Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

NICE trout !! Lemon pepper ! You can have loads of fun with a smoker also !

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

Stockies from ponds with muck bottoms will have that flavor. If they've been in a nice, clean freestone stream for a few months feasting on insects and crustaceans, they taste almost as good as wild fish. I usually bake mine whole wrapped in foil with butter, lemon, white wine, salt, pepper, and parsley.

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

It's comforting to know that the large fall-stocked trout in that lake are still around. That particular spot has been good to me for many years from mid Feb. to March when the season closes. I've fished that lake since I was a kid many years ago and have taken some surprisingly nice fish from it.

One thing that has changed over the years is the amount of silt that is deposited in it despite a few dredging projects. There was an attempt to establish a channel catfish population there, many years ago but, I think the silting problem may have caused that program to fail.

Another change is the disappearance of any abundant forage base. There used to be a flourishing shiner population throughout the lake. Which brings me to my question. When you cleaned that trout, what kind of food source was in its stomach....snails, nymphs, nothing? The fishing, there, is put and take so I don't expect to find an established trout population since I don't think there is much in the way of forage for fish that size. They, on the other hand, are forage for the herons that are all over that place.

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

Nice job, dude!

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

Echo Lake who would have thought! That fish has one banged up rudder! Nice catch and hope the meal is as nice as the catch.

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

+1 for the stomach contents photo that's the one we all want to see!(probably all hot dogs and powerbait lol)

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

Took a ride by Echo lake this morning. There was probobly 5-8 people fishing looking for another monster trout :eek:

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

Happens when you post the exact locations of your catches. Info trolls abound with buckets in hand.

Re: First fish of 2017 and it's a PB 'Bow!
 

That's a real nice fish. Congrats on your PB!

Jim