Protecting the future of walleyes

I need to jump om my soap box for awhile. I have about had it with people keeping and waisting big female walleyes and saugers. I been spending alot of time on the river lately mainly on pools 7 and 8 and seen several people keeping 20 inch fish. These are also the same people that [censored] ” the walleye fishing isnt what it was back in the day”. Well no frickn wonder you dumb [censored], those 20 inch plus walleyes you have in your live well is the reason are walleye fishing is not like it was. Those females need to be in the river not in your fry pan to make more walleyes.
As outdoorsman and women we need to set limits on what we keep. We also have the responsibility for the future of walleye fishing for our kids and grand kids.
Well enough of that till next time keep your line tight.

I’ve seen this type of post several times where people show concern for a particular fishery based on the size of fish kept. I like to think that every angler is responsible enough to know how many and what to keep. However we all know that this is not the case. I personally will conservitively keep a 20 inch fish. Never one over 20. Thats just kind of my rule of thumb. In easily effected waters I feel its important to make sure I understand the status of the fishery and then base what I keep off of that. I’m best accustomed to Mille Lacs and harvesting a 20 inch fish at times actually will improve the fishery. Anyway, people havemany different views on this and this conversion has the potential to get heated quick. The educated fisherman knows how to sex a fish and use a common knowledge of C.R.. Thats the most important thing. In response to your post, Yes there are those who are irresponsible anglers, You’ll never get rid of. That leaves it to the rest of us to be educated and keep our resources top notch. I also like to take comfort in that the DNR is on top of any situation posing a threat to a fishery. At times this may not be 100% accurate but you’ve got to trust their action. Once again, know the fishery’s status and take pride in catch and release.

Pool-8-LAX were you fishing below the Dams when you witnessed those 20 inches kept? I to feel the same way as you and refuse to fish up with the fish crowds by the dams.I preferr fishing alone down river away from the crowds.
However being, it is their right to keep any fish caught legally I wish that some slots would be put into effect, if not only for the spawning periods when so much pressure is put on the wallies. Try talking to some of those people who are keeping those bigger females and maybe put it into their heads that our resources depend on us to help them out. Sometimes it works sometimes not, well worth a try.
RB

MAYBE IF YOU TWO CHOOSE NOT TO FISH THIS TIME OF YEAR THE EYE,S WOULD LOSE 12 LESS FISH.I WONDER WHAT KIND OF EQITMENT YOU TWO USE ON YOU BOAT

wow, neat 3rd post i would have probablly agreed with you to a point until the profanity started to fly people pay for their lic. you make your choice let them make theirs..btw i dont even walleye fish

I entrust the fisheries people with biological backgrounds to make the determination of what is good or not good for a particular fishery. I then entrust the legislators that I voted into office to take that information and put it to the laws that affect how, when, and where we fish….and that includes size and slot limits. I don’t agree that keeping 20″ walleyes is for everyone, frankly I think the shorter ones taste a heck of a lot better, but I also don’t agree that everyone is doing it or that it hurts the fishery. To each their own, within the confines of the law, I say. Perhaps those you witnessed don’t get to get out nearly as much as you, or perhaps they are the first walleyes of that size the guy has ever caught and he’s excited about it….You don’t know, and as long as they are not breaking the law you shouldn’t let it bother you. You have every right to set the example by letting them witness you keeping shorter fish. Then that fellow would be on here tomorrow complaining about you and how you kept all the little ones….”how can we ever hope to have any bigger fish if everyone keeps the little ones….”, see what I mean? Just be happy you live somewhere where just being able to legally fish for walleyes at this time of year is a blessing, because it truly is!

I have too agree with the first post. My position has always been if your onto fish like you can certainly get into this time of year on any pool on the river, you are certainly catching some nice 15-18″ fish that can go too the pan and there is no need too be keeping 20″+ fish. Some people just will not release a walleye, no matter if its 11″ or 27″, and i think its kind of sad. All you can do is your part. I take alot of people fishing with me and they know before they set foot in my boat that i have a personal slot limit. You catch a 23″ i’ll print off a digital photo as soon as we get home so you can show it off. And you’ll have a couple nice fillets for the pan off of the 16″ers we caught.

