Trout- Part One

[oneshot]

I do respect trout! and I have the most respect for them when they prey on minnows, crayfish, and bigger fish. When they are just a plankton filter it's not too exciting. I still consider smallmouth the absolute monarchs mongst the species!

Most mine are full of Snails. But nice to be out in the Winter catching them. Plus close to Home now.

oneshot

[oneshot]

I had always heard of trout fishing and knew it was a $25 meal in a fancy restaurant but never had the chance to fish for trout until 15 years ago. And it was exciting catching good fighters and trout are a beautiful fish. However, I never understood what all the fuss was about eating them. I would much rather eat crappie or bluegill. But I have fished predominantly for trout for the past 15 years, and I began to lose my enthusiasm in the past couple of years and only continue to trout fish because that is what my friends prefer. Though I realize the trout we are catching were placed there recently, were raised in a hatchery without natural predators, and were not natural or native species. I consider trout parks to be amusement parks for the same reasons, but at least river fishing for trout is sporty. My friends like to argue that some of the fish we are catching are stream born by natural reproduction, by reasoning that the meat is darker and no fins have been clipped, while I'm not always convinced of their theories. I think the vast majority are stockers and, as such, I have starting believing there is some fraudulent aspect to trout fishing in Missouri. It sort of reminds me of people who pay to have birds like pheasant released so they can shoot them.

So I am starting to take more of an interest in smallmouth fishing. I am relatively new to it, and have had a few successes, but still haven't had trips to produce the kinds of number of fish that I have had on trout trips. But still, there is something more natural about smallmouth fishing. They are native fish, were born in the exact waters where they can be caught, have had to live and learn about predators from the first day of life, and they are a blast to catch with a helluva fight much more so than a trout. Still it's hard to get my friends to fish smallmouth waters. I am perfectly content with float fishing for smallmouth all day and if I catch 6 or 8, then that was a fun day. More often, I have caught less. There is a learning cure learning to use artificial baits. And I will always get the argument of how we could have catch more fish in our familiar trout waters and why waste time trying new waters and, God forbid, we don't have a great day with numbers of fish caught.

But I have switched my preference to smallmouth fishing - at least I know they weren't planted there. Just seems more natural in Missouri to me.

I'll eat Trout but Smallmouth are better. Nice to catch Trout, Black Bass, Smallmouth and Goggle Eye out of the same water, here we catch Crappie too.

oneshot

[ness]

But you're pointing out precisely what I was getting at. You probably wouldn't want to eat a cuttie out west, because they are native. And certainly not a brookie out east, which are doing even worse in their home range. That's why western brookies are so good-they come pretty much guilt free, one of few such fish this side of bluegill.

Gotcha. Didn't read what you were responding to.

Carry on.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'll take a native Redband out of a cold cascade river.

[Troutnut69]

The fact that you have to ask means that you wouldn't understand anyway. I'm good with that actually , each to their own. I wouldn't give you a plugged nickel to walk across the street and throw baitcasting gear for the biggest darn bass in Missouri , give me a six inch wild trout rising through the gin clear waters of a small spring creek anyday. I'm not saying that I dislike bass fishing , I love targeting native smallmouth on a Missouri stream as well as largemouth that have been stocked in a local city lake.<br />I enjoy the chase and matching wits with anything from carp and drum to those trout that you seem to have such a bane for. I guess what it really boils down to is that the end result of the trip , whether it's a float down an Ozark river for smallmouth or trout or a hike down to a local pond for bluegill , is not as important as the journey it takes to get there and the act of fishing itself. It may sound corny , but then again I'm the one who can end a days fishing with a handful of 6 inch trout and still have a big grin on my face....in my mind I win!<br />I have to say that the fact you asked the question in the manner you did leads me to believe that your trout fishing experiences are relegated to Missouri Trout parks , if you'd caught trout from some of the waters and beautiful places that I've had the pleasure to soak my boots in I'd be surprised if you felt the same way.

[Kayser]

Mark, you just haven't been fishing the right places. After your first truly wild trophy trout (I didn't say native), you'll have a completely different respect for them. Fast, blue water, big runs, and 3' high jumps hooked me and keep me dreaming.

And as far as not tasting that great, the stockers really do taste like crap- let's not have any illusions about the grey colored meat on them. Not all trout are like that, though. Best salmonid I've eaten were lake trout I caught in the Snake River, wrapped in foil with butter, salt, and pepper, then thrown on the coals. As char, they will taste different than true trout (brookies are a char, too), but it was fantastic. I did once eat an 18" brown from the Current, and it had the same exact color flesh as salmon, and tasted very similar. But I get more enjoyment from them crushing a big streamer and wrapping me around a boulder than I do from eating them, so I just let them go.

In the end, I'd rather fry some catfish or panfish, or maybe grill a largemouth or wiper than eat a trout in Missouri. But I love fly fishing. I love the clear, cold, moving water. I love where they live. I love the way they fight. And that's why I'll never stop fishing for them.

[ness]

Where they live has a lot to do with it.

There you go. Greasy's on the right track. Nice shot there!

[fishinwrench]

There you go. Greasy's on the right track. Nice shot there!

So they could put carp in those pretty streams instead? Think of the savings!

[Quillback]

So they could put carp in those pretty streams instead? Think of the savings!

Koi are much prettier

[Terrierman]

Mark, you just haven't been fishing the right places. After your first truly wild trophy trout (I didn't say native), you'll have a completely different respect for them. Fast, blue water, big runs, and 3' high jumps hooked me and keep me dreaming.

And as far as not tasting that great, the stockers really do taste like crap- let's not have any illusions about the grey colored meat on them. Not all trout are like that, though. Best salmonid I've eaten were lake trout I caught in the Snake River, wrapped in foil with butter, salt, and pepper, then thrown on the coals. As char, they will taste different than true trout (brookies are a char, too), but it was fantastic. I did once eat an 18" brown from the Current, and it had the same exact color flesh as salmon, and tasted very similar. But I get more enjoyment from them crushing a big streamer and wrapping me around a boulder than I do from eating them, so I just let them go.

In the end, I'd rather fry some catfish or panfish, or maybe grill a largemouth or wiper than eat a trout in Missouri. But I love fly fishing. I love the clear, cold, moving water. I love where they live. I love the way they fight. And that's why I'll never stop fishing for them.

Wild trout are much better than hatchery trout. But still not as good as crappie or bluegill or goggle eye or flathead. And don't even get me started on saltwater fish.