3R’s: The Kesslers covers up alot of bad taste. 
First and foremost, yes, bigger fish produce more eggs and potentially have better genetics. Releasing these fish is EXCELLENT for most fisheries.
Aside from this, I’d argue there are a lot of misconceptions out there about keeping and eating larger fish or river fish.
While some may be true, like the potential for more contaminants, filleting out the center line removes most of them and its a practice I use and recommend on all walleyes regardless of size.
The other thing is ensuring there is absolutely no hint of blood or fish slime anywhere near your meat. I am 100% convinced that THIS is the #1 reason your fish will taste bad, and the blood and slime from different lakes/rivers can effect your meat in different ways.
I’ve eaten quite a few fish from the Hastings portion of the MS river, the dirtiest river water you can find around here, and the meat is sweet, succulent, firm, and better than fish out of any lake I’ve tried.
I feel the slime and blood on a river fish filet is critical to thoroughly rinse off. In my experiences, the effects of slime/blood on the meat with lake fish is more forgiving to sloppy fish cleaning. The end result for the average Joe hacking up a walleye filet – lake fish taste better.
Another thing I don’t think many people consider with larger fish is that thicker flakes of meat make for a much more pleasurable fish-eating experience. I’ll take 1/4″ flakes over 2 millimeter micro-flakes any day.
Here’s a little blog post I wrote up earlier in the year on how I like to fillet fish: http://burchfishing.blogspot.com/2012/03/tips-on-fish-preperation.html
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First and foremost, yes, bigger fish produce more eggs and potentially have better genetics. Releasing these fish is EXCELLENT for most fisheries.
The other thing is ensuring there is absolutely no hint of blood or fish slime anywhere near your meat.
…I allways try to keep my fish alive until i get back to the dock. Then i bleed them out by cuting there throat and gills. After cuting there troat i put them back in the livewell. They will swim around for few minutes and pump out all there blood. By doing this the meat will be much whiter and there will not be near as big of a mess on the cleaning table. 
..And try to NEVER let SLIME on your meat.!!..rrr
Love it when you talk dirty Randy! 
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Love it when you talk dirty Randy!
I was just thinking the same thing! 
Hope none of the girls at The Bluff’s see this! 
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Love it when you talk dirty Randy!
I was just thinking the same thing!
..There is a new one at the bluffs with a great set of 
bluffs. 
……..rrr
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…I allways try to keep my fish alive until i get back to the dock. Then i bleed them out by cuting there throat and gills. After cuting there troat i put them back in the livewell. They will swim around for few minutes and pump out all there blood. By doing this the meat will be much whiter and there will not be near as big of a mess on the cleaning table.
This method works the best from the many things I have tried!!
I would like to put out a challenge, walleyes from a lake vs walleyes from the river both prepped the same, taste test for a limit creek rod best 3 out of 5 wins a rod, loser buys a rod, the reason for 3 out of 5 eliminates guessing
riverdan–You fixum i will tasteum. 
..rrr
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I would like to put out a challenge, walleyes from a lake vs walleyes from the river both prepped the same, taste test for a limit creek rod best 3 out of 5 wins a rod, loser buys a rod, the reason for 3 out of 5 eliminates guessing
I would take you up on this challenge any day! Win or lose sounds like fun, and either way I’d get an awesome new rod 
I still think the finer details in prep make a bigger difference than where the fish is from though.
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I would like to put out a challenge, walleyes from a lake vs walleyes from the river both prepped the same, taste test for a limit creek rod best 3 out of 5 wins a rod, loser buys a rod, the reason for 3 out of 5 eliminates guessing
Better yet dont season them. Then you will get the true taste of the fish. Not the hidden taste.
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