20" walleyes

[jblabsnduck]

I would be more than willing to put the knife to a 24" wally.

I have no problem with that. I am not a walleye fishermen by any means but when I do catch one or two they go home regardless of size. No, I wont take home a 12" fish(14"-24") I wont take home a 28" fish, reason most likely taste like poop and I wouldn't put it on the wall.

It was stated that taking home a 24" walleye killed 1004 new wallys. I would like to see the data that shows all of those 1004 new wallys survive and are not eaten by other fish. How many actully make it? my guess would be no where close to that 1004.

Blast away all you want but it wont change the fact that I will keep a 24" fish. Let me say this, I would only keep one that was 24". If I was catching that size fish all night I would throw them back.

I only go after walleye maybe 5-6 times a year so when I catch some Ilike to keep them.

Don't get me wrong, I think the new law is a good idea but if a guy wants to keep a 24" fish while it IS legal then all the power to him or me in this case.

[Fish Head]

james walleye- great post! Not everyone is going to see things the same light. However I maintain that there is no reason to keep a walleye over 20". I will continue to have my fish fry with 14"-17" fish because I want future generations to have good fishing. I have friends who just do whatever they want in life and than work backward on their reasoning so that they have justified their actions. However I work the other way......... I want great fishing for future generations, so I think to myself "what can I do to help make this happen." IF ALL I CATCH IS 22" AND 24" FISH, IT WILL BE PIZZA TONIGHT!! I will still be happy that I caught some nice fish, I just won't eat them. We should do whatever we can to leave the fishing in this state better than it was before we were here.

Just my opion. We all have a right to that, even if yours is wrong. LOL... just kidding.

[james_walleye]

Fishhead i am coming too realize more and more that trying too "argue" this point is a waste of time. The people that i've had this discussion with that were against slots and tighter regs fish on lakes that dont have jack for pressure and in their minds dont need slots. Im not lucky enough too own a cabin on some little hidden jem up north. Their little jems dont have pressure so too heck with the rest of the state getting some help. All in all im not too worried when it comes down too it because the DNR obviously is seeing the need. Once people get used too the 1 over 20" number in about 7 years we will see a tighter restriction, and at some point it will come too a statewide slot, you can bet on that.

And Jblad it was a game warden who gave me those figures. After predation and so on thats the number he gave me. And you know what, whether its 1,000, 500, 100 or 25 walleyes that survive from putting a 24" walleye back, its all more than worth it too ensure the future of the lake.

[MRWALLEYE2005]

I have eaten many 20" + walleyes and they have been good. The dnr stocks plenty of walleyes so theres so many per acre. They check lakes every year with nets and evaluate how the fishery is and whether it needs to be stocked with alot or some walleyes. I think it should be up to the fisherman if he wants to eat, mount or release any fish whether its 10" or 30". What I dont like to see is people going 2-3 times a day and bringing home buckets full of fish. That hurts a fishery more than taking one over 20".

[james_walleye]

All i gots too say is if everyone in this state was keeping all the 20+" walleyes they caught the fishing would be ugly, really ugly. But i guess not every lake is heavily pressured, not every lake needs a slot, so lets just forget about all the lakes that get hammered. Its someone elses problem.

[jblabsnduck]

James walleye, you seem like you are a very true fisherman and I can respect that because you seem to love fishing the way I love my duck and goose hunting.

I believe that the DNR officer you talked to was way off the mark. I could be wrong. What I am going to do is call a good friend of mine who works for the fishery department of MN and I will ask him about that. If I am wrong I will appologize. I am a big enough man to do that. Not only will I appologize I will throw back all wallys I catch that are over 20"

[james_walleye]

I'll be curious as too what you find out on those numbers from your fisheries friend. Theres no need too apologize if the numbers are 1,000, i didnt really believe it at the time either, but it seems too me i read that number somewhere else too.

[Fisher Dave]

James.. I actually respect you very much for your beliefs(for lack of better word) on selective harvest.. If you follow my post in the past, I am much the same.. and I do harvest very selectively... this does not mean I harvest the biggest fish possible within the law when possible.

