We’ll never know how many walleyes were in the system 40 years ago or how good it was. Over the past 10 years of DNR population studies, there seems to be a positive trend towards strong and stable populations. Is it as good as its ever been? Heck, I don’t know. That really wasn’t the statement in contention. Flatbottom made the arguement that all the fish were gone, can’t catch what isn’t there. I was responding to that sentiment.
There’s a ton o’ walleyes in that thar river….
thats the trouble we have as a “group” is our perspective is skewed greatly depending on who you talk to…. I have worked creel census before and anyone who has done that has seen it all… Ive went from one angler group that was practically ready to “tip” me for the great job we (DNR) had done to the next where I was lucky to escape with my hide because they held us (I mean ME!!) personally accountable for the fact they had caught no fish and therefore there were no fish to be caught!! Thats why its a shame that we dont have some kind of angling archive that would record angler success on a wide basis… the Mn DNR has been using the old Fuller Tackle shop records to study the decline of fisheries over a period of years and have been able to statistically show a decline in quality over that time…..
and James for sure YOU are right.. the fish are in pool 4… it would be impossible to argue that they are not!!.. Ive fished it enough to agree… consistantly one of the best places Ive EVER fished for walleye and sauger…… but I have heard comments about some other pools farther down… and I have NO basis to know the truth of those….
Flatbottom i do partly agree with you, but then i have another side to, Yeah the fishery is good now, there are a lot of guys that catch and release and keep just a few, but the thing is look how many guys fish pool 4 now. This is where your thinking comes in. If pool 4 gets pounded this hard for a while it is going to get bad. This year is one of the busiest years i have seen it. Last year we didn’t have to go to pool 4 much cause we had enough in our own pool, now i don’t know if that will be the same. More and more and more boats are showing up with keeping priorities, if they could get into catch and release we will be just fine. The fishery is pretty good. There are a lot of fish. A lot of guys do catch and release and just keep a few, so if it stays like that it will be fine.
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