Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

The difference here is that the skillful-angler winning trouts are normally stocked at that size, like a breeder from the state or a biggun from a club stocking.
It's different from the rest of the stocked species, such as a stocked walleye that was only 6 inches when it left the truck, and ends up as a Skillful Angler winner for that year.

I find that cooler than some club member taking the leaderboard with a donkey brown trout.

Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

agreed

catching a stocked fish that survived and grew to size for award vs a fish stocked the size for the award makes a difference

problem is, how can you really tell the difference - many species its easy, some though not so easy

Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

Take a kid fishing, don't worry about the life history of the fish you catch and you'll be a skillful angler for life.

Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

Apples to Oranges comparison. The musky and walleye are stocked at a smaller size and need to survive and grow to become trophy size. If that were the case with trout I'd have not opined the way I did. In fact I would consider it skillful to catch a large size trout that heldover and grew to commendable size like you see coming out of Round Valley, Lake Hopactcong, or even the SBR. It's the outsized, fresh stockers that to me are meh as an awarded achievement. They are cool to catch but nothing to get all giddy over.

Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

That I 100% agree with!

Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

i just want to see more big brookies in the annual winner list. it's fun to click through the pictures of every single species. No love for our native char???? :D

and i do the skillful angler thing for the certificates, i get them framed up and in my room. And it looks like a doctor's office with all their own certs, but it's all fish!!! :cool: :D

Re: Skillful angler 'how to' video
 

if it's not a stocker or club fish, big wild brookie might just be a 10 incher! :)