I also have too add i am a huge proponent of slot limits. I have fished Winnie for many years, before the slot and after the slot. And when you see the difference in the quality of fishing on a lake like this you’ll quickly become a fan of slots. I still get plenty of nice eaters as before but the big difference is every year you catch more and more 20+” fish. So when you say some people keeping some 20″+ fish isnt hurting anything, i dont know if thats totally correct. What i do know is that a slot limit forcing people too put back those 20-26″ fish back is definately not hurting the lake, and can only be helping it. Sure a couple 20+” fish taken daily out doesnt seem like much but that turns into a couple dozen of them a week and then a couple hundred or thousands of them in a season. A couple hundred prime spawners a year and a couple hundred future “trophys” every season. That cant be good. And i also know this subject gets beat like a dead horse and i know its pretty much either you do or dont agree with slots. I think some people will not see any of the good slots can do unless you see it first hand as i’ve witnessed on Winnie.

With all due respect, Winnie isn’t the Mississippi River. I think even you would agree to the philosophy that what works for one body of water may not work for another? You are right, slots do help, but perhaps the regulations that are in place on the river are just as they should be?

I also would like to add one more thing, and that is a person who is predisposed to want to keep every fish they catch isn’t probably going to care about a slot, regardless of what it is. That is why I said in my earlier post that as long as the body of water has been researched, limits put into place based on that research, anyone that keeps any fish within the confines of the law is not hurting a thing. We need to have a little more faith in our fisheries people than to think they would blatantly allow the keeping of 20″ fish, in the river, if it was hurting the resource.

I spoke with the DNR fishery biologist for the Mille lacs area last year and asked him about female v.s male walleyes. He told me there is no way to tell the difference between the two?

These threads have a habit of going in a negative direction, people getting rude and personally attacking each other, etc. It’s a hot-button issue and people feel very passionate about their position, on all sides of the issue. I’d ask that we don’t let that happen here. I’m only asking. Hoping…

So, here’s my response to the original post and the thread as a whole…

The poster’s main points were 1)He’d like to see larger females released, 2) He’d like us to consider our responsibiity to our children and grandchildren, related to our natural resources I assume.

I like the message. It might have been stated more effectively, but we get the point. We promote selective harvest and CPR on this site all the time. Those of you who agree with the philosophy and want to spread the word, you’re going to be more effective if you speak from a position of respect and tolerance. Nobody likes to be told what to do. And not everybody feels the same about selective harvest and catch and release. I like to keep a few eater eyes once in a while, but I prefer to put the big girls back. I feel good about doing it. I wish others would too, but I don’t deny them their right to choose otherwise. All we can do is teach people that there is a way to have plenty of eaters and still maintain trophy fisheries at the same time. I think more and more people are getting the message and are CHOOSING to release larger females, moreso than ever before. So my message is, teach don’t preach. Be an example. Be a leader. And for goodness sakes folks, be kind to one another while you’re at it. We fishermen gotta stick together. Good night all…

Hey Derek!

To respond to your question to the DNR…I’m am a lousy walleye fisherman…and would fall into Matt’s definition of “uneducated”…but I’m working on it.

At spawn, it’s fairly easy to tell the boys from the girls…because of the belly full of eggs.

Wade summed it up very well…I can tell you what’s right for me (within the law), I can tell you what’s good for the fishery (from bioligist) but I can’t tell you what’s right for you.

Good night Gracy, where ever you are…

I find it interesting how little respect the lowly sauger gets on the river. People that will release a 28″ walleye will keep a 20″ sauger. These are both females full of egg.
It seems people have become imprinted to release all walleyes and keep all sauger for the dinner plate.

I fish pool 8 a ton. I do not think that everyone is keeping the 20+ inche fish like they use too. I see more and more fish being released every year. I do see more fish kept during the weekends when there are more boats on the water. Personaly I do not have a problem with it. It just makes me feel twice as good to look at the faces of the people watching me release big fish

To each there own, can’t we all just get along

Good luck fishing People

Slip i think the DNR does realize that there are bodies of water without slots right now, that do need slots. They have seen how well they have worked on these bodies of water. I really think they are working toward a statewide slot at some point in the future. But you cant just go from what we have now too a 17-26″ slot all at once, too much of a backlash. So they are “weening” it in. It started with 1 over 24″. Now i believe its going too 1 over 20″. And in about 5 more years it will tighten again. No slots wont do for every body of water what it has done for Winnie. But there are a ton of lakes out there that will benefit greatly. Alot of little lakes that in a state with 18,000 whatever lakes arent going too get individual attention and will only get regs through a statewide system. And no the river isnt Lake Winnie, but i still stand firm that taking 20″+ fish from that system isnt helping the system and putting them back sure isnt hurting it.

Do fish with no size limits deserve respect?

Sorry Gator …but you do make a valid argument.

I personally think everything should be released. Those 12″ fish you keep to eat were going to some day be the 20″ fish i was going to eat.

