Missouri's Urban Trout Program -- Kansas City area

[Gavin]

They stock a bunch of lakes on the St. Louis side. Allot of them are C&R until Feb 1st, and they get fished out quickly after that. Jefferson Lake by Big Barnes gets a bunch and its safe to fish there. I'd pack a side arm if I wanted to fish any of the 4 lakes they stock trout north of Page Blvd. No worries anywhere else.

 

 

[tjm]

1 hour ago, scooper54 said:

Or, is it possible that hatcheries provide trout food that turns their flesh salmon-colored?

Commercial rearing facilities use feed containing carotenoid pigments (canthaxanthin or astaxanthin)  for the purpose of giving restaurant trout some color and taste. Takes about three months when the fish are actively growing. About six months in cold water, The color in natural conditions is caused by eating crustaceans.  They also add fats to produce oilier fish for smoking. I looked up a bunch of this stuff a couple years ago, but didn't keep links to the sources.

[scooper54]

6 hours ago, tjm said:

Commercial rearing facilities use feed containing carotenoid pigments (canthaxanthin or astaxanthin)  for the purpose of giving restaurant trout some color and taste. Takes about three months when the fish are actively growing. About six months in cold water, The color in natural conditions is caused by eating crustaceans.  They also add fats to produce oilier fish for smoking. I looked up a bunch of this stuff a couple years ago, but didn't keep links to the sources.

Thanks for the information.  That all makes sense.  If I were to guess, I think these stockers have been eating food in the hatchery with the carotenoid pigments, prior to being stocked.  I should have, but didn't, check the stomach contents of the above pictured trout.  But, given the timelines you mentioned, I doubt they've been in the lake long enough--and eating crayfish and other crustaceans-- to have given their flesh such a bright salmon/orange color.  Thanks again.  

[scooper54]

7 hours ago, Gavin said:

They stock a bunch of lakes on the St. Louis side. Allot of them are C&R until Feb 1st, and they get fished out quickly after that. Jefferson Lake by Big Barnes gets a bunch and its safe to fish there. I'd pack a side arm if I wanted to fish any of the 4 lakes they stock trout north of Page Blvd. No worries anywhere else.

 

 

The one lake in Columbia that is part of the Urban Trout Program, Bethel Park Lake, also has a "delayed harvest" policy similar to the policy you described in St. Louis.  The lakes on the Missouri side of the KC Metro do not.  On the Kansas (Johnson County) side, they give the trout a "three day reprieve" after stocking before they permit "catch and keep."  

 

[Gavin]

You should come by for the Bade Memorial. Urban fly fishing tourney on Jefferson Lake in Forest Park. Top prize (only prize)  is a warm Stag 40oz or a warm 12 pack of Natty Light , plus your name wood burned on the traveling trophy that resides at Hargrove’s fly shop. You’re welcome to travel with it to bars and such, but it draws attention in a different way. It is not the Stanley Cup.

[scooper54]

1 hour ago, Gavin said:

You should come by for the Bade Memorial. Urban fly fishing tourney on Jefferson Lake in Forest Park. Top prize (only prize)  is a warm Stag 40oz or a warm 12 pack of Natty Light , plus your name wood burned on the traveling trophy that resides at Hargrove’s fly shop. You’re welcome to travel with it to bars and such, but it draws attention in a different way. It is not the Stanley Cup.

Now, that's my kind of competition, especially the warm Stag/Natty Light! Disappointed that warm Buckhorn is not the consolation prize!  So, how do you determine the winner??  Largest fish?  Or most fish caught in a designated time period?  

[Gavin]

Contestants can bring additional prizes, on their own dime.

[Mitch f]

In STL we call the trout park program 

“Feed the Bosnians”

[scooper54]

On 3/26/2023 at 10:21 AM, Mitch f said:

In STL we call the trout park program 

“Feed the Bosnians”

A little different, but similar "take" as yours with respect to the trout lakes on the Kansas side of the KC Metro.   Instead of "feeding the Bosnians," the urban trout program in Kansas could be called "feed the Asians." In my two trips to  trout-stocked lakes there, a group of older Asian folks (around 55-75) have staked out certain choice spots on the lakes.  They are either family or friends and converse only in their native language.  Most wear masks, even through they're outside.  Being retired, I only fish these public waters during the week, in order to avoid the weekend crowds.  Yet, the occasions I've been there, so have they.  Each one "maxs outs" on the number of rods they are allowed -- three--all either with some sort of bait under a bobber or sometimes one rod/reel with a lure (spinners, usually).  According to a park worker I spoke to, they're at the park gate when it opens at 6 am.  And from what I can determine, they leave only after they've caught their limits.  I wouldn't have the patience they do.  They're definitely not a part of the "catch and release" crowd, although I don't think they're exceeding their limits because the park police patrol the area pretty aggressively (my license was checked).   To each his own.  I never use bait--I enjoy fishing for the sport and challenge it provides, and to be outside.  I also occasionally keep fish for dinner, but that's secondary.   These folks appear to be strictly "subsistence fishermen." Nothing wrong with that, I guess.  Just a different "mindset" and culture.  

[Mitch f]

4 hours ago, scooper54 said:

A little different, but similar "take" as yours with respect to the trout lakes on the Kansas side of the KC Metro.   Instead of "feeding the Bosnians," the urban trout program in Kansas could be called "feed the Asians." In my two trips to  trout-stocked lakes there, a group of older Asian folks (around 55-75) have staked out certain choice spots on the lakes.  They are either family or friends and converse only in their native language.  Most wear masks, even through they're outside.  Being retired, I only fish these public waters during the week, attempting to avoid the crowds.  Yet, the occasions I've been there, so have they.  Each one "maxs outs" on the number of rods they are allowed -- three--all either with powerboat or sometimes one with a casting lure (spinners, usually).  According to a park worker I spoke to, they're at the park gate when it opens at 6 am.  And they stay most of the day.  I wouldn't have the patience they do.  They're definitely not a part of the "catch and release" crowd.  The park police patrol the area pretty aggressively (my license was checked), so I don't think they're not doing anything illegal, like keeping more than their limits.   To each his own.    Just a different "mindset" and culture.  

You’re exactly right