growth rate for walleyes

question–in northern iowa and southern Minn. how long does it take a walleye to grow to 13-14 inches. it would be nice to know as to the river conditions that predicated the large amount of that size fish this year–not only on the miss. but also the wapsi. snagged

I know our growth rates on the Maquoketa and the Sippi are supposed to be phenomenal – would assume the same on the Wapsi. I would guess those fish to be 2 year olds. If I am incorrect then they would be 3 but I believe all the info I have had from local biologists would indicate they are 2. So those are likely the eggs from ’04, perhaps ’03. I believe the best nesting success on the Mississippi is where we have a gradual warming of the water as well as flooding occuring at about the time the eggs are laid. It ups the zooplankton populations the fry feed on initially and also allows eyes to move up into flooded vegetation and rock substrate to lay the eggs.

Of course the interior streams in Iowa are stocked with ‘eyes and very little natural reproduction occurs, so the nesting has no real application on those rivers.
Chuckles