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

[logs22]

I worked from home today and snuck over to Echo Lake park for a half hour or so of fishing during my lunch break. I have been gunning for a Fall Stockie at Echo since Nov. with zero luck but I guess today was my lucky day. I decided to avoid the dam area where everyone fishes and instead started casting a small husky jerk in one of the few open water spots at the head of the lake. My second cast snagged the nice stockie pictured below. This was by far my biggest trout and my first caught in the winter months.

Seeing as this was the only trout I have ever caught that was actually large enough to make a meal, I decided to keep and cook it (my first non C&R ever). If anyone has any good trout recipes let me know, otherwise I am at the mercy of google!

[fishingbuddies]

Wow. Nice Bow.
Could be late winter or.... Early early spring!!

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by logs22

I worked from home today and snuck over to Echo Lake park for a half hour or so of fishing during my lunch break. I have been gunning for a Fall Stockie at Echo since Nov. with zero luck but I guess today was my lucky day. I decided to avoid the dam area where everyone fishes and instead started casting a small husky jerk in one of the few open water spots at the head of the lake. My second cast snagged the nice stockie pictured below. This was by far my biggest trout and my first caught in the winter months.

Seeing as this was the only trout I have ever caught that was actually large enough to make a meal, I decided to keep and cook it (my first non C&R ever). If anyone has any good trout recipes let me know, otherwise I am at the mercy of google!

Grilled Trout Recipe
James Hartobey works at the division's Hakettstown Hatchery. He has provided this easy recipe for cooking freshly caught trout on the grill.

Items Needed:
Heavy duty aluminum foil
Butter
Onions (optional)
Mushrooms (optional)
Salt and pepper
Trout of any size

Procedure:
Cut out a sheet of foil twice the size of the fish, and lay the foil flat.
Put several small trout or one big trout (cleaned with skin on) in the center of the foil, and fold the sides up into a rectangular shape.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter for every 4 inches of trout. Add half a sliced medium onion, half a cup of sliced mushrooms.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Fire up the grill to high temperature, and place the foil enclosed trout on the grill. Cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Fish is ready to be taken off when the flesh is whitish in color.
Take the fish out of the foil using a spatula, place it on a plate and use the fork to peel away the skin. After this is done, use the fork to slowly separate the meat from the bones. Use the onion and mushrooms while eating the fish.
Enjoy!

[logs22]

Originally Posted by Mark B.

Grilled Trout Recipe
James Hartobey works at the division's Hakettstown Hatchery. He has provided this easy recipe for cooking freshly caught trout on the grill.

Items Needed:
Heavy duty aluminum foil
Butter
Onions (optional)
Mushrooms (optional)

Salt and pepper
Trout of any size

Procedure:
Cut out a sheet of foil twice the size of the fish, and lay the foil flat.
Put several small trout or one big trout (cleaned with skin on) in the center of the foil, and fold the sides up into a rectangular shape.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter for every 4 inches of trout. Add half a sliced medium onion, half a cup of sliced mushrooms.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Fire up the grill to high temperature, and place the foil enclosed trout on the grill. Cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Fish is ready to be taken off when the flesh is whitish in color.
Take the fish out of the foil using a spatula, place it on a plate and use the fork to peel away the skin. After this is done, use the fork to slowly separate the meat from the bones. Use the onion and mushrooms while eating the fish.
Enjoy!

Thanks for the tip, that sounds easy enough even for me. My neighbors will think i am crazy when i fire up the grill tonight but i am excited to eat something i caught and prepared myself.

[Andrushkin33]

Congratulations on PB. Nice fish.

As for trout my opinion would be smoke dem when you got dem.

Andre

[NJSquatch]

Congrats on getting 2017 started...this weekend should be good trouting too...

I am not a big fan of steaming stocked trout on the grill and usually throw them on the smoker. I experimented with filleting some stockies last year and prepared them using the following recipe which the wife and I enjoyed.

HERBED TROUT FILLETS
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s Herbed Trout Fillets
Ingredients
4 6-8 oz trout fillets
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp Creole seasoning (like Tony Chachere’s)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 Tbsp finely chopped green onions (or chives)
2 tsp oregano
1/4 olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedges as accompaniment

Directions
Preheat broiler to 500F
In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, Creole seasoning, garlic, parsley, green onions and oregano. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Line a cookie sheet with foil and then place a wire rack on top. Spray the wire rack with PAM. Arrange the fillets on top and then brush with vinaigrette.
Broil 5-6 inches from heat until just cooked through, about 5 minutes or until temperature reaches 135F.
Serve with lemon wedges.

[Chrisper4694]

stocked trout taste like river mud if not cooked properly, be careful! nice fish!

[Mikey topaz]

Nice bow man, big ones like that i like fillet em and bread em in cast iron.....

[BT67]

nice fish but man that is one ugly bow right there

As far as cooking goes I love trout on the grill cooked in a fish basket, I just add a little olive oil and salt/pepper, 5 mins each side

[FASTEDDIE29]

Some good action to be had at that lake over there. Should get better as the water gets warmer too! Congrats on the PB Bow dude! Enjoy your meal!