Arctic char
Also called Salvelinus alpinus, char
A coldwater char (Salvelinus alpinus) that lives in Arctic and subarctic lakes and rivers, and sometimes in the ocean. It can look like a trout, but it is in the char group with brook trout and Dolly Varden.
- Group
- Trout & char
- Category
- Species
- Level
- Beginner
- Water
- Freshwater
Last updated
What Arctic char means
Color is the first thing most people notice. Arctic char can be silver-bright in open water or sea-run form, or turn vivid in fall with orange to red bellies and pink to red spots. Like other char, they tend to have light spots on a darker body rather than dark spots on a light body.
They live far north and in very cold water. Spawning varies by population and can happen on lake shoals or in streams and rivers, and some are anadromous, they feed in saltwater and return to freshwater.
On the fly, they eat what the system offers. In lakes that can mean leeches, scuds, and baitfish. In rivers it can mean drifting nymphs, and small streamers swung or stripped through runs.
Why it matters on the water
Arctic char behavior changes with where you find them.
They are also a fish where handling choices show up fast. Quick photos, wet hands, and keeping the fish in the water are part of fishing them well, especially on remote trips where every fish is a long way from help.
Read next
- Arctic graylingA freshwater salmonid known for its tall, sail-like dorsal fin and soft, delicate mouth. Grayling live in cold northern waters and feed heavily on drifting insects.
- Brook troutBrook trout are a char, not a true trout. They are coldwater fish known for bright colors and pale “worm-like” markings on the back.
- Dolly VardenA Dolly Varden is a char in the genus Salvelinus, closely related to bull trout and Arctic char. It lives in cold northern waters, with both resident and sea-run forms in some regions.
- Lake troutA lake trout is a large char that lives in cold lakes and deep reservoirs and often feeds on fish. It’s also called laker or mackinaw.
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