I agree with most of these posts, but what I think people are missing is that to some people, a 6 or 8 pound walleye is a trophy. Most of the people on here have caught fish that size. I think some of the boats and such that people are seeing big fish caught and kept are most likely a first big catch–we all remember that ah?? I personnaly release any fish that are obviously egged females, but I think is someone catches a fish that they feel is a trophy, and they keep it, so be it. Most likely, probably dont have the techneiques to catch very many of them, if ever again, who knows.

I was on pool 8 last weekend and cuaght a 7 pound egged female and immediatley let her go, a guy in a boat next to me said why did you do that?? I replyed that she was a female and had eggs. I honestly dont think some people even know. They just are out there because there are tons of boats.

Just had to get that off my shoulders–good luck and see yoa on the water.

CB

I agree with Wade. This site promotes Catch, Release and Selective harvest, better than any site I have ever been to. I don’t think the originals posters intent was to say IDA was doing bad things??? I think he was just venting in what he saw on the river in General. Secondly, I also agree to who ever said this.

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I think even you would agree to the philosophy that what works for one body of water may not work for another?

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I fish Mille Lacs a ton and used to have the same philisophy of not liking to keep anyhting over 20″. That was until talking with a DNR rep and inquiring about why the slot is bumped up to 22″ in July. He came back with a response that shocked me. He said, “That a good majority of the 20-22″ fish in the system currently are males.” He said it would actually help the system to harvest these fish. So I agree with protecting the larger females in the system, but what holds true on one fishery, may not be the same on another.

So I have my beliefs and thoughts and try to educate people, but as long as people are not breaking the law by harvesting these larger females, there is not much I can do about. So I try not to get my undies in a bunch to much I agree with the orignal posters statement, but doing it in a civil matter might be the best approach. I do understand that you were fed up and venting and have a passion to Walleye fish, but lets try to keep everything level headed here. Believe me we here @ IDA (as a group) are firm believers in being good stewards of the land and our resources

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I personally think everything should be released.

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I agree B!! Actually, I think we should just stop fishing to protect all fish…(oops! I hear P….E…….T…..A!)

Seriously, I was talking with the DNR about slots a while back. I couldn’t understand why Winni for example had a release of 17″ (with no bottom end) to whatever and the St Croix/sippi had had a 15″ minimum.

He explained that the 17 to whatever fish are in their prime time for reproducing and on lakes like Winni, it’s needed to keep the population up. On the Croix, there will “always” be enough prime spawners, if they protect the smaller fish to ensure they make it to their prime.

It don’t make sense to me…but they are the experts and that’s what we pay them for.

This topic has come up every year on this board and it is always a good one. Down here at Dubuque we have a protected slot for walleyes from 20″ to 27″. It begins below the dam at DBQ and continues all the way down to the Missouri border. Iowa wanted to include the pools above DBQ to the Minnesota border in the protected slot but the Wisconsin DNR would not go along with it above DBQ. Wisconsin did not see a need for a protected slot in that stretch of river which includes most of pool 9, pool 10 and pool 11. I guess they felt the numbers of walleye were sufficient. Before the protected slot began I seldom kept fish over 20″. Once in a great while I would but when I keep fish to eat I prefer the ones between 15″ and 20″.

I guess I’d say that if the body of water you are fishing on has no protected slot and the fish you are keeping are legally caught fish then we have no right to come down on fishermen for doing something completely legal. I respect those people who practice CPR with the 20″ plus female walleyes but don’t get angry with someone doing something the laws say that they can. If you don’t like it then it is up to you and the people who feel the same way that you do to pressure your states to change the laws. I know there are many people who would think we are looney for releasing big female walleyes mainly because they don’t know any better. Their state tells them they can keep these bigger fish and until the laws say otherwise there isn’t much we can do but continue to practice CPR and hope it catches on.

Eyehunter

I am new to fishing pool 2 but I berleive that both sauger and the mighty walleye should be released in the big female range if someone wants a trophy they can always take pics and measure before they release and have mounts made or as you sat just take pics I have found so far that you can almost always get good eaters in the 16″ to 19″ range on just about every trip

One thing that I will say is that most every fisherman that I know, and really I think an overwhelming majority of walleye fisherman DO let those 20+ inch fish go. Yes, you are still going to see some keep them, but in the overall scheme of things, I would bet that there are a heck of alot more going back than are going into the well.

Slots are great, but as some have already said, what works for one body of water, doesn’t always work for the other. A statewide slot someday…….. I personally don’t like the idea. I myself let anything over 18″ go usually, but a 17-26 protected slot would roil alot of people and it might even have an effect on tourism and fishing business that lots of people rely on.

