Cheeky chap wanted to buy my Pike!

Grew up catching pike in Denmark on our farm duck ponds. Amazing fun 🤩 caught them from age 4 onwards, and some were in the 25lb + size too! I recall catching a small pike and reeling it in, with my (rest his soul) uncle Klaus next to me, when a 20lb pike devoured the one I had hooked only 10yds from the bank, we landed them both.

My uncle was a prominent head chef at a swanky Copenhagen restaurant and frequently made good use of pike, pike ‘pâté was one of the favourites, and a strikingly good dish too if made well I might add!

The bait, a stainless spoon, 🥄, handle cut off, and two holes drilled, one for the treble hook, and one for the swivel attaching to a wire trace. Best pike lure you will find.
My favourite was a silver Mepp with red spots. Size 3 on the rivers and a 4 on the lochs.
 
Times are changing, back then Pike, Perch, Zander and grayling were all classed as fish to be eaten.

Now it is frowned upon.
Grayling used to be considered vermin at one point. Back in the 80's I used to fish the Clyde near Biggar. It was accepted practice back then to 'shuffle' for grayling. Basically, you set up a float rig with a single maggot or fly, and let a rod length of line out. Then as you moved your way down a pool you repeatedly let it trot out and bring it back to yourself. The fish would shoal at your feet to feed on everything you'd disturbed. It was a deadly method at the time, but quite rightly outlawed now. We also used to spin for trout with minnow! I can't imagine doing that now, but back then it was a means to an end rather than a purely sporting activity.

I still remember grayling having a far superior flavour to brown trout.
 
Grayling used to be considered vermin at one point. Back in the 80's I used to fish the Clyde near Biggar. It was accepted practice back then to 'shuffle' for grayling. Basically, you set up a float rig with a single maggot or fly, and let a rod length of line out. Then as you moved your way down a pool you repeatedly let it trot out and bring it back to yourself. The fish would shoal at your feet to feed on everything you'd disturbed. It was a deadly method at the time, but quite rightly outlawed now. We also used to spin for trout with minnow! I can't imagine doing that now, but back then it was a means to an end rather than a purely sporting activity.

I still remember grayling having a far superior flavour to brown trout.
Hello, That is one fish i have never eaten, Pike, Perch, Eel, Gudgeon , Carp and White Bait in Thailand, Other unmentionable fish in China,
 
They're beautiful. Firm white flakes, with a really delicate flavour. I've not eaten them in a long time, but much as I enjoyed eating brown trout I actually preferred grayling
Hello, Ok thanks, There are not any Rivers local that hold Grayling, I caught some on the Kennet and Avon rivers but never thought to eat one, My Son is an avid Fly Fisher so maybe he will take me back to the Kennet one day,
 
The attitude towards eating coarse fish has changed considerably over my lifetime.
When I started fishing some 50+ years ago, I was given a 'key facts' folder on fishing. within it were a4 size cards about the common species and on the back were suggested recipes! Pike were known as poor man's salmon!

When living in Germany, you went to the same department in the local council to get a fishing permit as you did for hunting as it was considered the same. they are often further from the sea than we are, so do not worry where the fish came from. Zander were considered to be better than trout or salmon and you were often offered a few quid come near to Xmas for one.
 
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