Lunker Trout At Hickory?

[PSUWill]

My friend recently sent me these 2 pics which he claims was a 22" trout he caught from Hickory creek at Neosho. Unfortunately I had to work that day and couldn't go. Not wanting to keep the fish out of the water to long he wasn't able to get a good picture of himself and the trout. To me that fish looks to have fins that are way to good for hickory fish and I have fished hickory several times and never seen a fish close to that size there. I think he might be trying to hide some other secret hole from me, what do you guys think? Anyone else see a fish this big pulled from Hickory?

[purefish]

Probably out of Roaring River. I have seen a lot of fish in that place that look like that. Hickory is full of equal amounts of trash and suckers. If you think that fish came out of there you belong in the latter group.

[Buzz]

There have been several fish of that size and bigger caught out of the creek over the years. Since the big floods hit the hatcheries we haven't seen any big fish put into Hickory, but with the recent high water and flooding in Neosho it is possible that it got out of the hatchery or the little holding pond by Big Spring Park. All I'm saying is that it is possible, I just haven't seen any sign of a really good stocking yet. I could be wrong though.

I did talk to a guy a couple of weeks back who said that someone caught a 5 lb. trout below the low water bridge in the park.

Either way that is still a nice fish.

Purefish- Maybe you would want to join our stream team and help clean up some of that trash you speak of?

[drew03cmc]

I believe Buzz himself caught a lunker from Hickory...

[ollie]

I've caught one out of there that big, but I'm sure it was an escapee from Big Spring Park. Every once in awhile you will see someone catch a big one out of there, but chances are it was an escapee from the park.

[Gavin]

Thats its a really nice fish...I'd give him 17-18", but its hard to tell without something for reference...Looks like its been in the creek long enough to grow its fins back....but you never know......Anything is possible in a stocked fishery. Cheers.

[purefish]

Are we looking at the same fish because I am pretty sure that thing is as big as he says. A 17 or 18 inch fish generally does not photograph well at all. Look at the size compared to his camera case and reel. Even if that is a very small reel it is still a very big fish. As far as the stream team goes have you guys considered placing trash cans around the area or providing stream team bags to visitors. A stream team provided bags when we floated the niangua a while back. I was at hickory on Saturday and had trouble finding a trash can in the park.

[Gavin]

Dunno...How big is your friend...he must have some really big hands if thats a 22" fish...

[Chief Grey Bear]

I was at hickory on Saturday and had trouble finding a trash can in the park.

You didn't look very hard then. Every parking area has them. Not to mention numerous cans all along the walking trail that follows along side the creek.

[Buzz]

That fish looks a lot like like some wild fish we caught early this year. The colors are almost identical.

Has anybody noticed any fins clipped on the fish stocked at either Hickory or Capp's? I haven't. I've seen skinned up noses and tails on the fresh stockers, but not really any clipped fins. I'm wondering why the hatcheries might do this in some places and not others? Maybe because they are White Ribbon streams with no real evidence of any successful spawning. I don't know, but I would appreciate an explanation if someone has one.