Jacobson Park Trout release ...

[inrll]

I am definitely not and expert but I've fished for stocker trout for 2 fall/winters now and usually only have success on cold days. If they're active you will usually see them rolling on top.

Good luck CrappiePappy! Let us know how it goes!

[crappiepappy]

I am definitely not and expert but I've fished for stocker trout for 2 fall/winters now and usually only have success on cold days. If they're active you will usually see them rolling on top.

Good luck CrappiePappy! Let us know how it goes!

Just thought I'd update this thread :

Went on Fri 11/9/12 ... fished for about 2hrs midday ... used live worms @ about 1.5 - 2ft deep ... caught 3 Rainbow Trout & one small Carp. Carp went back & the three Rainbows came home with me. Did not notice it, until I was putting the trout into the cooler for the ride home ... but, the first one I caught happened to be a tagged fish ... LOL !! Tag is in envelope (provided at the lake) and will soon be on its way to KDFWR. I'll let ya'll know what my "reward" is, for returning the tag.

Thought I was gonna be smart and use a real tiny hook on one of my poles ... but, as it turned out, I missed all 4 bites on that pole. So, I took that hook off & replaced it with a #6 Aberdeen & nailed the next fish to bite on that pole. In all I think I had about 10 or 11 "runs" ... and had hookups on 4 of them, resulting in the 3 trout & 1 carp. I think most of the other "run" misses were due to setting the hook too quick, as once I let the fish take the float under & move it a couple of feet ... I hooked up with fish.

I will be going back, later this week, to try & catch a few more for the freezer. All three trout were in the 9.5-10 inch length range, so one per meal should be more than enough for me. It should be, as I've already tried to eat a 3lb Rainbow, all by myself ... (that I'd caught below Wolf Creek Dam, back about 30yrs ago) ... and I was sick of the taste of it well before I'd finished it !! LOL !!

... pappy

[igloo]

Frozen trout? That's a big No-No. I'd take the carp over it.

I caught a tagged trout the past Saturday as well. Couldn't find any report form online. So I guess I need to head back to the park for the envelop. Another legit excuse.

[wolfewiz]

How do you all prepare these stocker trout?

[crappiepappy]

How do you all prepare these stocker trout?

Cleaning : diagonal cut behind gill plate on each side, down to (but not through backbone) ... cut across the back (neck) where the two diagonal cuts meet, down to the backbone ... cut belly open from anal hole to throat .... pull head "down" towards belly slit & back towards anal opening, to remove entrails. Use knife point to score through the blood line that runs along the backbone, or fingernail or stiff toothbrush ... and wash out all the dark matter (blood line). OR ... you could always filet them (though it isn't necessary to remove the skin/scales).

Cooking : rinse fish with cold water & pat dry with paper towel .... roll fish in flour (salt/pepper to taste) ... heat butter in skillet until bubbling ... cook ~5mins per side on med heat (or until internal temp has reached 140deg per meat thermometer )

Some use oil instead of butter ... some use egg wash prior to coating with flour ... some prefer to bake them vs frying them, while others grill them. As long as the fish isn't undercooked or overcooked, it's pretty much personal preference as to coating choice & cooking method.

... pappy

[crappiepappy]

Went again this past Thurs. Got there around 1230PM & fished until 215PM without so much as a sniff. Did not see many trout surfacing, and when they did it was well out of my casting range.
Decided to call it a day & head home, but stopped up by the dam to talk to some anglers fishing by it .... as I approached the first gentleman, he reeled in a trout. I decided to stay a while, and caught my first fish on the first cast. The other fellow caught a couple more & left with his 5 fish limit. I stayed another hour or so & finished up my limit.

I decided to give one of the trout a try, Friday .... and it tasted fine. Very mild flavor, compared to what I remember from the ones caught from below Wolf Creek Dam. I think that a light seasoning would have been OK & not overpowered the taste, but only used salt/pepper on this one. I fried it, just the way I described above.

Mailed in my tag, from the first trout I caught ... and waiting to see what "reward" will be forthcoming.

THANKS KDFWR & LFUCG for making Jacobson Park Lake a FINs lake !!