Larry C you have a Private Message. Look for the blinking envelope at the top of your screen!

Just funnin in my 1st post every one has different opinions about this subject and that is what makes us indviduals and not followers.No ones opinion is correct in everyone elses eyes.Hope that makes sense.

Iowa tried to get WI to go along with there slot limit on pools 11, 10, and 9. WI said no. I dont think the DNR is moving to a slot, but I could be wrong. I would love to see a 1 fish over 20″ limit. I think the fishing has gotten better the last 10 years so why would you try to fix something that isnt broken. Another point I wont to add is that a system can only handle so many fish, alot more 17″ fish then 20+” fish. So there needs to be a balance.

I release all walleye over 19″, whether the law requires me to do so or not. I do so on the rivers and reservoirs in SE Iowa where I have lived for five years now, even though there is little succesful natural reproduction of walleye in those waters. I do so because large walleye aren’t very good eating, which I know from experience when I was younger, and because those fish can grow larger and reach trophy size.

I lived in Winona for seven years, and saw quite a few big females kept, including some I kept when I was younger and didn’t know any better. I do think a lot of them are being released, which is a good thing. I also agree with those who say C and R of large walleye is becoming more popular, based on what I have seen and heard.

The MN-WI section of the Mississippi has a 15″ minimum size limit on walleye, which ensures that fish have a chance to reach sexual maturity before they are harvested. This is a great deal better than nothing.

The IA-IL section of the Mississippi down here has a 15″ minimum on walleye, along with a 20-27″ slot limit, which requires all walleye within it to be released. So far, that seems to be improving the walleye population down here, by all accounts. As someone else said, though, the Wisconsin DNR does not consider it necessary, and from what I hear neither does the Minnesota DNR. So, although I would like to see Minnesota and Wisconsin try it, I am not holding my breath on seeing a similar slot limit enacted anywhere between Dubuque and the Cities.

I am guessing that Minnesota’s new state-wide limit of only one walleye over 20″ per day does not apply on the MN-WI section of the Mississippi, which is too bad. Ironically, I don’t like the state-wide application of this slot limit. Most lakes in the Metro area and the southern third of Minnesota have little succesful natural reproduction of walleye, and so protecting large fish on them makes less sense to me, since I believe the best argument for a slot limit is boosting natural reproduction by protecting the large females. That is why I would like to see a slot on the Mississippi, where the walleye population is entirely self-sustaining.

And, there is no way to tell a male walleye from a female walleye if the fish is less than 18″ or so. Externally, male and female walleye are identical. Male walleye seldom grow to be over 18″, so it is safe to assume that all fish over that size are female. Females under 18″ or so have not yet reached sexual maturity, so the burden of spawning falls on mature females which in most waters are larger than that size.

I have asked the fisheries biologist this question. His answer was, saugers reproduce better than walleyes. That is why it is more “ok” to keep some eater saugers..

Now, that is just what is true for the pools around me..

I wouldn’t go somewhere out of town, and just assume the same thing..I would find out before keeping any fish..

Oh and I have the same opinion as others..any walleye sauger, that is 20 or above is released. Saugers that get into the 18-19 inch range are good fish as well, and probably should also get released. So if you get along with the fillet knife, the 16-17 inchers make plenty of food.

I also agree with releasing the bigger fish and keeping fish around the 17 inch range. Are there any health risks to eating a 20 inch fish compared to a 17 incher? I know the DNR has consumption charts for inland lakes, and I am just wondering how that compares on the river. River guys always have seemed a little odd to me, maybe its because they eat too many river walleyes.

I personally release all eyes over 20 for my own reasons and only keep them under when I’m going to eat them fresh. Now opener on the Croix is a different story. That’s the one day(maybe weekend) of the year I practice old time meat huntin. I still dont keep them past 20 (like I ever get one that big on the Croix) but I keep everything 15-19 until I limit. It’s fun to put that hat on once in a great while and really hunt them down.

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Are there any health risks to eating a 20 inch fish compared to a 17 incher? I know the DNR has consumption charts for inland lakes, and I am just wondering how that compares on the river.

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GOOD QUESTION !
MY THOUGHTS ARE, I WOULD RATHER EAT A YOUNGER FISH THEN ONE THAT HAS BEEN IN THIS RIVER FOR THAT MANY YR’S.

BY THE WAY HOW OLD IS A 17″ FISH ANYWAY? (HERE IN THE RIVER)