Mystery Fish

[Uplandman]

Today me and my little brother floated the Weber just below Echo and he caught this mystery fish on his fly rod. It was 18-20 inches long. At first glance I thought it was a splake but it doesn't have the super defined pointy tail like a Splake would. Any ideas?

[meancuznalfy]

Hmm, that's interesting, tail and head look like a they have rainbow characteristics.

[jbob81]

Looks like a tiger trout to me

[Anglinarcher]

Light spots on dark background, moderately forked tail, worm like markings on back and cheeks.........

Sure not a tiger trout, and the light spotting shows Lake Trout/char heritage.  

I would be happy calling it a Splake if the tail was a bit a more forked, but it is a hybrid and as such they do not always follow the "standard description". 

Still, lacking some serious genetic testing, I will vote for Splake.

[jbob81]

I stand corrected

[dubob]

Sure not a tiger trout, and the light spotting shows Lake Trout/char heritage.  

I would be happy calling it a Splake if the tail was a bit a more forked, but it is a hybrid and as such they do not always follow the "standard description". 

Still, lacking some serious genetic testing, I will vote for Splake.

What he said.      I'm 99.9% sure it is a splake.

[Uplandman]

Huh! Sounds like you guys think that it's a splake. I had no idea they were in the Weber are they native there?

[Cowboypirate]

There are spake in Lost Creek. Good chance he called it home at some point but opted to go on a road trip to see the Devils Slide and liked it enough to stay

[dubob]

And since it is a hybred cross between a male Brook Trout and a female Lake Trout, it is 100% char - and WAAAAAY better eating than trout.   

[Joe_Hill]

And since it is a hybred cross between a male Brook Trout and a female Lake Trout, it is 100% char - and WAAAAAY better eating than trout.   

I'm not sure I'd agree. Lake trout is dog food at best. Brookies really depend on where they live but generally comparable to trout.  Dolly Varden is on Par with trout as well. The only char I've had that I like much better than trout is Artic Char. This was out of the Weber. No way I'd even try to stomach it.   
Nice fish still.

[dubob]

And since it is a hybred cross between a male Brook Trout and a female Lake Trout, it is 100% char - and WAAAAAY better eating than trout.   

I'm not sure I'd agree. Lake trout is dog food at best. Brookies really depend on where they live but generally comparable to trout.  Dolly Varden is on Par with trout as well. The only char I've had that I like much better than trout is Artic Char. This was out of the Weber. No way I'd even try to stomach it.   
Nice fish still.

Not a problem Joe.  I've eaten plenty of splake and they were head and shoulders above trout in taste.  And I've also eaten plenty of browns and white fish out of the Weber River and I'm still here with no ill effects from having done so.  To each his own.

[Saltslam]

Put me in the party of splake being better table fare. I enjoy trout but would take a splake over it every day of the week!

[dubob]

Put me in the party of splake being better table fare. I enjoy trout but would take a splake over it every day of the week!

[Joe_Hill]

Put me in the party of splake being better table fare. I enjoy trout but would take a splake over it every day of the week!

Honestly I've never actually eaten a splake. I'll have to give it a try the next time I catch one. Still not so sure about coming out of the Weber as I everything I've ever eaten from there tasted like mud. I've only had like 5 from there ever, so I suppose 1 more won't kill me. I did fall for the whitefish is great going around Utah 15 years ago. Man was that a mistake.

[dubob]

I did fall for the whitefish is great going around Utah 15 years ago. Man was that a mistake.

I've only ever eaten whitefish from the Weber prepared one way - smoked.  The meat  was very firm and tasted 'good' - nothing higher.  I would not hesitate to pickle it or can it to eat.  I canned some grayling in Alaska in 1975 and it was some of the best canned fish I've ever eaten.  No reason to expect that whitefish meat wouldn't also be good canned, especially since the bone problem would disappear.  But - to each his own.

[bassrods]

I will take Lingcod over any of the trout ....

Bassrods

[Joe_Hill]

If you're talking any whitefish, I'd go with Pacific Halibut. Even Atlantic Halibut are better than any cod. Those little 2-3 foot halibut off the Southern Oregon Coast are like filet mignon.

[GSP]

Flint Barber, is that you?