lake trout

[vivlamored]

not a rumor 

[marshrat]

not a rumor 

Very much a rumor

Its all how you cook them !!

[Drifter_016]

I had the rare chance to eat a rainbow, grayling and a laker in one day on a camping trip. I thought I would like the grayling. I cooked them all the same way, bled ,skinned and fletted, cooked on a flat rock on coals in the camp fire. I was surprised that i liked the laker. From then on I love them. since they are a slow growing fish I don't eat many and I have never ate one that is over 6 lbs but I think the bad taste thing is a roomer. some Friends kept one the other day that was 16 lbs and said it was great.   

Not a rumor, southern Ontario lakers are:                

While Northern lakers are:                

[marshrat]

Finger lakes are good as well

[vivlamored]

I've tried them smoked,grilled broiled and in chowder makes me gag too oily and strong tasting

[marshrat]

must be where you are catching them 

[james]

i fileted a couple small ones last year and deep fried them and made fish sandwiches with them and they were pretty good .and i generaly hate the taste of fish

                                                                            james

[TRT]

All depends on the lake, Champlain lakers I won't feed to my dog. VT inland lakes however
laker is excellant table fare. I have heard of burping lakers during the summer when you
are taking fish from 40 degree water to 65-70 water but never winter caught? 

Great receipe ideas..

[Hardwaternubie53]

I was reading the older posts--- You guys crack me up. Imagine, a fish tasting "fishy". What did you expect, chocolate? LOLOLOL!!! The only lake trout I have ever had was one I caught in Piseco, in 75 fow. My son oven baked it. There aren't enough o's in "gooooooooood" to describe that fish. I've got a brother-in-law that doesn't like venison because it is "too gamey". I find it is all in the way it is cooked (all kinds of fish & game). The only thing I can't stand is my wife's Tuna Noodle Casserole. YUK! But I like tuna any other way you can cook it. Good Luck to all this season, stay on top, get a biggi'n, and ENJOY!
Happy Holidays-
HWN

[Forktail]

I agree with you Hardwater.  fish is supposed to taste like fish, not fish stix.  I like them pan-fried, baked, chowdered, broiled, grilled, etc.  One of my favourite thing to do with them is make fish tacos.  this might be a good recipe for those of you who don't prefer their taste, as the meat is deep fried.

filleted fish (skin on) cut crosswise into 3/4" to 1" strips
flour
egg
panko (japanese bread crumbs, available in asian section and sometimes next to bread crumbs)
corn soft taco/tortillas
vegetable oil
green cabbage, shredded
lime
salt
sriracha (the spicey red asian chili sauce with the rooster on the bottle and the green top)

roll the fish strips in flour, then beaten egg, then panko
deep fry in oil till golden brown
place in corn tortillas
add cabbage
squeeze lime on it
sprinkle some salt
dowse with sriracha
eat, and be satisfied

IMO

[misterharry]

I am a prof. Chef, and prepared one laker out of winni, NH with fantastic results.  As a rule oily fish take well to smoking, grilling and acidic based marinades/sauces.  The fat/oil of the fish is not only cut through but complimented by the introduction of acidic components - hence the old stand by of lemon, wine, & butter.  For the ambitious, try this out, you will definately get laid after dinner : With a larger laker (bled, beheaded, finned, dressed but left on bone) place in a large, well buttered pyrex baking dish atop a good inch or so of assorted sliced aromatic vegetables & herbs (carrots, celery, onion, smashed garlic, red/yellow bell pepper, roma tomato, white mushroom, fresh thyme, flat parsley, bay leaf).  cut the aromatic veges in such a way that they will cook to a similar doneness after about 40 minutes of wet baking in a 350 oven (depending on fish size) leaf the herbs on stem.  Generously butter, season and stuff whole sprigs of herbs into fish cavity, and line with some lemon slices.  Sprinkle top of vege bed & fish with additional salt & pepper plus pats of butter.  Pour a cup or two of white wine into baking dish with veges (not so they're swimming, just enough to steam off in, the veges will release liquid during cooking as well).  Squeeze a halfed lemon or two over whole thing.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake until you can see liquid actively bubbling in baking dish through/around veges (perhaps 30 minutes).  Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 or 20 minutes until top of skin starts to appear crispy and browning.  Lift off skin (if desired), and carefully pull filet meat away from bone with pie spatula along dorsal line & serving fork.  Serve on white rice spooning aromatic veges & pan sauces over all.  For the TRUE gourmet, introduce a few threads of saffron (careful) into vege bed before adding wine and baking.  Then we're talking formal wear and guarranteed oral gratification from wife/neghbor/girlfriend.  Bon Appetit!

