Backwards Walleye Slots

[NCLaker]

Not sure how many lakes do this, but Green Lake in Chisago has a slot that you can only keep Walleyes 17" and over. This is backwards compared to most lakes I am familiar with that have a slot 18-19" and over must be released. i've undertood that these bigger fish are the reproducers, they want to keep them in the lake so the walleye population can naturally reproduce instead of having to rely only on restocking from the DNR.

If that is correct then why would Green lake want to release the smaller walleyes which everyone typically refers to as the best eaters (14-17"), and keep the bigger fish that are important to natural reproduction. This slot has been there for at least the last 5 years, probably a lot longer.

Green lake use to have a 9" slot on crappies (had to be 9" or bigger to keep), but lifted it 1-2 years ago. Neverheard if it helped or not.

[FM_Mike]

There are probably very few walleyes in the lake that are over 17". This means in order to support the walleye population, they want to leave more fish in the lake to grow and spawn. We have all seen or heard of people keeping their limit of smaller fish (And they're well within their rights to do so) leaving very few fish that would reach larger sizes. I don't know if the lake you speak is stocked or if it can maintain natural production but the measure seems to be to protect numbers.

All this is speculation, calling your local DNR office would give you the correct answer.

Mike

[NEUT6899]

Pearl Lake in Stearns County has the same slot...

[fishnowworknever]

Waconia is 16"

[Steelhead Chaser]

Wondered the same thing. On the St. Croix River, the only restriction on walleye is that they have to over 15 inches to keep. Seems to be the opposite approach to most places where they are protecting the larger fish and not the smaller ones. Must be due to the population of fish in the given body of water?

[Sonicrunch]

The deal with Waconia is that there is likely not much of a natural spawn. Thus, a slot like Mille Lacs wouldn't do much good.

[ANYFISH2]

I have no knowledge of the biology of Green lake, although I think Sonic has it right. More than likely the lake doesn't naturally reproduce, thus making it a put and take fishery and the slot is put in place to allow the population to reach a more desired size and to keep numbers of catchable fish.

As for the St. Croix I not sure why exactly there is min of 16". My only guess would be because, prior to the reg there was significant harvest of smaller fish 12-14" which really took care of year classes very early on resulting in a population that was annully dominated buy 12-13" fish with few reaching the preferd size and larger.

[Nick Kuhn]

As for the St. Croix I not sure why exactly there is min of 16". My only guess would be because, prior to the reg there was significant harvest of smaller fish 12-14" which really took care of year classes very early on resulting in a population that was annully dominated buy 12-13" fish with few reaching the preferd size and larger.

St. Croix has that minimum length because it at least partially lies in the ceded territory of Wisconsin which has a treaty negotiated 15" minimum length limit.

A minimum length is normally the standard practice for put and take fisheries (those without natural reproduction).