The state of Michigan has a very rich and deep fishing history. While it turned into a booming industry when European settlers first arrived in the Mitten State, indigenous Americans depended on the practice for hundreds of years prior. Today, many of the fish people can catch in the Great Lakes and smaller inland lakes aren’t native to the state.

Fish hatcheries around the state have introduced species of salmon and trout you’d only find in the American Northwest naturally. These state-run hatcheries do a lot more than just provide unique angling opportunities for those exploring nature; they also play a key role in protecting Michigan’s native fish species. Thanks to a few hatcheries in the Upper Peninsula, one species that few people realize is native to Michigan, Arctic grayling, is making a comeback.

Arctic grayling used to be a staple in Michigan. Indigenous people relied on the fish for food long before contact with early European settlers.

Arctic graylings are part of the salmon family and reside in cold waters. Michigan is the only state east of the Mississippi that hosted natural arctic grayling.

Industrial fishing and habitat loss led to an almost complete destruction of the Arctic grayling population in Michigan. According to the USGS, the last Arctic grayling sighting in the state was more than 20 years ago in 2000.

You’d know if you saw one, too. They’re pretty unique with a much larger dorsal fin than most freshwater fish. They can be coveted for their incredible fatty flavor, thanks to the cold waters in which they live.

Back in 2015, the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative sought to reintroduce Arctic grayling to Michigan waters and reconnect indigenous people to the fish that sustained their ancestors.

According to Fox 2 Detroit, fish hatcheries in Michigan hit a major milestone in 2019 when they brought the first Alaskan Arctic grayling eggs to the state for raising.

These eggs were incubated in captivity to acclimate the species to its old home. In 2020, the brood moved to the Marquette State Fishing Hatchery.

This specific brood, along with ones from 2020 and 2021, are now the first Arctic grayling to be seen swimming in Michigan waters in more than two decades, and nearly a century after the population was determined to be destroyed in the state.

In early November 2023, three lakes in Michigan were stocked with Arctic grayling: West Johns Lake in Alger County, Penegor Lake in Ottawa National Forest, and Pine Lake in Manistee National Forest.

These fish were only stocked because there was a surplus of fish in the 2019-2021 broods. The early stocks will give the state a good idea of how their fish will fare.

Michigan anglers will now be able to catch these fish, which was prohibited up until Oct. 2023. Folks will be still be prohibited from harvesting the fish, but they’ll be allowed to catch them so long as they use the required equipment to keep the fish from fatally wounded during a catch.

This is an incredible milestone for the state and a living example of how human-made problems concerning nature need human-made solutions to restore balance.

If you grew up in Michigan, you might have never known that Arctic grayling ever lived in the state. Not only are they now back, but anglers can catch them with their own rods.

The goal of the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative is to restore a self-sustaining Arctic grayling population. They’re still a few years away from reaching that point with the goal of moving the first eggs laid in Michigan into remote incubators set for 2025.

It’s the perfect time to go try and catch a piece of history. Make sure you’re prepared for the outdoors by heading to REI for reliable gear to keep your adventure on the right track.