What happened to all the stocked trout???

[TeacherMan]

Question; its been like 10 years since I've been in this state for opening of general trout. Back then when I'd look up the stocking reports they would dump 10s of thousands of trout in the local lakes and now its in the hundreds? Places like Waitts and Fishtrap use to get like 100K fry pan size fish.

Just wondering if there is something I'm missing and the fish are still being planted? West Medical is only getting like 1000 fish 

[LDennis24]

Seems like everybody wants that immediate satisfaction these days so they don't want to see 8-10" baby trout. They wanna catch a full 12"-15" or even bigger  fish so the hatchery's produce fish that are almost brood stock size and release them instead... 

Plus you can catch them on wet dogfood since that's what they have eaten since hatching! Lol

[Skyvalhunter]

You still should be able to find all the stocking on the WDFW site. The stocked pan sized fish should be shown on their site soon. They usually only stock them just before the season opener. They bank on that income so I am sure they will be stocking

[quadrafire]

Ridgeratt posted this yesterday
https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/

[Ridgeratt]

Stand in front of the mirror and repeat slowly until you believe this:   

It might take several times.

This is a conscientious allocation of your sportsman dollars.

[Stein]

WDFW says they are planting 2.17 million trout in 2018, average size about 11 inches.

[Moe the Sleaze]

I'm with Teacherman.  The numbers seem way way down since....well, lets just say about 2012 or so.  I think its due almost entirely to lack of budget money for the hatcheries. Lower priority you know, at least to the general population.  There is also a rather newer philosophy (becoming more popular every year) against "put and take" fishing.

And didn't the state start dumping our license money into the GENERAL fund?  If so, that's the problem right there.

[BigGoonTuna]

One thing I've noticed is that there are swarms of cormorants on all the local lakes, there weren't any 10 years ago.  With the amount of fish they eat, it's a miracle any make it to carryover size any more.

[Stein]

It is easy to find out if you want to look, there are reports on this page going back to 2012 for all lakes and streams for both trout and kokes.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/statewide/

[Ridgeratt]

It is easy to find out if you want to look, there are reports on this page going back to 2012 for all lakes and streams for both trout and kokes.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/statewide/

This is great information it evens tells you about the private lakes that WDFW plants.

[runamuk]

They plant our lakes weekly and thats legals and triploids.  Its announced on FB all the time even which lake got what.  And the lakes have been swamped since March opener.

I just saw wdfw on FB announce stocking for kokes and such as well for this next opener maybe?

There are more farmed fish than you can shake a stick at if you ask me.  I dont fish for that reason I do not like trout, and farm trout is worse. 

[Ridgeratt]

WDFW says they are planting 2.17 million trout in 2018, average size about 11 inches.

When you check this data out they are planting fish that are 2.5 per pound. Not sure if you can get a 11 inch fish to make the mark.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/

Also nothing more tasty than a hatchery rainbow. But I have heard the sturgeon in Roosevelt like them.   

[HUNTIN4SIX]

Most lakes get the same amount they always have.  Wdfw only reports catchable trout 2.5 fpp (fish per lb.) and bigger.  Thousands are planted at 4 fpp (8-10"). There is no big negative crisis.  Waitts and fish trap will be loaded with rainbow. 

[TeacherMan]

Most lakes get the same amount they always have.  Wdfw only reports catchable trout 2.5 fpp (fish per lb.) and bigger.  Thousands are planted at 4 fpp (8-10"). There is no big negative crisis.  Waitts and fish trap will be loaded with rainbow.

Perfect I'm taking 5 girls between the age of 7-12  I don't think I'll get much personal fishing time in but I like it when kids have good action. Makes them want to come back 

[Gobble Doc]

I fished a planted lake by our house this year and you'd think of the 1500 they added that I'd at least be able to find 1!  I'm blaming it on the fat eagle up in the tree

[Skyvalhunter]

Are you holding your pole correctly?

[CP]

They're around. 

[WSU]

I wish they were edible.  My kids love catching them!

[Stein]

I wish they were edible.  My kids love catching them!

They taste amazing, you just have to turn them into a Dungeness first.


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[WSU]

I've tried that recipe.  It works great!

[Moe the Sleaze]

Gut 'em, scale 'em, salt and pepper the cavity, stuff it with chopped onion and lemon, then wrap with a piece of bacon.  Lay another slice or two of lemon on top then bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 mins.  Seems to minimize the muddy dog-food hatchery taste.

[CP]

I just had them for dinner.  They are pretty much tasteless.  Not good or bad; more like, ... why bother?

 

[pd]

That’s funny.

I wish they were edible.  My kids love catching them!

They taste amazing, you just have to turn them into a Dungeness first.


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[BigGoonTuna]

i used to really enjoy catching and eating the larger holdovers.  once they spend a year or so in the lake eating a natural diet, they taste pretty good. don't seem to get many of them these days, like i said earlier, i think bird predation is huge.  hard to get big when there's 100 cormorants picking the lake clean.

the other thing is, what ever happened to brown trout stocking?  the state used to plant fry and larger fish in several lakes here in thurston county, i think they stopped.  now those were fun to catch!  kind of cool reeling in a 6" perch and having a big brownie latch on like a lingcod.

[CP]

Anyone try smoking them?  I wonder if it's worth the effort.