And just out of curiosity .... can you park in the golf course parking lot & fish along that part of the lake ?? If not, can you park in the Park parking lot & walk over to the bank on the golf course side & fish ??

... pappy

[Colbyt]

And just out of curiosity .... can you park in the golf course parking lot & fish along that part of the lake ?? If not, can you park in the Park parking lot & walk over to the bank on the golf course side & fish ??

... pappy

It has been years since I did but there used to be limited parking for the lake on the golf course side up near the road. The actual course lot may be open also since the city runs the course as well as the lake. If I were you I would just drive in and read any signs that are displayed.

[crappiepappy]

DJD ... I'm thinking the same thing !! And they might even survive the Summer, over in Ellerslie ... if they can stay out of the way of the Bass, Cats, and other such critters !!

Went yesterday for a couple of hours ... caught 3 in the first hour, and missed 4 of 5 bites during the second hour ... brought home the 4, after making myself that promise of "one more cast" and missing the fish that bit ... LOL !!

One of my 4 trout was a tagged fish .... making 2 tags collected out of a total of 12 fish caught, so far. First tag collected is on its way to KDFWR, and this tag will soon follow.

... pappy

[crappiepappy]

It has been years since I did but there used to be limited parking for the lake on the golf course side up near the road. The actual course lot may be open also since the city runs the course as well as the lake. If I were you I would just drive in and read any signs that are displayed.

I thought about that, but never having been over on that side of the lake ... I wasn't sure. I would think there'd be signs telling you one way or the other ... but, as long as the golf balls are flying around over there, I think I'll stick to the park banks ... LOL!!

... pappy

[crappiepappy]

Went yesterday for a couple of hours. Caught 3 trout ... none tagged. Discovered some things over the course of these last several trips, that I think may be of interest to anyone who may want to fish for these trout .... they seem to bite good for a period & then "quit", they don't seem to be biting unless you see some fish surfacing in the area, and they're just as likely to pick & peck on your bait as they are to grab it & go.

I'm thinking that the good bite period, followed by no action period, may be the result of these fish moving around the lake in packs ... and if you just wait them out for a short period, they'll come back by where you're stationed. The surfacing/jumping scenario "may" be them feeding on the surface, or it may just be them instinctively rising (looking) for their hatchery provided "food" ... but, in either case, it does seem to indicate that they are actively feeding.

So far I've seen them caught on worms, corn, and the various brands of "nibbles" .... fishing on the bottom, or under a float about 2-3ft. Having the hook completely concealed by whatever bait choice you use, seems to elicit more interest, as well as more pronounced effort & aggressiveness at biting/eating the bait. The use of at least a #4 hook, seems to help with the hookup factor ... something I learned after repeated hookset misses, while using a smaller hook.

... pappy

[crappiepappy]

Received my "reward" for turning in one of the tags from a Trout caught from Jacobson Park Lake :

A 2" long pewter Rainbow Trout pin. Also received a note, thanking me for participating in the tag return program. I was also informed that my name will be entered into a monthly drawing for a ca$h reward !!!

Each month, through June 2013, there will be a random drawing for a chance to win between $10 & $100

One $100 winner - One $50 winner - Two $25 winners - Five $10 winners will be chosen from the names of the tag returning anglers ... EACH MONTH.

... pappy

[crappiepappy]

I don't know if this is significant, or indicative of the possibility of it happening ...... but -

last time I was at Jacobson, I was "surveyed" by a KDFWR official. He only asked a few general questions, which I didn't mind answering ... but, as we were talking about the FINs program & the upcoming Trout & Catfish releases, I mentioned about the "rumor" of a possible Hybrid Bluegill stocking ... and his reply was something to the effect of "in the Summer". Now, whether or not he was referring to Jacobson, or just the FINs lakes in general, I don't know. I was just making idle conversation, while he was writing down my responses to his survey questions ... and I didn't press the issue.

Should I happen to be "surveyed" again, when on Jacobson .... I will press for a more definitive answer.

While I am enjoying catching & eating these Trout ... I'm also anxiously awaiting the Catfish release. But, I'd give up the Trout & Catfish fishing, in a heartbeat, for the potential of battling a 1lb (or larger) Bluegill on UL tackle !!!

... pappy