Canyon Ferry still great for Trout

[KDW]

Fished the South end of canyon yesterday, first time this year. Caught many nice standard CF rainbows. Kept a
couple for the smoker. Lake has fished well for decades, still produces.

Ken

[RuralMT]

My apologies KDW for diverting your thread; I merely got a blast from the past with that quote, haha.  But that's interesting to hear.  I hear a lot of complaints about the trout in Canyon Ferry, it's nice to hear you're bucking the trend!  Sounds about like most things; if you know what you're doing you'll do well, and with decades on the lake it sounds like you know what you're doing! 

Do you smoke a lot of trout? I've only smoked kokanee, which is fantastic, but wouldn't mind trying something else.  Are rainbows better in the smoker than brookies?

[lundin-loading]

The stocked trout in all the reservoirs around Helena are just as good as salmon in the smoker. For the most part they've got bright red/orange flesh. Probably 1 in 5 will have a pale, visually unappealing flesh, but they smoke up nice and I use the pale ones when I make dips.

[KDW]

Actually have been chuckling at myself, I thought 100 people could read this post and I may be the only one who
didn't get the reference to the movie. Oh well.  I have always loved the trout out of Canyon for the smoker. As
mentioned they usually have good orange meat and nice thick fillets which are easier in the smoker. Usually the lake
provides, however it has left me scratching my head more then once when it skunked me, that's fishing

Ken

[Zfishes]

Fished the South end of canyon yesterday, first time this year. Caught many nice standard CF rainbows. Kept a
couple for the smoker. Lake has fished well for decades, still produces.

Ken

I agree.. great average size fish.

[Zfishes]

We have been finding them north of white earth.

[RuralMT]

Probably 1 in 5 will have a pale, visually unappealing flesh, but they smoke up nice

I've had the same experience with the kokanee I keep.  They can vary wildly in color, yet seem to taste the same after brining and smoking.  Good to know on the trout though; I'll have to plan a brookie expedition and experiment!

[KDW]

Do you smoke a lot of trout? I've only smoked kokanee, which is fantastic, but wouldn't mind trying something else.  Are rainbows better in the smoker than brookies?


Never put many Brookies in the smoker but cant imagine much difference. I enjoy the fat rainbows as I can do fillets.
Have you done the Brookies whole. I do ponder as mentioned why 1 in 5 or so seems to be pale and or soft while
all the rest have that great winter firm meat.

Ken

[RuralMT]

I've never smoked trout of any kind.  But yes, if I target them around here I'll keep them whole.  The brookies in Fortine Creek and the lakes around me tend to run on the smaller end of the size spectrum.

[REDin13]

rainbows are excellent on the smoker. I've noticed on the larger ones, that the brine soaks into the flesh better on the tail end than the head end of a fillet. so you'll taste more of the brine on that end and the head end tastes more "cooked". a couple of ways around this is to: make knife cuts on the fillet every 1-2 inches so the brine soaks in more; or remove the hide off the fillet before soaking in the brine. cheers

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Good to hear that a few are getting picked up. We've done well out there for the last couple of years. We are planning a trip in that area Sunday. I'd like to pick up a few for canning.

[Gondolarides]

Nice place