Low weights

[Deep_Sinker]

We fished all day today and caught a lot of fish but I am wondering what is up with the low weights of the big girls? We caught 2 27" fish and one 28" that had really low weights. The 27s weighed out at 5.5lbs. and the 28 weighed a little over 6. We measured on two different scales. The fished looked healthy and fought great, but is there a food scarce or are they stressed out from the spawn still???

[Big R]

Obvious this is very similar to the great 2002 bite when the baitfish population was at very low levels. This is very cyclic. But given the stress that a big fish undergoes when caught I would recommend not sticking them on scales when it is obvious they are goint to be released.

[LovenLifeGuy]

Fish we have caught have been very healthy and thick. I just looked at some photos from that year you were speaking of and you can not compare the two. They did look sick that year!

LovenLifeGuy

[Deep_Sinker]

Quote:

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But given the stress that a big fish undergoes when caught I would recommend not sticking them on scales when it is obvious they are goint to be released.

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It was done merely to validate our suspicions and was done quickly. But, I too think that the bait fish must not be there in the numbers needed.

[Kyle Sandberg]

I don't know about that. Fishing this winter on the east side rock piles I had the camera down watching the fish. When there were no predator fish in the area, huge shools of 2" long perch came through. Seemed at the time like the forage base was pretty good.

[minniwinni91]

K dawg I noticed the same thing this winter There were lot's of tiny perch.

[JDM]

Just one guy's opinion, but I also think the bigger fish are skinnier this year. However, I would really have liked to get a look at the one my 7 year old daughter hooked on Saturday morning that wouldn't come off the bottom and snapped her 8 lb leader!

[rodmaker]

You are correct. I think the year was 2004 or 2005 when the heads looked big on the skinny fish.

I've caught (1) 29 ". (1) 28 1/4 this year, and (5) between 26 & 26 1/2. and they looked healthy, and thick, not the big girth now. But thick.

[D_BOONE]

Talked to the DNR out on the lake last week and he said that the perch hatch is going to be very good this year, so when they get big enough to eat it will not take long for them walleyes to get nice and fat! Which in return will make fishing a little tougher out there. The couple fish I have cleaned this year have had nothing in their stomachs.

[rodmaker]

I spoke with my Cousin last night and he mentioned on the slot fish he cleaned over the weekend, he noticed 1 to 1 1/2 " perch they were feeding on.

[jwalleye]

Alot of the big skinney walleye we are catching are very old males that made it to the slot is what I have been told. still fun to catch but lighter that the big females

[slabslayer28]

i had the camera down on indian point seems like there are alottt if crayfish down there. shouldnt the walleyes being getting at those?

[bassin]

Did you happend to see a rod down there

[Bigfife]

The walleyes are definitely feeding on crawfish in some areas. A couple ended up in the livewell last weekend. It is interesting how a person can catch a fat 25 inch fish and then a strung out 27 the next. I have been seeing some very beat up fish also.

[minnesotatuff]

ive noticed a big difference in fish also. its almost like they are from different lakes. some are fat and colorful. others are greyish, beat-up looking and thin.

also wanted to say that ive dove on indian point a number of times in years past...quite a few years past. its always been "anchor haven." i found a jointed rapala & junk that i still have. the crawfish were everwhere. my brother and i collected enough to see if they taste as good as everyone says...they do, but you have to take the black vein out and what youre left with is barely a little bite...hardly worth the effort.

one of the coolest things i ever found diving was from indian point, an old propeller from a left hand screw inboard...maybe from an old launch? it had a date stamped on it "3-13-39" and "H-E/L", also "FEDERAL MOGUL", "DETROIT USA", "S3D5012F" and "15X12LH".

regards,

minnesotatuff