Grayling

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Grayling

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fungi2bwith

Joined: 08 Nov 2007
Posts: 167
Location: NE Hants

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 13 4:53 pm Post subject: Grayling

I thought I'd try for grayling last weekend. I've only ever caught a few small ones over the years and thought it was about time I caught and tasted one. I fished the river Itchen in Hampshire using trotted worms (from my compost heap). After lots of perch I caught my first 'proper' grayling of 1lb 13oz, which was right on the upper limit for taking. It was a magnificant looking fish and fought hard. I got two large fillets from the fish and simply seasoned with salt and pepper and lightly dusted in flour then fried in a little olive oil, finishing with some wild garlic butter I found in the bottom of the freezer.

It was very tasty, much like wild brown trout.

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 13 5:51 pm Post subject:

I used to regard grayling as a proper pain in the bum when trying for trout on the fly in Hampshire, but after a few seasons I realised that they are a cracking quarry and much under-rated. And many trout waters will encourage you to fish for grayling at the end of the season to even up the odds for the trout (which compete for the same food and spawning places). They will take a nymph very readily, and worms are a sure-fire bait. Grayling can also fight well and are surprisingly tasty - provided you're prepared to set to with the tweezers to remove the pin bones or (as the French do with a lot of freshwater fish) sieve the flesh and make quenelles. Fiddly, but absolutely delicious.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46188
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 13 10:29 pm Post subject:
worms ,needle nose pliers ,yummy

fungi2bwith

Joined: 08 Nov 2007
Posts: 167
Location: NE Hants

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 13 2:16 pm Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

Grayling can also fight well and are surprisingly tasty - provided you're prepared to set to with the tweezers to remove the pin bones or (as the French do with a lot of freshwater fish) sieve the flesh and make quenelles. Fiddly, but absolutely delicious.

I found that removing the pin bones with a small pair of long nose pliers was difficult and also removed some flesh with the bone. So I gave up and cooked first then removed the pin bones after, once cooked it is very easy.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 13 2:21 pm Post subject:
Gosh the Itchen costs a fortune to fish doesn't it? We bought my Dad a day rod on it once as a present. It's very different to fishing the rivers around here.

fungi2bwith

Joined: 08 Nov 2007
Posts: 167
Location: NE Hants

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 13 3:12 pm Post subject:
I fished a free stretch

lettucewoman

Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 7834
Location: Tiptoe in the Forest!!

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 13 9:42 am Post subject:
My husbands grandfathers used to fish the itchen together when young men...they were very poor and fished to feed their families...generally speaking they fished illegally down by the woodmill in southampton. Im pretty sure theres a few stretches further upstream that are ok..maybe we should try for grayling....

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