Growing up fishing in Chicago, we didn’t come across a lot of trout. Let me say for the record, this cold-water fish is my favorite to eat and catch. In later years, I would find the occasional rainbow trout in a cleaned-up Chicago River, but my main education catching these cute creatures came angling the many trout streams near the University of Wisconsin at Platteville, where I attended college.

The Platte River, not far from campus, was where my sophomore year roommate drug me to the Platte River one cold afternoon and provided me my first introduction to trout fishing.

I had no idea at the time the Upper Midwest was known as the Driftless Area, where many moons ago, glaciers retreated and left among other things all these cold-water streams running down hills and ravines. It was weird to me so many trout streams existed in Wisconsin and not in Illinois.

The brown and brook trout we caught were the perfect eating size and we were the hit of our dormitory, grilling our catch on the patio on our little Weber grill.

That experience fueled a trout obsession that took me to the Yellowstone River and to streams throughout Colorado when there for skiing adventures at Copper Mountain Resort, and while trying to create the experience of angling for trout I witnessed in the movie A River Runs Through It.

The Driftless Area, which comprises areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa and encompasses over 24,000 square miles, is loaded with trout streams. When I used to drive near the Mississippi River going to visit my younger brother who went to school in La Crosse, Wisconsin, I took my gear and would stop at the many trout streams along the way. Most of what I caught were rainbow trout. Fishing for them is not like angling for salmon or bass, and the taste is vastly different.

I’m focusing more on rainbow trout here, which form the foundation of the best fish tacos in the world, in my opinion. Trout may be a cousin of salmon, and I love salmon, but their taste and texture make them a breeze while offering variety for cooking. As feisty as they are to catch, it’s worth it once you place them in a piping hot skillet!

I find the ones that are stocked in lakes not as lean and firm as what you will find in streams and rivers. The following are some recipes to make trout shine. Like my son Taylor said after devouring a plateful of blackened trout tacos, “Eating your trout tacos is like having a circus in my mouth!”

Spicy Rainbow Trout with Lemon Vinaigrette

4 trout fillets

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 habanero pepper, sliced

1 shallot, sliced

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 lemon, sliced

Put a drizzle of oil in pan. Coat trout fillets with flour, salt and pepper. Cook fish in oil for 4-5 minutes per side. Blend oil, habanero, shallot, lemon juice and honey in food processor and pour over cooked fish. Serve with sliced lemon and pan-sautéed asparagus.

Trout with Peach Salsa Verde

4 trout fillets

1 peach, sliced

4 garlic cloves, smashed

Zest of one lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Put oil in pan. Dust trout with flour, and after letting skillet get hot, cook fish for 4-5 minutes per side. Take fish out of pan; use remaining oil to cook other ingredients, being careful not to burn garlic or paprika. Serve over salad greens and several sliced tomatoes.

Kevin Harmon attended culinary school and has held various positions in restaurants. He has also worked as a private chef specializing in healthy meals.

You’ll find more recipes to prepare using the meat and fish that you’ve harvested yourself in every issue of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.