I don't know how the cut or tasted but when when we were trapping some creeks we often jot female kelts that were gorging on the Carpenter Ant emergence. Not only were they stuffed but their body condition was rapidly improving. Plus, they were chrome bright. Except for the head shape, they looked like bright males (thinner than pre-spawn females). I suspect that any female kelts released into lakes would be eating a lot and rapidly recovering condition. Males, on the other hand, would still have other thoughts on their minds besides eating.