Walleyes for Tomorrow 2024

[pclark]

We started the program on Friday by setting out the nets. Today, Saturday, we brought in the catch which was very good and a mix of males and females. We netted 5 females that were huge, the largest was 30” and the others were slightly smaller. They were fat with eggs and 3 of them were in the 6-8lb range, the others 5-6lbs. After milking the males and taking the eggs from the females we performed our science project and they will become tadpoles in about 2-3 weeks. We’ll be checking the nets again for the next few days and repeating the process. Attached are two pictures of them in our holding tubs (sorry, there isn’t much time to get better pics) but you can see these monsters in the tubs.

 

[skiroule]

Look at those beauties! Hopefully anyone hooking one of these lunkers, even if legal to keep, are just taking a photo and releasing them back to make more little Walleyes.

I read about a Canadian study that pretty much dispelled the myth that the older, larger female Walleyes aren’t as productive as the younger fish. In fact, they found just the opposite, they are still prolific spawners and may even be genetically stronger fish that produce higher quality offspring.

This is a great program and your efforts are paying off. I’m sure you have told us this before, but when are the little ones released into the lake?

 

[whitedust]

Good work!

 

[pclark]

Look at those beauties! Hopefully anyone hooking one of these lunkers, even if legal to keep, are just taking a photo and releasing them back to make more little Walleyes.

I read about a Canadian study that pretty much dispelled the myth that the older, larger female Walleyes aren’t as productive as the younger fish. In fact, they found just the opposite, they are still prolific spawners and may even be genetically stronger fish that produce higher quality offspring.

This is a great program and your efforts are paying off. I’m sure you have told us this before, but when are the little ones released into the lake?

We have 10 lakes on our chain and the DNR surveys them every fall to estimate what the walleye population per acre is in each lake. They then decide what lake we release the tadpoles in when we are ready, usually about 3 weeks, it has been the same lake for 2 years now. Just an fyi, all those big walleyes can out of the same lake.

 

[katden4]

Thank you very much for sharing! Very interesting how the process works.

 

[pclark]

We netted a second batch today and 3 of the 6 were stuffed with fish. 1st net had some nice walleye, a 40”+ very hefty Musky, and loads of bass, Smallmouth and Largemouth. (A couple 5lb + smallmouth)Crappie and Bluegill as well. 2nd net had some real hefty walleye in the 28”+ range loaded with eggs. Some of the largest ones were released after we determined that they were “green “, not ready to spawn or release eggs. A couple pics of the walleyes today.

 

[pclark]

Also forgot to mention that we netted a lot of 15”-18” males, a couple with clipped fins that were stocked 5-6 years ago so they are growing. It’s almost like you’re in an episode of “Drain the Lakes”

 

[pclark]

We don’t have much time for pictures but here is one from today.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

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[goofy600]

And Paul can you PM me with the name of that lake.

 

[pclark]

And Paul can you PM me with the name of that lake.

Hey Jim, I bet if we set nets out in a couple of lakes on your chain we get the same results. I know at least two lakes on your chain where we used to find some really nice size walleyes when we used to stay up there. 40 mph winds today, rain tonight, more netting tomorrow. Enjoy your warm temps!

 

[mike1970]

Very cool, Paul. Thanks for sharing the pics and story! It's great to see all the effort behind keeping our fisheries healthy. There is a big trap net project in Northern MN too in the Winnibigoshish/Cutfoot area. They too, have been finding many females still had hard bellies and weren't yet ready to harvest eggs. I guess regardless of the weather and ice out, Mother Nature always knows when to do her thing.
I've heard that some years that we have really late ice out, the fish will even begin spawning below the ice, regardless of water temp.

 

[pclark]

Very cool, Paul. Thanks for sharing the pics and story! It's great to see all the effort behind keeping our fisheries healthy. There is a big trap net project in Northern MN too in the Winnibigoshish/Cutfoot area. They too, have been finding many females still had hard bellies and weren't yet ready to harvest eggs. I guess regardless of the weather and ice out, Mother Nature always knows when to do her thing.
I've heard that some years that we have really late ice out, the fish will even begin spawning below the ice, regardless of water temp.

Mike, I believe some of that is happening here, it’s obviously been a strange winter and spring. We had ice out on March 16, it the refroze for 3 weeks until 4/7. It appeared that some females had already spawned when we pulled them from the nets.

 

[pclark]

Today was the last day for netting. Very low take, the walleyes have spawned on our chain. We took a record 1.3 million eggs and they are currently in the process which will take about 2-3 weeks before they start to become tadpoles. When they are about an inch in size we will plant them in one of the lakes on our chain.

 

[bearrassler]

Today was the last day for netting. Very low take, the walleyes have spawned on our chain. We took a record 1.3 million eggs and they are currently in the process which will take about 2-3 weeks before they start to become tadpoles. When they are about an inch in size we will plant them in one of the lakes on our chain.

Sounds like a great program but who has to count the eggs?

 

[pclark]

I knew that question would come up. We usually let the new guy do it! All kidding aside, it’s a formula estimate. Here is what 1.3 million eggs look like.

 

[pclark]

We pulled the nets today and typically they would only have a few panfish but we had several nice walleye and 2 nice musky. Now we just wait until they grow a little before restocking them in a few weeks. The muskies were pretty tangled in the nets but we were able to get them out and release them safely. Pic of the smaller one.

 

[mezz]

Nice color on that baby. Good clean water tends to lend to the nice color, good to see.

 

[pclark]

Mezz, the fish that we netted the last couple of weeks were very healthy looking. We had some 40”+ muskies that were super healthy and all of the walleyes were very good looking. Even the largemouth and smallmouth bad looked great. Even had an eelpout!