Iceland’s Killer Shaggy Trout – Folklore Friday

The tale about Shaggy Trout is one I learned from reading the lovely book “Meeting with Monsters: An Illustrated Guide to the Beasts of Iceland” by Jón Baldur Hlíðberg and Sigurður Ægisson. I’m summarizing bits of the story in this episode but it is really interesting to read about this fish and other creatures in the book The Tale of the Shaggy Trout In the shadowed streams and hidden depths of Iceland's wild landscapes, there whispers a tale as mysterious as the land itself—the saga of the Shaggy Trout. This elusive creature, veiled in myth and mystery, navigates the icy currents with a coat more akin to fur than scales, a peculiarity that sets it apart from regular trout.Tracing its origins to the mists of time, the earliest chronicled mention of this enigmatic fish dates back to the 17th century, when it was branded a "poisonous menace." Legends tell of its lethal nature, claiming that to consume its flesh is to court death itself, even after its unique shaggy exterior has been stripped away. How Iceland’s Shaggy Trout Gets Its Victims The dark lore of the Shaggy Trout is stained with tragedy, as noted in 1692 when the inhabitants of Gröf farm met their untimely demise, a cooked piece of this fish lying ominously beside them. Further intrigue surrounds the creature with descriptions from 1737 hinting at two distinct variations—one adorned with a shaggy fringe upon its head, the other bearing a hairy mane along its flanks, suggesting a diversity that could mirror the sexual dimorphism seen in other species, or perhaps indicate geographical variances akin to those observed in arctic char.Sveinn Palsson, a revered 18th-century physician, recounted his encounters with this and other fantastical fish during his explorations of Arnarvatnsheiði moor, a place teeming with pristine wonders. His narrative intertwines with the grim fate of two brothers, found deceased with the remnants of this perilous fish before them, a cautionary tale highlighting the invisible danger its hair poses once removed from the water. Where Shaggy Trout Can Be Found in Iceland The lore of this fish is not confined to the annals of history but is woven into the very fabric of Icelandic culture, with tales of calamity and narrow escapes from its lethal allure. One such story is tethered to Kaldrani, where a prophetic dream foretold a tragedy linked to the consumption of this fish, a tale that resonates with the dark undercurrents of folklore where reality and myth blur.The Shaggy Trout's domain spans the breadth of Iceland's waters, like the serene surfaces of Kleifarvatn lake to the remote Skorradalur lake in the north, its presence a whispered legend among the myriad lakes and rivers. This creature, with its peculiar aversion from birds of prey and its absence of a soft dorsal fin, embodies the resilience and mysteries of the natural world. The last written account of the shaggy trout was in the middle of the 20th century. Even though it has not been seen or written about in some time does not mean it has stopped existing.In the heart of Iceland's wilds, the Shaggy Trout swims in the shadowed depths, a legend waiting to resurface in the tales of those who tread the fine line between the known and the unfathomable. While it is totally safe to fish in Iceland’s lakes, please be mindful that if you come across a hairy fish that it could be this killer trout. It’s best to discard of it and fish in another area. Random Fact of the Episode According to Jóm Ólafsson’s written account of the fish, the hair can only be seen when the fish is dead and always in the water. When it is above water, the hair sticks to the scales and is almost impossible to see. When in the water it looks like cotton or down, and it covers the body except for the tail. The fish is inedible to all animals.