Not TOO long ago, a dear friend and I were fishing. Beautiful day and conditions were great. Heck, even if they weren't, any day on the water is beautiful.
My friend -who is a trout machine- got into some fish while I was doing it the hard way. Finally tuned me into a nice trout.

Along the way we saw a couple who were heading upstream. They were decked out in all the fancy attire and what-not.

Well...on our way downstream as we called it a day, and met up with the folks who we 'hello-ed' and made conversation though a short one. They asked our luck and we told 'em. Described the fish, and the gent remarked: "Oh, must've been a 'stocky'."

So I guess that 'regular' trout isn't good enough. NOW, it has to be a 'natural'.

Even some anglers when speaking seem to concern themselves with species of fish and SIZE. Tackle is a big one too. Anything less and it's just not worth mentioning as if it's shameful.

Well I just want to say:
I've been trying to fish for 7 years now and I love it! I have a heavy 8 wt I bought from Wall-Mart and a nice Scott 5 wt which I'm still trying to figure out how to cast.
I have a pair of neoprenes with patches of Aquaseal all over.
Most of the year, I spend my time catching Bass,sunfish ,and gool ol' loggerhead..chub. On those special occasions (VERY few and far in-between) I get the chance to catch a trout.
And if you're like me (like on that day I spent with my friend) I caught only ONE trout to his seven. And whether it was stocked or not, catching that fish and holding it in my hands before quickly letting it back into the silver stream filled me with such joy that I could've packed it all up and called it a day right then and there.
This wonderful hobby echoes life in that I am CONSTANTLY humbled.
The only thing I look forward to (one of many) on the stream , is to share the experience and the joys and the funny mishaps with other anglers.
It is this 'brotherhood' which is part of the reason I continue to venture to flowing waters.

I guess I'm just naiive to think that all feel the way I do.

I hope and I'm SURE I'm wrong.

Thanks for reading. Health to you and yours. And my sincere hopes that you all enjoy each experience on whatever waters you fish and that you enjoy as much the joy of the tug of your lines from a minnow, as you would a trout....STOCKED OR OTHERWISE!

Cheers,
Larry 'Bad Luck' Ioannidis