Wild Trout vs. Stock Trout

Wild Brook Trout

        There are major differences between a wild trout and a stocked trout.  Some people are never told the differences between them, or if they have been told then sometimes people just don't care.  To me, and to most major fly-fisherman, we do care.  I am not downing stocked trout at all.  If I am teaching one to fly-fish then I will choose a stocked stream for the first few outings.  It offers a better environment for someone who is just learning.  I am just writing about why myself, and my close group of fly-fisherman friends, choose to pursue wild fish.
         Stocked fish are put in seasonally for recreational fisherman.  They are grown in a hatchery until catchable size, and then released to the local streams where in time, they will be kept.  They are taken from their crammed hatchery lane, put into a hatchery truck, and carried in buckets to certain holes in designated creeks in the hatcheries jurisdiction.  The idea behind the hatchery is a great one.  It does help hurting trout populations.  But for this to help we need better regulations, where fish may not be kept.  We cant just allow for every fish that is thrown in to be kept by the local spin fisherman and their stringers.  Seeing a fish on a stringer is something that ruins your day, and puts an embarrassment to the sport.
         Wild fish are sometimes stocked as fingerling's.  Tailwater's and freestone creeks are major habitats for wild trout in our area of Western North Carolina.  They grow in size and live in their creek or river throughout their life.  These fingerling's are stocked at first yes, but after years of adapting to whichever water they are put in they turn wild.  These waters have better regulations on them, preferably catch and release.  These fish also usually have the capability of reproducing, which delivers more wild fish to their waters.
          The main differences that allow fly fisherman to choose wild over stocked are differences that one sees over time.  The location of the streams that wild fish live in are beautiful.  You will not find a better, or more scenic creek than a native brook trouts home.   In these wild waters, you have to be on your game to be successful.  Presentation needs to be nearly perfect.  Your casts have to hit the spot.  Wild fish are more picky on what they will eat.  You will sometimes be forced to change flies.  A 4 fish day is a great day on a wild creek, when on a stocked stream that is not so much.
         If you want to push yourself to be a better fly-fisherman then make yourself go out and learn how to fish the little creeks, or the intimidating tailwater's.  You can keep fishing Stocked streams every time a stocking comes around, but where does that get you?  Its the same thing every season.  Same fish, same flies.  Mix it up a little.  Go wild.  Go to the tailwaters around you, or even the tiny creeks where native brook trout reside where you used to would never think a fish would be.  You might have a few rough outings where no fish might be landed.  It pays off in the big picture, you know you are fly-fishing the more professional way, and the right way.  You will also become a better fly-fisherman expanding your knowledge and skill set.  Your practice and research will put you on more trout.  The beauty of small brook trout, and the fight of a tailwater bow or brown, cannot be topped with any size or any quantity of stocked fish.  Go wild trout, practice catch and release.  Once you go wild, you will never go back.

Take care,

Justin