Callaway Park Waste of Trout

[pyke88]

The trout pond at Callaway Park does not allow catch and release. I don't disagree as the clientele are not experienced with proper fish handling techniques, and bait is being used. With that said, I witnessed hundreds of trout being "harvested" on Saturday. I would assume that 99% of these stockers are wasted, as they are not big enough to eat, and the people taking them home will likely just garbage them.

Although this exhibit exposes kids to angling, I don't think that it teaches the principles of the sport, rather promotes waste of fish, both unethical and against the rules.

[whitewolf]

i guess the people are paying for them so wether they eat them or throw them out is up to them...the pond is not intended to keep fish year around..it is intended to attract customers to the park...its not for sport..it is intended as entertainment...right or wrong...they pay for them for the intention of people to catch and kill . i talked to people there before and alot of people camping there were eating them...some were coming in the morning just to catch a couple for breakfast and you can pan fry a pretty small trout...some people look at it as if i went to cosco and bought 4 fish and then threw them out is no different...not sure the message these kids get from the pond...but i know my kids know the difference and not to waste our resources so i would say its up to the parents to make sure the message is clear and what the intenion of the pond is and the difference between that and our rivers and lakes...imo

[gramps73]

Was at the park last year and my boy caught one and of course he wanted to eat it...Took it back to the trailer and cut into it, the meat was black and it smelled like it had been dead for a week.

[the local angler]

i am kinda curious what they would taste like cause i would imagine that they are fed by the staff with typical fish feed pellets.

[ishootbambi]

im not 100% sure on this, but because the fish are bought and paid for privately, i suspect they do not fall under the provincial rules and regulations therefore wasting would not be illegal?? im asking, not stating as fact.

[WayneChristie]

they are only stocked for catch and keep, their rules dont allow you to release the fish. The management wants you to buy a ticket for every one you catch, thats their objective. I fished in there the year it opened, they were pretty liberal for a while, I had a fly in my pocket and caught dozens and dozens and just gave them to the kids. The workers put a stop to that pretty quick, but it was fun while it lasted. I even managed to hook a big brown that snuck into the first load of fish, had to use their leaf skimmer to land the thing. Pretty nice fish, for a trout.

[FishBrain]

We ate a couple that we caught last year. Will never do that again. mushy and tasted like dirt

[Nerdapres']

Pretty nice fish, for a trout.


:confused0024: what the...?

[sheephunter]

im not 100% sure on this, but because the fish are bought and paid for privately, i suspect they do not fall under the provincial rules and regulations therefore wasting would not be illegal?? im asking, not stating as fact.

As it's a private pond I doubt any of the provincial fishing regulations apply.

[Red wadman]

Hello there, my name is red I am one of the employees here at the family fun amusement park on the outside of Calgary called calaway park. I am part of our games team which means I am one of the people that do run the trout pond occasionally. It’s common for me and many other team members to get asked about the trout pond. A lot of people look at it as a waste of money but that is actually far from the case, “well the fish just get thrown out in the end” a line I hear far too often. Every time I have been scheduled to work the pond there is always someone who will ask for an extra fish! I had a guy ask to take the entirety of what people didn’t pick up! The trout in the pond are very healthy trout. We feed them daily the water is not stagnant and we do care about the fish. We have the “no catch and release” policy yes when you let a five year old fish they don’t always catch it all to nicely (well neither do the fully grown adults either) after you have brought it to us we take it and “Process” the fish which if done right is either a clean strike or the thumb method. Of course not everyone doing it is perfect at it and knows how to so there are some less then perfect processings. At the end of the day if you chose to fish there, you catch one and I process it I do it with my belief you will take the fish and use it for the reason I ended it’s life for. Once it’s got that tag on it it’s no longer my burden to carry

[Dewey Cox]

Well, it took 12 years, but now we have some closure.

[Sundancefisher]

Someone needs a side business. Put a small BBQ beside the pond. Charge a few bucks to cook it up and eat it on the spot.

Pellet fed trout may not taste great… but most don’t know what a great tasting trout should taste like.

Put some seasoning, butter, onion and lemon slices in the fish and put in a wire hamburger flipper and bingo bango… trout not wasted.

[Dewey Cox]

"Trout on a stick" sounds like a good amusement park food.

[bezzola]

I have never had a good tasting trout from a pond. All tasted like trash.

[Sooner]

I have never had a good tasting trout from a pond. All tasted like trash.

A friend caught one from the Stettler pond many years ago and it took the hook deep so he brought it back to his place and cooked it up. It was when I experienced what they mean when they say it tasted like mud.


When I was a teenager and my aunt took us to Calaway, people on shore were hauling trout out of that pond, that's 30 plus yrs back. I wondered how one guy could have so many fish. Now I know lol.

[Sundancefisher]

A friend caught one from the Stettler pond many years ago and it took the hook deep so he brought it back to his place and cooked it up. It was when I experienced what they mean when they say it tasted like mud.


When I was a teenager and my aunt took us to Calaway, people on shore were hauling trout out of that pond, that's 30 plus yrs back. I wondered how one guy could have so many fish. Now I know lol.

Marinade the mud trout in Kraft Golden Italian salad dressing over night and then bake or fry.

It helps cut the taste.

[huntsfurfish]

Someone needs a side business. Put a small BBQ beside the pond. Charge a few bucks to cook it up and eat it on the spot.

Pellet fed trout may not taste great… but most don’t know what a great tasting trout should taste like.

Put some seasoning, butter, onion and lemon slices in the fish and put in a wire hamburger flipper and bingo bango… trout not wasted.

Marinade the mud trout in Kraft Golden Italian salad dressing over night and then bake or fry.

It helps cut the taste.

Yup, a good cook can make anything taste good!