Would you….???

I think Mike brought up an interesting point of disscusion in one of the other threads…..Would any of you even consider mounting a trout that was caught out of Foster Arends?

Knowing that all the fish in there have been stocked at some point or another? Most of which are from the brute stock?

I don’t think I would….I have seen some true beast swiming through my holes in the past….One brown that truely blew my mind (this same fish had been seen nibbling on my buddies line)…..but just knowing these fish were raised in concrete troughs takes all the trophiness (is that a word?) out of it for me

Party pooper. Nates first mounted fish came from Foster Arends many many years ago. He was a pretty proud kid then.
Thanks, Bill

Good question Jakemister!

About 15 years ago when Trout Air was still in business…my dad and I fished there before the seasons opened…

Dad hooked into a 4.5 pound rainbow (close to a $20.00 fish) and he said it would be the largest trout he would ever catch on a fly in his life.

It never crossed our minds to have it mounted…

BUT, on the other hand…if someone that doesn’t get a chance to fish (for whatever reason) feels it’s a trophy of their life time…why not?

Let me rephrase that…If someone feels that a farm raised fish has made memories for them…who am I to say…don’t???

Kinda goes back to the question…What’s a trophy to you? Everyone will have a differant answer.

PS you married yet??

What or Where is Foster Arends? I’m assuming a man-made pond somewhere with hatchery trout in it???

Anyway, to answer your question, YES, I would mount it if it made me happy! When it comes to impulsive things such as mounting fish I never give other people’s opinions one thought, besides that I’m willing to bet there’s thousands of hatchery raised walleyes on people’s walls….there’s gotta be with all the stocking the states do?

i maybe would but it would have to be a beast though

I actually have done it. I mounted a 8.1 lb rainbow out of Cenaiko lake in coon rapids. Only problem was that it was the ugliest trout I’ve ever seen, but I just had to because of the stories I get to tell when people see it. The fish was only 25″ long and 8 lbs. I still tell people that it was pretty much hatchery raised.

Someone call the Winona County Sheriffs office and cancel the attempt to locate a missing person. Jake is alive and well. Jake whether or not to have a fish mounted is a personal decision regardless what and where you catch it.
Were you with your best fishing buddy that day, was the battle unusual, was the sun shining on you and you felt that particular glow that no one can describe in words.
As crazy as it may sound, but it is almost a romantic moment, everything was just right and perfect. You vs the creature you admire and respect. A mount is a memory of the best times in ones life.

MY OPINION (FOR WHAT THAT IS WORTH) IS THAT YOU STILL OUT SMARTED A BIG FISH TO MAKE IT TAKE WHAT YOU OFFERED. THAT MAKES IT A TROPHY.

NOW IF YOU FOWL HOOKED IT, THAT IS A WHOLE OTHER OPINION.

Trophys are in the eye of the beholder. When i was a kid a huge sheep head was a trophy. Heck if al linder can make a video on Carp and get that fired up over a trophy carp than anything can be a trophy. I get what you are saying that it is kinda fish in a barrel there but none the less a trophy. Also it is not like a 8 pounder comes out of there once a week. Good question though. ike

If I were to get the mount, I’d take some good pictures, release the fish and go have a replica made. Regardless of where its caught, for the most part, a trophy is a trophy and as mentioned is in the eye of the beholder. There are plenty of lakes that get stocked in MN, heck most of SE MN trout streams are stocked aren’t they? I’d have no problem getting a mount from a fish out of there.

I believe Jake’s question is “would YOU mount a trout caught out of Foster Arend knowing that it was a stocked fish and probably from their brood stock”. The answer for me is no. It just wouldn’t have much meaning for me. Now if I caught a brown trout in a SE MN stream that was probably stocked as a fingerling and had a chance to wise up to get to 25″ then I would probably do it.

That doesn’t mean everyone should feel that way, but that’s my answer.

It would be impossible to know if a huge trout from Foster Arend’s was stocked at that weight or if it had indeed grown a lot since being put in there a few years ago. I agree with many of you – a trophy is determined by the person who catches it.

Good Fishing,
Mike

It takes too long for trophies to become trophies. I would throw any trophy back (after a picture) so that a kid might have the chance of catching it.

Welcome Skinnymark. Great to have you with us. Please feel free to share and post all you want.
Thanks, Bill

Let’s put a different spin on it. If you pen raised a deer for a while, then released it, is it still “wild”? If a few years later it has a massive rack, plenty of points, and scores well, would you mount it in the event you shot it?

My answer is just an opinion – the deer isn’t anymore wild than those pen raised trout in F.A. Can it have wild characteristics? Certainly, but since if an animal is raised from birth through a certain stage, then it isn’t a wild animal. Their offspring, however, would definitely be wild.

The short of it, no. No, I wouldn’t mount a trout out of F.A. Trophy may be in the eye of the beholder, but this eye doesn’t see it that way.

FWIW, I already have a 20 inch brown on my wall from my youth, so I have no desire to really do it again. I have a brook trout also but no rainbows.

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but no rainbows.

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There’s a surprise (Sorry Dave…..it had to be done ).

Honestly……I can’t see myself EVER mounting any fish!!! Reason being, I’ve NEVER seen a fish mount that looked real……be it a skin mount or a reproduction …..They all look fake to me

I think if I ever do catch that true trophy (which will have to be something truely special……ex. State record bullhead )….I’ll get a good picture and blow it up life size, frame it, and hang it up over the toilet…….that way I’ll always have good memories when I go to take a whizzzzz

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There’s a suprise (Sorry Dave…..it had to be done ).

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Reason being, stream rainbows don’t get that big (that big being something big enough to put on the wall: 20 inches per say) in the first place, at least not in southeast Minnesota. Besides, I mounted my fish when I was young and stupid, so I must have been in my 20’s.

D.A.

Well Dave with the trout opener this weekend I bet I know where you will be. Keep us posted on how your weekend goes.
Thanks, Bill

My son turns three Sunday, so you know where I won’t be that day .

I’ll be out Thursday, Friday, and Monday, though, so I’ll report what I see. Being outside working in the yard the past few days has been killing me not to be on a stream somewhere.

Have a good Easter all,
D.A.

Thanks Dave. Happy Easter to everyone. And here I thought you would be taking your son trout fishing on his birthday. I started Nate fishing at age 2 and now he says the only time he feels normal is when hes fishing a tournament. So beware as fishing is addicting.
Thanks, Bill