How many big walleyes are there?!?

[Stick in Mud]

I was out this afternoon and caught a 21'' walleye a little down from the Sartell dam. I've been fishing this area for about fifteen years, and I bet I've caught less than twenty fish over 20''. And I've only got one piggie, a 29'', but that was in the spring, when I've caught most of my "big" ones.

I must admit that I don't spend a lot of time working to catch walleyes; I usually accidentally run into them while fishing for bass. But I have targeted them numerous times, and I bet 98% of the fish are about 14'', maybe 15''.

Are any of you out there catching big walleyes? (I don't have any interest in finding out where you catch them if you do.) I am just curious because today's "monster" made me wonder if I'm just that bad of a walleye fisherman.

Carl

[Shack]

Between St. Cloud and Anoka, a 30 plus incher is not out of the question! I have seen some mounted that have caught in this area.

I would say all in all 15-18" on average! Fish them hard for a week or two then you will start seeing larger ones come around!

[Stick in Mud]

Shackback,

You are right--there are some big ones around. I saw a guy catch one carp fishing in the spring from the bridge over the Watab River in Sartell. One of the funniest things I've seen is watching that giant fish head-shake in the river while that guy waddled his way down the rocks and through the trees so he could actually land it. Amazingly, he got it in. Turned out it was almost 31''.

Carl

[Tippman]

I've seen them to 28.5 come out of the St. Cloud area.

The last full moon I know someone who caught 6 of them over 24" during the late night on cranks. I don't fish walleyes on the river much myself as I usually stick to the bass.

[Stick in Mud]

Tippman,

Were those fish caught from shore or in a boat?

Carl

[Tippman]

All shore fishing in a few different areas.

[ASMOLEY]

Last year late october we landed 7 fish over 25inches on the river would love to tell you where but im hoping to have a repeat this year

[Stick in Mud]

Nice stringers! I must say I'm jealous. I guess I know the fish are in there because I have caught a few; it's just that I don't catch as many as I would expect. Maybe I just suck at catching river walleye.

Do most of the big fish come from near dams?

[Shack]

I wouldn’t say dams only, but man made structures and naturally made ones too.

[Stick in Mud]

LOL shackbash! so the fish come from structure both man-made and naturally occurring! Way to be specific!!!

I'm just joshing. I'm the last person who should be giving anyone crap about finding big river walleyes.

[river rat316]

I think above St Cloud there a little more common, my biggest down here has been 22" although when I was a kid I remember catching a 6 pounder with my dad (no measurement) my biggest above St Cloud was 27"... I dont see why you care about that trash fish around here... I hope you fillet em all

[Royce Aardahl]

cleaned 2 of those trash fish out to clean yesturday rr.

[Shack]

carmike,

I was thinking of a great spot, that is man made, but not a dam. I threw in a "natural spot" to throw off the "man made" shout out!

In a round about way, I am telling someone in the area or who knows the area of a spot with out telling the spot!

People do not like when one tell a direct spot!

If ya get what I mean!

[CNCMike]

Spoken like a politician!

[river rat316]

There is no "man made" structure that you speak of.... now be quiet and go fish cats

[ASMOLEY]

Went out last friday above the Sartell dam and pulled out a 22incher had a total of 6 walleye in two hours the rest were < 15". Nice having the river to myself and finally get rid of the recreation. The current was unreal for this time of year and water levels are extremly high. Difficult to fish but well worth it!

[Stick in Mud]

OK fellas, so I have to do some bragging. I went out last week and caught a 24'', 26'', and a 29'' that was fatter than any walleye I've ever seen. Definitely the heaviest walleye I've ever caught. I must say it was a blast! The pike are going bonkers too; just be careful, because it don't take much for that expensive shad rap/husky jerk/ripstick to get clipped off.

And I caught a 21'' that I actually cleaned (all the above were put back in) and it had a fairly large catfish in its stomach. Man are those fish eating. Go hit the 10th street dam or Sauk Rapids for some walleyes, if you can handle it!

And just a note: I've been talking to guys fishing up by Sartell (below the dam) who say they haven't been doing all that well. I have NO idea why they aren't catching fish, but apparently that's the bite. Anyone else know anything?

Carl

[3pronghook]

pulled a 28" out of a hole near little falls last night. same hole I landed a 31 1/2" a few years ago. the later fish was caught pre spawn and would guess at least 12 lbs. the big ones are there. where are they all summer? today no big ones, but a nice limit of 15"-18". had miles of river all to myself. unbelievable action this last 2 weeks. good luck.

[EBass]

22" river walter - it should've been a bass though

[Stick in Mud]

Nice fish. You look so happy!

Should have been a bass? Did you catch him on a senko? I ask because I've caught almost as many on senkos this year as on more traditional baits.

[EBass]

DT6 in some fast current. I think there was a submerged tree or something. Made the same casts 4 times then she hit. Fought real well too. (Don't tell RR316) I thought it was a cat then I saw the white tip. Still wasn't a bass though

[river rat316]

they fight marginally better in colder water... still a wuss of a fish though... hope you kept it or threw it up on shore... don't need those things making babies

[Stick in Mud]

Fillet and release, that's my motto!

(Sometimes. I actually let 98% of my fish go; hopefully the kids can fillet and release more than I've been able to.)

[river rat316]

ahhh the hot grease release... gotta love it

[river rat316]

heres some river walters.... not that I care

heres what you should really be after

[Stick in Mud]

Nice bass. What is that, 14''?

[river rat316]

That 19.5" Bass pulled harder than both those walleyes put together .... actually that bass gave a fight on 17lb test and a MH 7' baitcasting setup, the walleyes on the other hand (27" and 22") gave up little to no fight the 27"er was caught on 10 lb test on a crankbait no less and took all of 15 seconds to land in very swift current (my 109 trolling motor was on high to hold) the 22"er took less than that on 6lb spinning gear... like I said there only redeeming quality is there taste

[Royce Aardahl]

Real men use 10 pound XT to catch those big bronzebax!

[Stick in Mud]

10 lb?!?!? REAL men use 8 lb XL !!!!!!!

[bassfishingnerd]

8 pound is the equivalent of going bear hunting with a hickory switch!