[snowstorm]

dont fry or deep fry, u can only grill bake or smoke lakers,, like mentioned by others use salt, pepper and butter....

Usually i cook them on BBQ, i add salt and pepper to a cup of flour roll the fish skin on in the flour mixture then stuff the inside with some butter wrap in tin foil and cook on the BBQ,, and its great,,,,

Lake trout and Specks are pretty much the only fish i eat and fish for i love them both.. ;

[Drifter_016]

dont fry or deep fry, u can only grill bake or smoke lakers,, like mentioned by others use salt, pepper and butter....

Usually i cook them on BBQ, i add salt and pepper to a cup of flour roll the fish skin on in the flour mixture then stuff the inside with some butter wrap in tin foil and cook on the BBQ,, and its great,,,,

Lake trout and Specks are pretty much the only fish i eat and fish for i love them both.. ;

Hate to disagree with you, but our northern lakers fry up beautifully.
Beer batter, bread crumbs, fish crisp etc. It's all good!!!!

[Bearsfan]

must be where you are catching them 

The Idaho ones taste like candy.

[vivlamored]

Hate to disagree with you, but our northern lakers fry up beautifully.
Beer batter, bread crumbs, fish crisp etc. It's all good!!!!

(Image removed from quote.)

i don't know you would have a tough time selling me on this one

[Drifter_016]

i don't know you would have a tough time selling me on this one

I can see your point if you have never caught anything but those grease balls down south.  
They are a totally different animal up here, there is next to no fat on them.
A lot of the fish look like salmon when cleaned (red meat). Unfortunately I don't seem to have any pics of the flesh.
I'll have to remember to take some. 

[yeaboy]

let them all go they taste bad

[MGK]

I had a guy tell me to stand it up vertically in a rack and put it next to a fire. He said that i wouldn't be able to tell the difference between that and brook trout. I held back my laughter until he left.

[jacksmelt71]

i fillet mine and put it under the broiler with mccormicks fish seasoning and butter and broil till' crispy on top. good stuff! i cut off and throw away about a inch and a half of the lower belly meat . thats where most of your oily fish taste comes from. i also only eat smaller fish. under 4lbs. less fat in those. also excellent w/ a egg batter deep fried.

[Drifter_016]

i fillet mine and put it under the broiler with mccormicks fish seasoning and butter and broil till' crispy on top. good stuff! i cut off and throw away about a inch and a half of the lower belly meat . thats where most of your oily fish taste comes from. I also only eat smaller fish. under 4lbs. less fat in those. also excellent w/ a egg batter deep fried.

Us too!!!   
Here's a couple of dinner fish from last summer. 

[lotwfisher]

mhm lake trout, cold deep water!!! baked, boiled, fried, smoked, it don't matter, I LOVE THEM!!

[oso polar]

equal parts brown sugar soy sauce and bourbon, barbecue filet on an open piece of tinfoil basting until the marinade carmelizes......enjoy.

[adkmtnman76]

any way u cook them mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmm

[HARDTOP]

Here is some good info on fixing Trout and Smallmouth that come up with extended swim bladders.

It doesn't kill the fish

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/Fizzing.pdf

Lake trout stomach flesh is the fishiest tasting .... the rest is very edible.   

that is right the stomach flesh is the oil storage on lakers just slice off the 1to2inches of whit flesh below the fillet and then they taste excellent BUT don't throw it away member it is the oily part  it is the best bait you can get for browns and macks and yes bows leave it in 3-4 inch strips so it wiggles around on your hook and you will catch fish.