Eating Stocked Trout: A Personal Journey

Have you ever caught and eaten stocked trout? If so, you might find it a delightful addition to your culinary experiences. As someone who has caught and consumed these fish, I can vouch for their taste. While wild trout might be the pinnacle, stocked trout offer a unique and tasty alternative when the opportunity arises.

A Go-to Recipe for Stocked Trout

Here is my go-to recipe for preparing stocked trout:

Build a fire in the grill using hickory wood for its smoky flavor enhancing the flavor of the trout. Cut the trout along and as close to the spine as possible. Lay it out flat on a piece of aluminum foil with the skin of the trout down and the shiny side of the foil also down. Dribble some lemon juice over the trout, making sure to cover all exposed meat. Use just enough so that it starts to flow off the fish. Shake on some coarsely ground black pepper to add an extra layer of flavor. Place pats of butter on the trout, covering roughly half of the surface but evenly distributed. Once the fire is well lit and hot, close the dampers to smother the flame.

This simple yet effective method will allow the trout to cook slowly, allowing the flavors to meld perfectly.

My Experience with Stocked Trout

I have had the opportunity to taste and eat stocked trout many times. Most of these experiences come from managed fisheries, primarily in still water environments. While I have never smoked stocked trout myself, hot smoking is widely considered a delicious method, though I believe cold smoked trout surpasses cheap smoked salmon in quality.

Occasionally, I do eat some of the trout I catch, but not too often. When I go saltwater fishing and catch porgy, fluke, or black sea bass, I always consume my catch. The majority of the stocked trout that I catch get cleaned and given away to coworkers or friends who share my passion for trout.

Running a Fishing Operation in California

In the late 1960s, I managed a fishing operation at Smiths Trout Farm, located on a third of an acre breeding pond. Customers would come,-equipped with a bamboo pole and a line. They would attach a ball of fish food to the hook and cast it into the pond, where they would hook a fish almost instantly. These fish were then gutted and either taken home or grilled at the premises.

Of the trout caught, about every tenth fish would have a liver that was white or transparent. I would inform the customers that there was something wrong with these fish and guide them to catch another one. It was clear that the trout from the pond were not suitable for consumption.

The trout from the breeding pond were crowded and hungry, virtually attacking the bait. The only time they appeared lively was when a block of frozen meat (the exact contents were undisclosed) was placed in the floating wooden frames, causing them to act like piranhas. On one occasion, I witnessed a feeder with heavy rubber gloves accidentally dip a finger in the water, causing profuse bleeding from the rubber glove being bitten through by a trout.

Despite the drawbacks, I supported the stocking of bodies of water with hatchery-spawned trout, as they mimic their wild counterparts in terms of appearance and functionality. The trout in the breeding pond were crowded and hungry, with flaccid muscles until they encountered the frozen meat, which stimulated their activity levels.

These personal experiences with stocked trout provide a rich tapestry of flavors and insights into the different qualities of these fish, which range from delicious dining experiences to educational lessons.