Has anyone eaten it? Whats it like? If not, why not? Size, taste, or something else?

Yes I do.

They are delicious and much better than trout in my view, the meat is very white, like sea fish. I fillet mine, cover them in flour, season and fry in butter for 5 to 10 minutes turning once, you'll love em.

...after you've spent a lifetime picking bones from between your teeth...

They're a real 'marmite fish' you love em or hate them. personally, i find them a little insipid, gelatinous, and best in the river, but that's just me!

Be aware that in England and Wales grayling are subject to the new law on removing coarse fish - you may only take two per day, and they may not be less than 30cm or more than 38cm in size. This restriction applies even if you are the riparian owner fishing your own bit of river.

edit - just to clarify, the new law puts in size and bag limits for pike and grayling, allows you to take some small fish for pike bait and bans taking any of most species at all once more than 20cm -

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk...ng/119393.aspx

I eat a few every year,very tasty,delicate white flesh.I do mines in the microwave,that way I don't have to descale them.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I have eaten Grayling years ago and Yes they do taste great but dont tell everyone

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Allan
Only dead fish go with the flow.

If your taste buds are like mine ,snafu, dont bother they have a "delicate"flavour as in I cant taste owt !
I do know a few folks that enjoy the odd one ,but to my mind a in the resser for a few months rainbow ,or whisper it a breakfastsize brown from a wee stream are far preferable .
For the C&R zealots I have not had a breakfast size brown for most of my lads life so thats 19 years or more ,however should I be on a highland burn in season ,and there are a few feild mushrooms about ,try stopping me ,needs some streaky bacon !

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Andy Wren
Winter grayling taking a year off !
Claret not just a great dubbing colour!

Not quite so; the bye law provides for exemptions (written permission) to dispense with that restriction. This freely granted where they are deemed numerous; grayling taken late Oct & November are at their culinary best if you must take them to eat. Hugh Falkus stated they should only be eaten during the pheasant season.

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Save the softmouth trout

Yes, true, you can apply for permission - but the automatic right to take fish has been removed.

I eat grayling very occasionally. Cut off the fillets, skin them, then cut into 'goujons'. Dip in well seasoned flour and fry in sunflower oil until golden brown. Meanwhile make a very simple sweet 'n' sour sauce. Serve on a bed of rice with the sauce poured over, delicious!

Sweet 'n' sour sauce:
3 fl.oz Rice Vinegar
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tsp cornflour in 4 tsp water
1 tsp soy sauce
Put in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for 5 mins. Taste and adjust sweet/sour balance if necessary.

Skinning the fillets is very easy to do and saves the hassle of scaling.