taste of hatchery springs

[lazylump]

Does anyone else find that these short and wide hatchery springs that we get spring through summer are a bit bland and low in fat? I've noticed that they just don't drip fat on the barbecue like the other red springs and that they are also a bit on the soft side. I fish the east side of gabriola, but I just wondered in general if this is the case?

 

[Humpbubble]

yep I have also found hatch fish to be consistently mushy, compared to "healthy" wilds...I even tend to think they don't smell as strong and tangy when they come over the rail like a wild either...I wonder if their natural predators prefer one over the other?

 

[trophywife]

say what? lol ,, never ever heard or thought of this, they are all wild forage fish. delicious. possible you are catching marbles, whites, or reds that havent fed well? maybe? i cant see being true wild or hatch tasting or cooking being the difference. mostly all hatcheries eggs have from native species anyway!

 

[JuandeOne]

In terms of table fair and overall flesh quality there is absolutely no difference.

 

[Pippen]

I find early season fish (fresh) from the east side of Gabriola some of the best table fare out there!

Haven't noticed (or paid particular attention ) to the hatch versus not-clipped though.

 

[Humpbubble]

What about winters over summers?

 

[Kildonan]

I like the winters, they're my favs and they're almost 100% hatch. I'll eat wild and/or hatchery marked Chinook all day long. Love them.

 

[scott craven]

What about winters over summers?

winter reds, best eating salmon in my opinion...

 

[sly_karma]

say what? lol ,, never ever heard or thought of this, they are all wild forage fish. delicious. possible you are catching marbles, whites, or reds that havent fed well? maybe? i cant see being true wild or hatch tasting or cooking being the difference. mostly all hatcheries eggs have from native species anyway!

Agreed! Eggs and milt are harvested from captured returning adults, either wild or marked. Smolts weigh about 25 g when released from the hatchery, so a 12 lb spring has gained 2000 times its weight since then - all from forage in the wild.

 

[lazylump]

Interesting, I asked my neighbor who's been fishing here since the early 70's and he agrees that the short and wide shaped, orangy reds are soft,bland and not like the springs of the old days. BTW I still gladly eat them.

 

[cohochinook]

I find you get different tastes depending on color of the spring. I love whites that have lots of oil, many say they don't, but I suspect they over cook it. I am less of a fan of the marbles. Never noticed a different in hatchery vs wild. My favourite though is Peahead Red's!

 

[trophywife]

heck ya, winter reds with the purple skin do taste the best IMHO!! now to just find time to catch em!

 

[bones]

All hatcheries are supposed to spawn wild to hatchery. To say they taste different because there marked is getting pretty thin. Could it be the area and time?

 

[hambone]

Blindfolded, there isn't a human on earth that could taste the difference between hatchery and wild.

 

[MadJigga]

Sounds like hes talking about the columbia river springs. Shaped like a football with a golden hue to their scales? I've caught and eaten many of these fish over the years as they pass by Victoria. I havn't noticed any difference hatchery vs wild though or with these fish specifically either.

 

[scott craven]

Agree, but I bet they could taste the difference between winter and summer fish .

 

[MadJigga]

Agree, but I bet they could taste the difference between winter and summer fish .

Totally agree

 

[fogged in]

Blindfolded, there isn't a human on earth that could taste the difference between hatchery and wild.

I agree.
The taste of Spring Salmon varies with personal tastes!
Some like White Springs which are more oilier, other like the redder the better, others like pink and others like mottled red and white.
I prefer white or pink.
To add to the mix is just how fat and well fed the Spring Salmon is.
Some like the fat and some don't
So...what is the question
Do Hatchery Springs taste better than wild?
Absolutely no difference!!!
If you don't like the taste of the American Hatchery Springs...throw them back....I'll eat them!!
Whales prefer Hatchery Springs...eh....lol

 

[lazylump]

Fogged in, I agree it must be the fat I like because my son and I caught two nearly identical sized springs a couple days ago, one clipped and one non-clipped. The only difference appeared to be the body shape and heads, they were both reds. The hatchery super fatty and almost caught the barbecue on fire, everyone agreed it was delicious.

 

[ericl]

I am fairly convinced taste depends on what they have been eating - i find the Ucluelet/Tofino fish that are stuffed with Needlefish have the greatest oil/fat content, and to my liking taste the best. Down off the WA coast they are eating more Herring & are not as oily. if I could eat just collars & bellies I am a happy camper.