When Does A Stocker Trout....

[Chief Grey Bear]

Before I ask this question let me say that I learned my lesson. I have taken my beating and name calling and am going on. As Phil said if you are going to post here, you gotta have thick skin.

Question; How long does a stocker trout have to live in the "wild" before it is considered wild? Is it once it stops eating its daily tofu pellet diet? A few days? Weeks? Never?

I can see and probably agree with all opinions in some form.

I am going to sit this one out though, so I would really like to hear all of your opinions.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

I say NEVER. There is no such thing as a WILD stocked trout in my opinion.

Find some elusive native fish in a stream and you will catch my drift.

Brian

[ozark trout fisher]

Before I ask this question let me say that I learned my lesson. I have taken my beating and name calling and am going on. As Phil said if you are going to post here, you gotta have thick skin.

Question; How long does a stocker trout have to live in the "wild" before it is considered wild? Is it once it stops eating its daily tofu pellet diet? A few days? Weeks? Never?

I can see and probably agree with all opinions in some form.

I am going to sit this one out though, so I would really like to hear all of your opinions.

It really depends on what you call wild. They sure begin to act wild within a month or two.

Really, I consider a truly wild trout a fish that has been born in the stream that it lives in. With that said, I'm just as happy to catch a resident trout that's probably been in the stream a year or so as one that was actually born there, it seems just the same to me. But that's just me, and I'd like to hear other opinions on this myself. Interesting topic.

[Gavin]

Its never a wild fish....but it can become what I call a feral trout...kinda like a domestic hog that gets loose, reverts to its native insticts and survives. Figure it takes about 6 months to a year or more for them to regain enough color and regrow their stubby fins to the point that they will resemble a wild fish. Cheers.

[OKFlyFisher44]

I think I agree that they don't become "wild"...but just acquire the wild instinct and behavior of a native fish. It could be one in the same, I guess? But...to me, a wild fish is one who is stream-born in the water that it swims.

Either way, I sure do like to catch them! That's all that matters!

[Buckshotdad1960]

I’ve always felt that a stocker trout becomes wild when it learns to breed. If it never learns to breed then it’s just a stocker trout.

Some say that a stocker trout becomes wild when you hook it! Other than that, it stays pretty calm! LOL

[Trevor K]

I don't think a stocker trout can ever be called a wild trout. It will regain it's instincts and act wild, but I would still consider it a stocked trout. I think for it to be a wild trout it must be born in the stream.

[Bird Watcher]

When it gets a fake ID and goes on Spring Break.

J/K..I like the term "feral trout"

[Brian K. Shaffer]

ha ha ha a haha.. Mr Farris gets a nod for POST OF THE YEAR with that one.

ba zing! Brian

[eric1978]

In this context, I consider "wild" to to be the same as "indigenous," so the answer would be never. If they are there as a result of human influence, either directly (stocking) or indirectly (messing with waterways, i.e. dams, canals, etc.) they are not, nor will they ever be wild. Neither will their offspring, if they ever reproduce, although they will display more natural behavior than their farm-raised parents.

This doesn't mean they necessarily hurt things and they are certainly still fun to catch.