I prefer walleyes in the 16"-22" range for harvesting.. the reason why is.. I only keep a fish, or maybe 2 if possible. Its easier cleaning them, and I dont like removing many fish from the lake.. any lake. I cant remember the last time I kept a limit of walleyes.. there is no need unless its nearing the end of the season and I want some fish to hold me over, or if I want to treat my greater family for a fish fry... which is very rare.

The lakes I fish regularly go one way or the other.. all of the fish are 3 pounds or more, or they are 14" and less with the occasional monster.. If I fish a body of water and cant catch anything but 3+ pound walleyes.. one is going home. If I fish a lake and catch nothing but 14" and less walleyes .. none are going home.. if we harvest these small fish, they wont be the harvestable fish the following year.. they will be little fillets in the frying pan.

My true feelings are the regulations in 95% of the cases are going to do absolutely nothing to improve the fisheries on most bodies of water.. not that many people regularly catch more than one fish over 20" in a single outing.. just about as many catch more than one over 24" in an outing.. it happens in places, but its not common... neither is people catching a limit in the 1st place in most locations.

In the few locations the fishing is that great, and you have that much pressure where the walleyes are being harvested at an unreasonable rate.. then special regulations should be posted on them particular lakes.. It is out of line to put a strangle hold on the rest of the state because of a few lakes that need help.

In no case should most people be *stepped on* for wanting to eat, and harvesting a fish or 2.. there are some out there that harvest unreasonably.. in their case, the only thing a person can do is try to educate them.. in many cases, the only education some of these people will recieve is a ticket from the game warden when they actually get checked(rare) and have 2 walleyes over 20"... and that wont even help with some individuals.. many people dont care.

I care, but I like to eat fish also.. this doesnt mean that I should be attacked for keeping one fish slightly larger than what is ideal to most for eating... your barking up the wrong tree.

A 20" walleye slot just put my limit down to 1 on some of the lakes I fish.. so that day I wanted to keep 2 it cant be done.. gas, bait, and time still cost the same no matter how many fish I bring home.

[james_walleye]

I agree Dave, a lot of lakes wont benefit from a statewide slot. I would like too see the DNR individually manage the lakes in our state. I just dont see the DNR coming in and putting individual slots up on the couple small lakes by Mankato that i fish. And i also agree that moving the regs too 1 over 20" will not have that much impact. Heck if you have 3 guys in a boat thats 3 walleyes over 20" that can be kept. You wont see too often that a boat of three will get more than that on average. I honestly think it was moved too 1 over 20" because the DNR would like too see a statewide slot up at some point, so you if you ease back on the regs slightly over time too that statewide slot, its easier on the public than going straight from 1 over 24" too say everything from 19-28" has too go back too the lake.

Where you will see more of an impact on lakes is when you get the total slot on. If you take my favorite lake here in southern MN for example. Easily you'll get 50 boats and 100 fisherman out there this weekend, probably more than that even. Say you get just 8 or 10 walleyes over 20" caught and kept on a weekend, that i would say is conservative but we'll say 10. Ten walleyes over 20+" a weekend, maybe a half dozen more over the week, again conservative. All of a sudden your looking at what, 50 a month at least. A couple hundred a year (i think the actual number would even be higher when you see the pressure this lake gets), on a 1,000 acre lake. Now imagine if they were put back into the lake. Its not hard too see over time how this adds up. A couple hundred 20+" eyes a year going back into a 1,000 lake has GOT too be a good thing.

[MNAnglerE5]

I'm gonna touch on a few points that have been made to give another opinion. I do support the new reg that's coming out, but... It also ticks me off when someone wants to crucify a guy because he keeps one 24" walleye! I don't think it should be a regular practice, but if a guy doesn't keep several or do it all the time then chill out. I spend a lot of $ on licenses and fishing trips and even donate beyond that, so if someone gives me crap for keeping a 24 incher it's going to make me very angry. I probably keep 10-20 walleye each year(if that) and I've never kept one as big as 24, but if I did it wouldn't be a big deal.

That said, it all comes down to INTEGRITY. Regardless of the regs, any individual can hurt or help the fisheries based on what they do. One day of catching 40 'eyes in the mid 20's(inches) on Mille Lacs from 30 ft of water in the summer and releasing all of them because they can't be kept does more harm than keeping even 10 24" fish. Very high mortality rate in that situation. If every one of the 2,000 people fishing that lake on a given day kept 2 24" inchers and went home instead of releasing 30 that can't be kept it'd be much better. I'm not advocating that, I'm just trying to illustrate a point.

