Taney vs. Rivers

[oneshot 1]

I use to fish Taney every weekend and remember the Trout being different tasting.

I went to Taney caught Trout and they tasted the same as the ones out of the river.

Am I missing something?

oneshot

[Gatorjet]

Just a thought with nothing scientific to back it up.

The fish you recently caught in Taney were not recent stockers. Because of the travel bans, and Covid scare, fishing pressure on Taney was way down. But at same time, MDC continued stocking fish. So many of those stocked in March, April, and May have remained in the lake. Eating their natural diet rather than Purina Trout Chow.

[Terrierman]

20 hours ago, oneshot 1 said:

I use to fish Taney every weekend and remember the Trout being different tasting.

I went to Taney caught Trout and they tasted the same as the ones out of the river.

Am I missing something?

oneshot

So.  They were both all mushy and mostly tasteless with a hint of musty dogfood finish?

[tjm]

Trout get that mushiness and funky taste from being on a stringer, doesn't mater where they com from.

[Gavin]

Grey fleshed hatchery trout aren’t very good. Pink & orange fleshed trout are allot better. I gill and bleed them out immediately when I keep them.

[netboy]

42 minutes ago, Gavin said:

Grey fleshed hatchery trout aren’t very good. Pink & orange fleshed trout are allot better. I gill and bleed them out immediately when I keep them.

Bingo...

I'll keep a couple of trout every few trips and you want to keep the 13-16" ones that have some orange color on the belly, more vibrant colors on the body and have an extended anal vent. Those are the ones that have been in the river a while and have been eating the snails, crawfish and other natural food. When you cut them open it looks like salmon meat. Great on the smoker or just sauteed with dill, lemon, butter and almonds.

If the hatchery truck shows up, go somewhere else if you want keep a few. 

[netboy]

3 hours ago, Gatorjet said:

Just a thought with nothing scientific to back it up.

The fish you recently caught in Taney were not recent stockers. Because of the travel bans, and Covid scare, fishing pressure on Taney was way down. But at same time, MDC continued stocking fish. So many of those stocked in March, April, and May have remained in the lake. Eating their natural diet rather than Purina Trout Chow.

Can't speak for Missouri but they have been stocking like crazy here in Arkansas for the last few months. Jim Hinkle hatchery truck came yesterday and loaded a stocking raft and then dumped a bunch off the Wildcat ramp. This morning the Norfork National hatchery truck showed up and dumped another load in off the Wildcat ramp. I fish most every day and the stocking in Arkansas has been at least normal if not more since January.  

If you think about it, it takes around 14 months to raise a trout from an egg to stockable size. There was no Covid 14 months ago. They have to release the trout or what is the alternative? Put them in the dumpster?

[Terrierman]

16 minutes ago, netboy said:

Can't speak for Missouri but they have been stocking like crazy here in Arkansas for the last few months. Jim Hinkle hatchery truck came yesterday and loaded a stocking raft and then dumped a bunch off the Wildcat ramp. This morning the Norfork National hatchery truck showed up and dumped another load in off the Wildcat ramp. I fish most every day and the stocking in Arkansas has been at least normal if not more since January.  

If you think about it, it takes around 14 months to raise a trout from an egg to stockable size. There was no Covid 14 months ago. They have to release the trout or what is the alternative? Put them in the dumpster?

Even the stockers are fun to catch.  Kind of.

[Terrierman]

1 hour ago, Gavin said:

Grey fleshed hatchery trout aren’t very good. Pink & orange fleshed trout are allot better. I gill and bleed them out immediately when I keep them.

As usual, you are very kind.  

[netboy]

35 minutes ago, Terrierman said:

Even the stockers are fun to catch.  Kind of.

Match the hatch....What color Power bait and how to stack them???

Bait guys at the ramp swear that a pink one first, then a Chartreuse, then an orange one.

Then maybe re-stack in a different order.

Must make a difference.