Mississippi River Walleye & Sauger Slot Limit?

Just curious what your feelings would be on a slot being tried on the Mississippi River like they have done on the Fox River in Green Bay, Illinois River, and Upper Mississippi River lower pools of the river?

I’d personally like to see a four fish walleye limit of (16-19 inches), and then one over 28 inches per day. For saugers the size limit should be 16 inches as well.

I would fathom in very little (say period of five years) time we too would have a trophy fishery on Pools 4-10 much like Green Bay. This would really protect the spawning females from overharvest in spring, which although we’d like not to believe it; many get filleted, it does happen.

What are your thoughts on this? Could it work if a fishermen pushed for it?

Wow… this is pretty heated race… anyone want to discuss their thoughts?

I can’t speak for the other pools south of 4, but the DNR studies show that the P4 eyes (and saugers) grow fast and die young. Having a slot as the one you’re suggesting would be pointless on P4.

The DNR read I’m referencing is in the Articles Forum on Ido…it’s a good read if you have 3 to 6 hours.

Again on P4, due largely to a ex walleye fisherman named James Holst and the internet fad, there are many more large fish released now than there ever were in the past.

Besides…I talked with the biologists on P4 about 4 years ago. They wouldn’t support it at that time because of the reasons above.

I can’t comment on the other Pools.

Slots do work, just not on every water.

Don’t really think a slot is what we need just lower limits my 2 cents worth

I’ve always thought of Pool 4 as a trophy fishery anyway.

Why keep one over 28″?

I would love to see a slot and a lower bag limit…

More so a slot on my waters…(Pool 10)

I don’t think we have the versatile spawning areas like P4 has.. And I still there is is a LOT of meat hunters out there that load their freezers just because they can..

I also think that this website has done a fantastic job of educating the fishermen with it’s followers..

So with any regulation…there is a need for sportsmen and women’s cooperation with the regulations. Even if your buddy is the violator, it’s your job to turn this poacher in.. I have lost one friend because of it, but I look at it as this..he wasn’t going to abide by the law…he wasn’t that good of a friend..

Well,,,that went in an interesting direction

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Why keep one over 28″?

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Tourney weigh in.

-J.

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And I still there is is a LOT of meat hunters out there that load their freezers just because they can..

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We will always have these people out there. I still hear guys complaining up north about catching 5# walleye all day long on Winnie and not being able to keep them.

I have wondered the same thing. It was nice seeing someone in pool 4 (last Sat on the 26th) Catch a trophy walleye, took a couple pics, and released it. Most people I know would do the same.

Interesting thread-could see this really working on some pools.

Illinois and Iowa have a slot on the Mississippi for the past 7 years. It’s done great things for our fishery down here. I hope they never lift it. I would like to see a minimum length of 14″ put on the saugers. Just my 2 cents.

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Interesting thread-could see this really working on some pools.

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A total Catch and Release year around regulation has done wonders for our streach of the river up here on Pool 2….

Just somthing to think about.

-J.

I’m in Jon !!!!

I’m there about 99.9% right now

Freezers full?
I’m sure all you who KNOW about these people are keeping track and when they go over their limits, making the phone call????

Facts need figures, or you all just guessing that’s there’s freezers full of fish out there?

Sounds like “he said, she said” to me.

Considering the amount of exposure C&R is is getting and the amount of people who say they release fish, further education seems to be the cure.
Not more restrictions/laws

Al

I’m a big fan of slot regulations. That doesn’t mean it’s a one size fits all but for the right waters, it can do a lot for the walleye & sauger populations.

Pool 4 – I have always considered this one of the very best walleye & sauger fisheries in the entire U.S.

All those fishermen who are releasing female fish of all sizes at this time of the year deserve a heck of a lot of credit for that!

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All those fishermen who are releasing female fish of all sizes at this time of the year deserve a heck of a lot of credit for that!

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AMEN TO THAT BUDDY !!!

Pool 4 read the study. I say leave it alone.

Mwal

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Illinois and Iowa have a slot on the Mississippi for the past 7 years. It’s done great things for our fishery down here. I hope they never lift it. I would like to see a minimum length of 14″ put on the saugers. Just my 2 cents.

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X2! Cut my walleye angling teeth on the Mississippi pools between P14 and P19…there, the slot was the best thing they ever could have done for the fishery. Really improved the numbers of larger fish, and at least in my experience, improved the numbers of 12-15″ fish also. GREATLY improved fishery in this case. Up here now on the Wisconsin, pretty much the same slot in place, but everyone tells me it’s full of fish, but very sort on keepers…don’t know why that is. Pressure? Fishery make-up?

I would like to see a closed season on P4,say March 1st to April 15th.Then the spawning females wouldn’t get all stressed out.

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Interesting thread-could see this really working on some pools.

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A total Catch and Release year around regulation has done wonders for our streach of the river up here on Pool 2….

Just somthing to think about.

-J.

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I would not want pool 2 to be any other way.

What would the reasoning by behind this. Is it to try and make the pool less appealing for tournaments? Other than that I dont think there would be much effect. Pool 2 has been full catch and release forever and there are still certain times of the year that I think pool 4 is a better fishery.

So what type of numbers and size do you want to see on pool 4. 12#ers would be great all day but dont think it will ever happen. The Mississippi river is not the great lakes.

I have seen slots work very well. It almost sounds like many fishermen have a self imposed slot limit in this area and that has to contribute to the good fishing. I know I was on a slot lake in Canada last summer and found it very rewarding to catch four fish that were too big to every one for the fryer.

My 2 cents, the fishery dosnt “need” a slot to be a world class walleye fishery it is already that…. BUT i do beleive that if we did something to protect the bigger fish say 24 to 28 and leave the bottom end of eyes at 15 the meat hunters would have no problem catching their fish for the pan if the fish are biting and the fishery would be full of 8 pound fish…… now i know that pool 4 cannot be as good as say a rainy river but i do beleive it can be very very competitive!! for anybody that has made a run to rainy in the fall or spring it is simply amazing the number of people that drive hours and hours to fish there and they cant even keep a big fish i beleive the slot in the spring is 19 and down? now in my mind the businesses around pool 4 would love all that attraction us locals may not but then again if i can catch 8 lbers on a regular bases then i wouldnt mind the crowd

bigger fish=more people fishing=more revenue for local business=more happy fisherman taking fish of a life time.

for the information that fish in pool 4 grow fast and die fast well i would rather see a 12 lber floating because of old age than a 6 lber being flayed for dinner in the cleaning shack never able to grow to trophy size.

I AM FOR A SLOT AS ARE MOST PEOPLE I KNOW! lets rally and get it passed

lol i doubt it will ever happen though

We just opened 3 of our dams to winter fishing this year. Found out closing the walleye fishing during those months affected the sauger and walleye ZERO. I would like to see a size limit on sauger and a one over for the big girls.

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Why keep one over 28″?

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Tourney weigh in.

-J.

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Good point Jon. I guess I was only thinking about catch and release and not eat!

A slot and reduced limits would be great for my diet. I’m having a hard time eating a full limit of 6+lbers every week.

I`m with you Tony. Just dont tell anybody how good the fishing is now on 14. LOL. Sauger size limit is a must. I would like to see a creel/netting study on before and after they started the slot. I know all pools are different and may not have the same affect as up north.

I can’t speak for other pools, but I would support a slot on pools 6 & 7. I’ve watched the quality go downhill for a long, long time. Why not at least try it for a few years?