Good ol' Grayling

[Silverhill]

I'm still very new to the Bushcraft UK forum, but I thought I'd just see if any of you guys have ever considered Grayling as a decent source of food as an alternative to that 4lb wild brownie sitting in the deep pool that you never manage to bring to the bank?

I've been an avid fisherman since the day I was born (my old man saw to that!) and I've always seemed shocked by the way that many fishermen who catch and eat (a rarity these days!) seem to ignore the trusty Grayling, and often regard them as an inferior species when in fact, the grayling has more in common with the Salmon than the Trout!

Although the Grayling is perceived to be a relatively difficult fish to catch due to the majority being caught by trotting with a nymph or similar, I've had tremendous success in deeper water by freelining or indeed by fixed ledger. I have heard of people catching large numbers with a running ledger but I feel that by the time you've registered that you have a bite, the Grayling would've swallowed the bait too far ensure a return to the water once landed (if catch and release is your intention).

In terms of eating the Grayling is easy to prepare, with a simple gutting and cleaning before it's ready for the fire. I often carry a little dry thyme in a container mixed with some crushed black pepper for seasoning before using the tin-foil method or frying. Once cooked, the flesh turns a milky-white colour and is totally moreish!

Your thoughts and suggestions are most welcome, and if you hadn't considered the Grayling, I hope that next time you have the opportunity you'll give it a go.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Its not called thymus thymus for nowt. They do taste like thyme and are delicious.

 

[bushcraftbob]

Apparently there are Grayling in my local river (The Windrush) but have never caught, or even seen one, but I would love to taste one! I tried a Perch for the first time last Autumn and i was very impressed by the taste and the amount of meat on the fish. I think that will be my mission come the 16th June - catch cook and eat a Grayling!

 

[Adze]

June isn't going to be when they're at their best BCB... even though they're a salmonid, they spawn in spring like coarse fish and will be putting on weight post spawning in June. September to November is a much better time to take one for the pot.

I've eaten a few, they're great if eaten very fresh, but if you freeze and cook another day they're a waste of time IMHO. Unless you're going to eat it the same day, leave it in the river Keep the additives to a minimum too - thyme and black pepper sounds bang on to me, addition of some butter perhaps - the flavour is quite subtle really and it's very easy to lose it by over-herbing it.

Definitely worth a go though, usually they're not exactly in short supply where they're found.

Cheers,

 

[w00dsmoke]

Nice wee suggestion there. It would be really nice to show the folks on here some pictures if you have them of your grayling fishing and eating! ;-)

I do a mixture of fishing, from the fly to spinning (particularly early on in the season). It's nice to see more folk trying it out and reading it on here really does encourage it. I caught my biggest fish Ever two weeks ago on a very remote wee west coast stream- a 15lb salmon taken on a size 2 vibrax spinner on 6lb line!!!! (in a place not known for salmon!!!). So you really never know what your gonna get sometimes!

WS

 

[DavidJT]

Nice catch Woodsmoke!
I've caught quite a few Grayling over the years, especially on my trips to Norway. However I don't find them very good to eat, sorry. A bit like cotton wool to me, tried frying in butter, boiling in salted water, and cooking over an open fire. Best seems to be a sort of fish cake recipe from a Swedish uncle.
Beautiful looking little bars of silver though, and wouldn't turn them down in any sort of survival situation. Give me a small brown trout on the plate though any day.

 

[Silverhill]

Yeah! Good catch there Woodsmoke. Been a while since I've been out on the west coast, but harks me back to the days when I caught my first 'Silver Tourist' followed by my first Grilse. It took my old man 46 years to catch a Sea Trout, he was severly miffed when I landed mine at the ripe old age of 8!

Back on the subject of Grayling, the one thing I have noticed is the variety of visual apperance as well as taste according to their locality in which they are caught. For example, my local Derwent grayling are very lean (never larger than 1lb in the stretches I fish) with an angular dorsal fin, and a very meaty taste (not unlike haddock) with little smell of thyme for which they are known. Contrastingly the grayling from the Dove are slightly fatter with a more rounded dorsal fin, which I find particularly odd considering the proximity of the two rivers. I have never personally taken a grayling from the Dove, but I have been informed that they taste quite sweet, with a distinct thyme smell. I guess much of the taste will be down the their primary food source, with the better tasting examples feeding largely upon natural sources rather than hoovering up after an over-zealous groundbating session.

For those of you wishing to try trotting for Grayling over a few free-offerings of maggots, I tend to find that after a couple of hours fishing, the Grayling are bullied out of the swim by hungry Brownies. These tenacious little fellas can be a welcome reward in the early summer months when, as Adze pointed out, the Grayling are out of condition. Get one in the pan!

 

[Satyr]

The first fish I caught was a Grayling and it tasted fantastic - real nice subtle flavour, grill with black pepper and a little butter.

Got to get out again soon as it's been too long since I went fishing for them.