# opening day stockers 4-28-12



## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

how was your opening day just wondering cause i limited out at stocker fest lol's this is a good way to keep the fridge packed. and not hurt the resouses at hand like trout that reproduce on there own in like flat rock clinton etc... and even up north manistee pm white etc.... they maybe ulgy but there meat lol's any one got pic's ?. 












as always thanks for all replies and enjoy


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## pikemaster789 (Aug 21, 2008)

good work and good idea. Even if they are stockies they are still fun to catch.


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## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

pikemaster789 said:


> good work and good idea. Even if they are stockies they are still fun to catch.



yep and better then taking from a natural resource like the pm or manistee etc... to sustain the family for a night now and then.


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

swaprat said:


> yep and better then taking from a natural resource like the pm or manistee etc... to sustain the family for a night now and then.


?...


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## pikemaster789 (Aug 21, 2008)

Think he is trying to get at that its better to take stockies, meant for harvest, than natural fish troutguy....


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Not trying to sound like a D but they stock those rivers to. Imo let those stockers go for someone else to catch. Kind of a get what were paying for type of thing and that is trout for you guys to catch. If you keep trout over here its no big deal there will always be more to catch, not the same story with over there. Dont get me wrong i have no problems with the keeping of them just didnt see how those should be kept and not ours where they are plentiful and actually reproduce.


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## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

pikemaster789 said:


> Think he is trying to get at that its better to take stockies, meant for harvest, than natural fish troutguy....


 
exactly let generations fish those fish. it's fine if you can't get to a stocker fest. there are reason to take from nature like populations. but with what the poaching rings have done on the manistee, that i have witnessed. it is better to take trout from here so your kids, rest of your family etc... can see a fish in the wild in it true bueaty. that's why i say bring a camera with you so you can help stop poachers. cause of what i have witnessed. 

don't let that statement stop you from leagal harvest it fine. but to bad they don't have more programs like so. to fish and keep like 3-4 year old fish ready to die in a short time that can't be released in a river. so that we can fish for like this and put meat on the table and with out hurting natrual rivers and there reperduction severaly. there are lot of theories like relase that monster fish cause it will make more monster fish. it helps nature and it slection. it is like limiting what you take in certin ways help the envirment. 2 instead of 4 fish.it helps compensate for the blaten disregard for each other on rivers and lakes like poaching rings do. 

any ways good question glad you asked.


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

That sounds good that those are old fish and ready for harvest. I guess im just generous and woulda let them go til waters warmed and threatened them for others to catch. Just me though. No quams with you keeping them at all just dont get the thing with over here and still dont. Angling doesnt even begin to knock a dent in the population of our stream trout. I dont know what you mean about these poaching rings but im sure it has something to do with salmon or steelhead if i had to guess. If it has something to do with stream trout id love to hear about it!


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## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

troutguy26 said:


> That sounds good that those are old fish and ready for harvest. I guess im just generous and woulda let them go til waters warmed and threatened them for others to catch. Just me though. No quams with you keeping them at all just dont get the thing with over here and still dont. Angling doesnt even begin to knock a dent in the population of our stream trout. I dont know what you mean about these poaching rings but im sure it has something to do with salmon or steelhead if i had to guess. If it has something to do with stream trout id love to hear about it!


exactly there older fish and it keeps guy like me fishing for meat off the good rivers. and it help populations for those that what to catch a fish to catch a fish hopefully to release it. ya it does have to do with salmon steel head those poaching rings this is mostly why they added that new law on daliy limits. and how many daily limit your allowed to posses. it all helps people that never seen a fish catch one. any ways thanks for the question and best of luck to you.


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## ericzerka24 (Aug 12, 2010)

hmmm interesting....


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## dsmith1427 (Dec 14, 2011)

Yum! I recommend smoking them with some Cherry or maple wood.


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

Those fish will be dead by Memorial day if they are not kept. Glad to see them put to use. 

Honestly how do they taste though? I have always heard that older hatchery fish taste like liver from eating the pellets over the years.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

They taste nasty IMO, like liver.


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## migabby (Sep 8, 2009)

I got a 22" Bow last year from the Huron at Proud Lake, on a spinner and Smoked it... It still wasn't very good! now I just release the Big ones.

Migabby


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Maverick1 said:


> They taste nasty IMO, like liver.


Stockerfest trout.......the other white meat. No, they taste like chicken. :lol:


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

They dont look very appetizing. Geez, look at their tails.


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## cant_get_enough_fishing (Jun 8, 2009)

Not trying to knock on those fish or anything, but why do they not look right? There is something about them that is just unnatural looking. I assume stockerfest is a fest of fishing for stocked fish? Maybe that is why they look odd because they are stocked?


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## dsmith1427 (Dec 14, 2011)

cant_get_enough_fishing said:


> Not trying to knock on those fish or anything, but why do they not look right? There is something about them that is just unnatural looking. I assume stockerfest is a fest of fishing for stocked fish? Maybe that is why they look odd because they are stocked?


I thought the same thing and after looking again, the lower jaw is unusual looking.


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## bassburner (Jan 6, 2011)

They def look different. Kind of mutated or something. I am sure they r fine to eat though. Let us know how they turned out. My buddy wanted to go today and try it out. Not sure if I would keep one or not.


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## centerpinking (Apr 13, 2009)

No way are those good to eat, pellet eating fish are basically fake trout.
Stockerfest officially done 2012....


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## Queequeg (Aug 10, 2007)

Yolo!


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## CaptainNorthwood (Jan 3, 2006)

They are beat up from the pens they keep them in. They ae packed like sadines in a can and as far as I know most,if not all of them are in concrete pens and raceways and the constant smashing into concrete causes all kinds of problems. Its hard to believe people like fishing fo fish that have no tails. I ate one a long long time ago and even as a kid it tasted horrible.


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