way. We encourage responsible fishing tactics. Fly fishing is our recommended method for Grayling fishing—it’s exciting, it’s sustainable, and it reduces the risk of catching fish that aren’t Grayling.
There’s no one trolling for fish with nets in our lake, and we ensure that every angler who visits us follows Manitoba’s guidelines. You’ll get a fishing licence when you fish with us, and because you’ll be fly fishing, there’s no need to worry about the laws concerning barbed tackles.
New to fishing in Manitoba’s north or fishing for Arctic Grayling? Don’t worry—we’ll teach you everything you need to know.
Booking Your Unforgettable Arctic Grayling Fishing Trip With Munroe Lake Lodge
We’re proud to have been the place where a world-record Grayling was caught. Grayling are exciting fish to catch—one of our favourite species—and we hope that this record encourages more anglers to try catching them.
This catch was a huge achievement—both for our lodge and for Gerald. We invite you to visit our lodge and try to break some records of your own. With some of the biggest Grayling in the world, you’ll be able to enjoy the bounty of our lakes. For those who are so inclined, there’s plenty of other fish to catch—and lots of hunting to do, too.
Come to Munroe Lake Lodge—whether you’re fishing with dry flies for Grayling in our rivers and lakes, or you’re using other fishing techniques to try and snag a new record, you’re sure to have an incredible time.