Fur-bearing trout
Legendary fish with fur from American and Icelandic folklore.
The fur-bearing trout, also known as the furry trout, is a legendary creature appearing in both American and Icelandic folklore. The story holds that this trout developed a thick coat of fur to keep warm in cold waters. Tales of such furry fish go back to the 1600s. The first known mention in an American publication was in a 1929 issue of *Montana Wildlife* magazine, written by J.H. Hicken. A taxidermy version of the creature, created by Ross C. Jobe, is held at the Royal Museum of Scotland. It consists of a trout with white rabbit fur "ingeniously" attached.
While no real fur-bearing trout species exists, some fish can appear to have hair-like growths. The fungus *Saprolegnia*, known as "cotton mold," can infect fish, giving them a white, furry look. Another fish, *Mirapinna esau*, has hairlike outgrowths and wing-like pectoral fins, though it is a whalefish, not a trout. The hairy ghost pipefish *Solenostomus snuffleupagus* also has hairlike growths.
The creature is said to inhabit the Arkansas River, parts of northern North America, and Iceland. The basic tall tale is that the fish evolved fur to survive in extremely cold waters. An alternative explanation claims that four jugs—or two bottles—of hair tonic were spilled into the Arkansas River. The earliest known claim dates to a 17th-century letter from a Scottish immigrant, who wrote of "furried animals and fish" in the New World and later sent a specimen home. A 1900 publication described the Icelandic *Lodsilungur* (or *Loðsilungur*), another haired trout, as common folklore.
In Icelandic legend, the *Lodsilungur* is a furry trout created by demons and giants. These fish are described as inedible, overwhelming rivers as punishment for human wickedness. The 1900 *Scottish Review* called it a poisonous "Shaggy trout" from northern Iceland. In 1854, a shaggy trout washed ashore at Svina-vatn, and an 1855 illustration in the newspaper *Nordri* described it as having reddish hair on its lower jaw, neck, sides, and fins, though it was not named. The Icelandic writer Sjón became obsessed with the tale as a child. He recounted that eating the furry trout would cause a man to become pregnant, requiring his scrotum to be cut open to deliver the baby, adding that this story "might explain why I was later propelled towards surrealism."
In the United States, J.H. Hicken's 1929 *Montana Wildlife* account claimed
- field
- Folklore and legendary creatures
- known_for
- Fictional fish with fur, appearing in American and Icelandic tall tales
- earliest_known_publication
- 1929 Montana Wildlife magazine article by J.H. Hicken
- notable_specimen
- Taxidermy by Ross C. Jobe at the Royal Museum of Scotland
- related_real_phenomena
- Saprolegnia fungus, Mirapinna esau, Solenostomus snuffleupagus
Lore & Background
The fur-bearing trout appears in both American and Icelandic folklore. In Iceland, the Lodsilungur (Loðsilungur) is described as a furry trout created by demons and giants, inedible, and a punishment for human wickedness. An 1854 account in the newspaper Nordri described a shaggy trout cast ashore at Svina-vatn with reddish hair on its lower jaw, neck, sides, and fins. Icelandic writer Sjón became obsessed with the tale as a child, recalling that eating the trout would cause a man to become pregnant and require his scrotum to be cut open to deliver the baby.
In the United States, J.H. Hicken's 1929 Montana Wildlife article claimed that when caught, the fish explodes from temperature change, leaving fur and skin in one piece for commercial use. Wilbur Foshay, a Chamber of Commerce secretary, promoted a story that trout grew fur due to cold Arkansas River temperatures and shed it in summer. A tall tale by S.E. Schlosser attributed hairy trout to spilled hair tonic, with fishermen luring them by offering free trims. A Canadian hoax involved a trout with white rabbit fur caught in Lake Superior, taxidermied by Ross C. Jobe, and later presented to the Royal Museum of Scotland.
Reader's Guide
The fur-bearing trout is significant as a persistent example of a tall tale and hoax in American and Icelandic folklore, reflecting cultural storytelling about adaptation to cold environments and human gullibility. Its origins trace to 17th-century Scottish immigrant letters and 19th-century Icelandic accounts, showing how folklore crosses continents and evolves. The creature also highlights real biological phenomena: the fungus Saprolegnia can cause fur-like growths on fish, and the whalefish Mirapinna esau has hairlike structures. The taxidermy specimen at the Royal Museum of Scotland, with rabbit fur attached, demonstrates how hoaxes can enter museum collections. The tale's endurance, from 1929 magazine articles to a 2014 television segment, illustrates the lasting appeal of whimsical folklore. The fur-bearing trout serves as a case study in how legends blend humor, local pride, and pseudo-scientific explanation, while also cautioning against accepting extraordinary claims without evidence.
Did You Know?
- The earliest known American publication about fur-bearing trout is a 1929 Montana Wildlife article by J.H. Hicken.
- A taxidermy furry trout by Ross C. Jobe, with white rabbit fur attached, is held at the Royal Museum of Scotland.
- The fungus Saprolegnia can infect fish, causing white fur-like growths that resemble the legendary trout.
- Icelandic writer Sjón became obsessed with the furry trout tale at age nine, later linking it to his surrealist style.
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