Author Topic: Stockers vs. Wild (Read 470 times)

Nick Naclerio · « **on:** December 07, 2009, 05:47:08 PM »

We were getting off topic on another thread so I figured I'd start this. In my experience big breeders fight like a pile of crap. Now some smaller stockers that have maybe been in the river for a decent amount of time can put up a good fight but still not like a wild fish. Then there are fish like in the Farmington that are about as close to being wild as you can get without being wild and the few times I've caught them they fought very well.

Biggest trout I've caught and was in the river for a few months. I actually got this fish twice and both times it fought ok but I got him in on 5x pretty quickly

This rainbow is a stocker from the Farmington and was in the river for at least a few months and fought very well. It was also in some fast moving water.

This is my biggest landed wild fish to date and it put any stocker I've hooked to shame and this fish was only a hair bigger than 17''. I've hooked a few wild fish over 20'' but wasn't able to get them in (keep in mind I don't fish places like the WBD, although I should)

What have your experiences been?

Todd Oishi · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2009, 05:53:26 PM »

Comparing the "fight" of a stocked fish to that of a wild fish is like sort of like comparing a penned-up, trough-fed pig to a wild boar that has to forage and truly work for its food...

Chris Smorul · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2009, 07:14:55 PM »

Interesting analogy Todd. If a penned up pig happens to get loose, it only takes weeks for it to become totally feral. It would be hard to tell it from an actual wild specimen.
Although this process may take a little longer in a trout the comparison was spot on, IMHO.