Wow, this forum is DEFINITELY different. I have posted this on another forum where they talk a lot about Minter and have gotten nothing but compliments about my fish. First fish in pic 1 had nice red meat and it tasted great. All the other fish I gave to family and friends and they are all happy and say the fish taste great. . And I do consider the 1st fish in pic 3 to be chrome.

To clarify: The chum with loose eggs I caught last week. They do not allow you to gut your fish at the creek, and didn't know until I got home hours later it was bad. I did not smoke it or attempt to, went straight in the trash. I posted the pic because of it's oddity.

As for the hooks, you have to use small hooks to keep from foul hooking fish all day. Thin hooks I noticed, and yes I am a new angler, seem to set better. There are just too many fish in that creek to use big hooks. That's all, flame on...