Big Ice Rainbows I'm Allowed to Kill

Marty S · #1 02-01-2018, 01:38 AM

I am a fish killer. A fish eater, I catch them, then hit them on the head and just clean them... I kinda like that!!!

So now I have, in my possession, the ultimate rainbow trout bait, and I may want to take a breather from killing coyotes and go kill some nice big Rainbows somewhere. Problem is I haven't done it for many years. Where should I go where it's no all catch and release... or is there no where to go in light of the modern, minimal fish stocking rates of today compared to yesteryear?

Mind you, I'll probably just take a breather from the coyotes and switch to a bobcat emphasis for a couple weeks? Hmmm... no but it would be nice to go get a few, and also eat a few large rainbows.

Where shall I go? 5-6 lb Rainbows??? Or is that impossible due to today's enlightened stocking rates? Can I only be doing 2 lb at best?

I remember in the olden days of increased sensible stocking rates whereby put and take lakes commonly produced Rainbows even in the 10 lb class.

(I believe there to be much already here to spawn numerous discussions, relevant discussions even)

last minute · #2 02-01-2018, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Where shall I go? 5-6 lb Rainbows??? Or is that impossible due to today's enlightened stocking rates? Can I only be doing 2 lb at best?

Don't over think it Just pick a trout lake and enjoy the day

ROA · #3 02-01-2018, 06:17 AM

You will not find any big ice rainbows bcause everyone else is bonking and eating.

SNAPFisher · #4 02-01-2018, 06:54 AM

Yeah, just pick a lake and go for it. The stocking reports have it all for you. Since you want to eat one your going to have to pick a bigger and cleaner lake. The pot holes have terrible tasting trout. You will be disappointed in flavor if you try a pot hole out.

58thecat · #5 02-01-2018, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Yeah, just pick a lake and go for it. The stocking reports have it all for you. Since you want to eat one your going to have to pick a bigger and cleaner lake. The pot holes have terrible tasting trout. You will be disappointed in flavor if you try a pot hole out.

They should be reasonable right now as the water is colder but come summer time the taste is mud/slew is in them....bonk one and eat it....release the rest...so you can bonk and eat another day.

Marty S · #6 02-01-2018, 09:04 AM

It would be nice if stocking rates would increase back to 1980's levels. Plenty of fish even with the increased limits of the day, and nice fish too. This is a big part of the problem today, stock too few fish and nothing lives long enough to grow up.

I vote we stock heavier, like back in the 80's, and on top of that close a few lakes down, all of them on a rotational basis, and allow the fish to grow, so instead of everybody killing 10-12" we are getting 21-24". Waaaay more fun to catch, and they would actually have some meat on them.

You don't have to tell me about fish tasting like sludge. I only eat prairie fish from now, if I ever ice fished, til mid June at the latest, then all done. Salmon and ocean fare after that, only.

But if I go thru the trouble of taking time out to ice fish, be nice to get something worth catching on the end of the line.

WayneChristie · #7 02-01-2018, 09:39 AM

Couple places within an hour of you

RavYak · #8 02-01-2018, 09:46 AM

Big trout are rare here in AB for a number of reasons. Most of our stocked waterbodies are little sloughs/ponds that can only produce bigger fish if aerated(and don't see too much pressure). The few good lakes that used to produce more bigger fish in the past are heavily fished now and the fish can't survive for 4+ years to get big. Many of these lakes are also over stocked(almost every put and take lake, Carson being a great example) so there isn't enough food and the fish grow very slowly.

If you want to keep big rainbows look up the stocking reports and find where they stocked the old broods in put and take lakes. That is your best bet for keeping big rainbows.

I would rather buy fish from a supermarket then eat that crap though... You could probably buy something much nicer like tuna, salmon, halibut, walleye etc for cheaper then what it costs for you to go fishing. Heck I would rather eat basa, tilapia etc then a big rainbow from our lakes(even in winter), the younger new stock(11-14 inch) are much better eating you just need more of them.

pinelakeperch · #9 02-01-2018, 10:09 AM

Where are you located?

Fishwhere · #10 02-01-2018, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RavYak

Big trout are rare here in AB for a number of reasons. Most of our stocked waterbodies are little sloughs/ponds that can only produce bigger fish if aerated(and don't see too much pressure). The few good lakes that used to produce more bigger fish in the past are heavily fished now and the fish can't survive for 4+ years to get big. Many of these lakes are also over stocked(almost every put and take lake, Carson being a great example) so there isn't enough food and the fish grow very slowly.

If you want to keep big rainbows look up the stocking reports and find where they stocked the old broods in put and take lakes. That is your best bet for keeping big rainbows.

I would rather buy fish from a supermarket then eat that crap though... You could probably buy something much nicer like tuna, salmon, halibut, walleye etc for cheaper then what it costs for you to go fishing. Heck I would rather eat basa, tilapia etc then a big rainbow from our lakes(even in winter), the younger new stock(11-14 inch) are much better eating you just need more of them.

I really like basa as well - but they are a pretty dirty fish the way they are raised/farmed normally from veitnam. Pull up a youtube video on it, you may rather have the mud trout... hahaha