Stocker trout

[spiralspey 0]

Back to the beginning here, but I have seen hatchery fish with obvious genetic malformations from using the same strain of fish for many years. In Oregon we had a lake where they stocked landlocked Atlantic salmon since the late 50's. They changed strains at one point, the 80's I think, but a number of years ago the fish started showing signs of inbreeding with missing gill plates and other deformities. The dept of fish and wildlife decided to stop that hatchery program. Since hatchery trout are usually bred with more hatchery trout, I wouldn't be surprised if missing gill plates and mouth deformities seen in hatchery fish elsewhere could be poor genetics.

 

I guess I'm pretty lucky, I grew up fishing for native brook trout in the spring creeks of Wisconsin and for native lake trout and brookies on the north shore of lake Superior. Then I moved west where I've caught native coastal, westslope, and Yellowstone cutthroat, bull trout, and a couple strains of rainbows. In Alaska I caught native Dolly Varden and rainbows. It sounds like I've been extremely lucky to have aways had wild and native trout fisheries available to me. I hope you all get the chance to catch a few wild trout in their native waters at some point, it really is a special experience.

[newbie@this 0]

I live about 20 minutes away from an "urban lake" setting that's stocked with trout. James A. Reed Wildlife area to be exact. Even though this season has been a bust for me, any trout that I have caught in years past have been in excellent condition. I usually go to Bennett Springs, but that's 3 hours away and I only make the trip a couple times a year. What hurts me the most is seeing the catchers at the state parks clean and fillet their fish on the bank and throw the remaining carcass back into the water. I always carry trash bags to throw the remains into so as not to foul the water any more than what it is,

[JSzymczyk 0]

I always carry trash bags to throw the remains into so as not to foul the water any more than what it is,

 

absolutely nothing wrong with carrying out whatever you want, but those remains don't last long in the water- crayfish, other fish, nymphs, leeches, and God knows what else eat them quickly. Never heard or seen many folks fillet average stocker trout... they're so easy to debone after they're cooked that it's a waste to fillet them.

 

There is no reasonable sense in wondering "why" about stocked trout. The freshwater fisheries in the USA are so far gone from their natural state that we should be entirely thankful for whatever we have to catch. I like trout, but honestly not above any other fish - when it comes to the catching. It takes a couple of weeks for a stocked trout in a lake or stream to attain a good fighting spirit and a good taste. I do like to eat trout, and I have a way of grilling steelhead steaks that is, in my opinion, worth fighting for. At the end of the day, my Mom loves to eat pan fried trout rolled in egg and bread crumbs, so that's reason enough for me to fish for them and kill what I want to eat.

[j8000 0]

This summer I learned how to butterfly trout. It works great. Kind of like a reverse fillet, but basically just cut out the spine and ribs. Very little bones left and very little waste.

 

Jeff

[Kudu 0]

JS

Tell us about the steak recipe. No steelhead here but should work for salmon (store)

Thanks