[CP]

i used to really enjoy catching and eating the larger holdovers.  once they spend a year or so in the lake eating a natural diet, they taste pretty good. don't seem to get many of them these days, like i said earlier, i think bird predation is huge.  hard to get big when there's 100 cormorants picking the lake clean.

the other thing is, what ever happened to brown trout stocking?  the state used to plant fry and larger fish in several lakes here in thurston county, i think they stopped.  now those were fun to catch!  kind of cool reeling in a 6" perch and having a big brownie latch on like a lingcod.

The stocking plan:  https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01975/wdfw01975.pdf

shows they plan to stock brown trout in a couple of lakes in Thurston

[h20hunter]

Anyone try smoking them?  I wonder if it's worth the effort.

Yes......and nope!

[The Marquis]

Anyone try smoking them?  I wonder if it's worth the effort.

Yes......and nope!

I disagree, I love me some smoked trout, but I have to have a lot of them to make it worthwhile and the bigger the better.  The recipe I have is a big winner though.

[Ghost Hunter]

[/quote]

I disagree, I love me some smoked trout, but I have to have a lot of them to make it worthwhile and the bigger the better.  The recipe I have is a big winner though.
[/quote]

Care to share?

[Alchase]

I disagree, I love me some smoked trout, but I have to have a lot of them to make it worthwhile and the bigger the better.  The recipe I have is a big winner though.
[/quote]

Care to share?
[/quote]

Big nates smoke up great, smaller stockers have to be brined or they will dry out quickly but they are not to bad.

[TeacherMan]

We worked all day for a big ZERO. I’ve never seen such bad fishing on the Eastside. Started at West Medical. Fished for 2 hour with 5 people not a bite. Went had breakfast then hit fishtrap for 2.5 hrs with 5 people and still not a bite  went and had lunch then hit one more lake. We fished couple more hours and I FINALLY had a bite and it was actually a big fish, played it for 5 min on an ultra light and had it snap off right at the hook  Eitherway it was a fun day just being outside I’ve just never experienced fishing like it on an opener.

[JeffRaines]

I will agree with the people on page two about the taste - I remember eating stockers way back and thinking "meh" then last year we pulled in a mess of brookies out of a little lake... while I'm sure they were planted at one point, this lake hasn't seen plants in years... anyway you talking good eating! Best fish I've had in a LONG time.

[AL WORRELLS KID]

The Smaller the "Plants" the more we love them!
Doug

[WSU]

I took my 3 kids yesterday for a couple hours here locally and we caught 12.  We probably lost as many or more.  The tried and true bobber and worm was deadly!

[AL WORRELLS KID]

I took my 3 kids yesterday for a couple hours here locally and we caught 12.  We probably lost as many or more.  The tried and true bobber and worm was deadly!

[/color]

What! You use WORMS! 
 
(Don't tell anyone, but I have been catching more fish throughout the years on the same setup). Fish can't resist them.

From the Feisty Little Bluegill to the Whopping Native Steelhead, they are my "Go To Lure" that dance's just right every time on the hook.
Doug 

[swanny]

All I know is the lake by my house was planted one day, and for a week straight people were POUNDING the public boat launch where I presume they dump the fish. Saw kids walking out with stringers of small fish. The fish didn't stand a chance to even make it in the lake hardly. Seems like WDFW shouldn't announce stocking until a month after it's done to let the fish get in the water and swim a little

[724wd]

Waitts was pretty good to use on Saturday  ! 4 guys, 20 fish, pretty equal split brown/rainbow. Drowning worms in my favorite spot. Strangest thing was watching my son and nephew... my son caught exclusively rainbows and nephew exclusively browns  . and it wasn't just one pole over the other, we had them taking turns at any rod that went down. LOTS of fun! on the water at 8:30am and off with a boat limit at 1pm 

[gaddy]

Nice haul. Been 3 times to a local lake and caught 1 one day 2 on another and skunked the last. No one else is catching either. The reports say they have stocked 10 times this year. #s say 5000 a couple times but at least 4 stocks have been 50 or less fish, lowest count being 15. Granted those were "jumbo's" but why would you truck 15 fish from the Tucannon or Lyons ferry hatchery's to a small pond in Walla Walla county. What a waste of money.
On the eating side-Fry them up in bacon grease, Bacon and trout is good eating. Butter and lemon stuffed, wrapped in foil on the fire or grill, awesome.
 My last batch last year was 1 part picking salt to 3 parts brown sugar, fish were butterflied, covered with dry mix and let sit in fridge overnight. Thew into the little chief in the morning for two pans of smoke. Came out like trout candy with a jerky like texture. Cant wait until I can catch enough to do that again.

[Johnny Doe]

The Smaller the "Plants" the more we love them!
Doug

This is exactly what I saw this spring when trying to take my son to catch some trout at the local kids pond! Disgusting!!  They had stocked 2,000 fish 3 days before and we couldn't buy a bite, but I counted 15 Cormorants patrolling the 5 acre pond!! 

[gaddy]

I have to correct my last post. I reviewed the stocking data and the jumbos were planted along with the other plants.
Any way, I went out this am and was on my way home after 20 mins with a limit. Did not see another fish caught while I was there. The bait wasn't even hitting the bottom. There was a lot of movement to my spot before I even finished picking up. Small but that is ok. Caught, filleted, and on the little chief with lemon pepper seasoning in 3 hrs, including drive time. Guess I was just holding my lips right this morning.

[AL WORRELLS KID]

All kidding aside, this is "What really happened to all the stocked trout!" 
Doug