GRAYLING FACTS

You can tell a male grayling by the overly long dorsal fin, used to drape around the female and keep her close

during the act of spawning.

The record UK grayling is just over 4lb but Arctic grayling grow to a reputed 14lb. A Scottish grayling was recorded at 7lb but has long been disputed as a

misidentified grilse.

There are reputed to be more than 30 subspecies of grayling in the northern hemisphere. One of the largest is rumoured to be found in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia, where there have been reports of grayling in excess of 80cm long. These super grayling have small teeth to enable them to grow large

on a fish diet.

Grayling are at least as prized as trout in many European countries. In the Czech Republic, trophy fish have their dorsal

fins sliced off and set up in cases. Grayling have long been stocked from one river to another. In the early years of the 20th century, the River Wensum in Norfolk was reckoned to be one of the three best grayling rivers in the UK. The fish were reared in hatcheries from

brood stock from the Test. After the First World War the slump in Norfolk’s farming resulted in the hatchery being

run down. Over the decades, the Wensum grayling declined. The last one recorded positively was in 1986. The Frome grayling are famous today but many come from fish moved south from

the Derbyshire rivers years ago.