My point is this: Regulations don't solve everything; it takes a combination of personal accountability and sensible regulations to effectively improve fisheries. Direct your anger at the people who keep everything they catch or are careless, not other anglers who are also passionate about conservation but use some different principles than you.

[jblabsnduck]

I aksed the question of how many potionally I would be killing if I kept a 24" walleye. I told him I heard it was like 15-20,000. His reply follows.

This is a friend of mine who works for the MN fish dept.

Reply: Yeah, the eggs are small. There could be that many. Don't sweat keeping one though. Most lakes where walleyes naturally reproduce (aren't stocked) have plenty of females to produce large year classes. year class strength is more related to habitat and weather conditions than number of spawning females. You would only see poor year classes produced in a very extreme case of high harvest (ie. Red Lake). The reason to release a 24 inch fish is to hopefully allow the fish to get to a larger size so someone else can have the thrill of catching her again; maybe when she's a true trophy.

[Michael8129]

""The DNR isnt going too come in and individually manage all these lakes.""

LOL maybe you guys haven't actually picked up and READ the 2005 reg booklet... then pick up and read ANY other states fishing regs............ CAN YOU SAY MN DNR MICROMANAGEMENT?

[james_walleye]

UUmmm, I read the new reg book every year. The fact is the DNR isnt going too come in and put a slot limit on the 1,000 acre lake i fish on, thats all there is too it. How many 1,000 lakes in the southern half of the state are listed as having special walleye regs? Pretty much none, and they never will have individual regs. What is there, say 100 lakes listed? Not even? Ok thats about .5% of the lakes in the state. We arent talking apples with apples when comparing MN individual regs with Iowas or the Dakotas, how many viable lakes does each of those states have? Not even close too MN. Like i said, that will be the day the DNR comes in and indivually manages these little lakes in southern MN for walleyes. A statewide reg is the only reg pretty much all of these lakes will see.

[Fishhawk17]

It makes me so mad when people harvest whatever fish they want. The walleyes that are around 20" - 25" are at the peak in their breeding life and will lay the most eggs which by anyone's account means more walleyes in the lakes. The people who harvest the 20+" walleyes are also the ones who complain that there aren't any fish in this state anymore. And you cannot tell me that a 23" walleye tastes anywhere near a 15" walleye. It takes years to get that big and 1 cut of the knife to end it. MAKES NO SENSE!!!!!!!!! If we want to continue to catch walleyes in this state people need to quit being so (Contact US Regarding This Word) meat hungry. Take a picture, cut the line if it swallows your hook, treat it well, release it and catch it again tomorrow.

[MRWALLEYE2005]

You guys are making too big of a deal about walleyes. Mille lacs is a good example of catching and releasing most of the walleyes only to see them float on the top of the water. After you get them out of deep water there pretty much dead. You can make all the excuses you want about people shouldnt take nice 20-24 inch walleyes but it wont matter when they probably die from the stress on getting them in and taking pictures of them. I dont complain that there arent any walleyes in the state, the dnr stocks plenty of walleyes in area lakes. I have yet to have a bad tasting walleye under 24 inches. The regulations are fine the way they are right now and it will only make fishing a more pain in the butt to carry a tape measure in the boat to measure the fish. It will draw more people away from Minnesota with more regulations they put because people dont want to put time to measure fish. It will frustrate tournament fisherman when they targete the bigger fish and can only keep 1 over 20.

[james_walleye]

You really think the DNR would have that slot on Mille Lacs if most of those fish that are released dont survive?? Yes this time of year you will some increased mortality, hence the relaxed slot limit. I fish Winnie a couple times a year and since they have put that slot on that lake the fishing gets better year by year. You can now actually catch a few fish a day over 20" where you couldnt in years past. The DNR wouldnt have a slot on Mille Lacs if those released fish were all croaking. Some do yes, but not most. I have seen people on Mille Lacs catch a 23" walleye and throw it back overboard like i would throw a sheephead back in disgust. This is why we see the fish floating on Mille Lacs. Some people are awfully careless and dont give a crap about ripping the lindy rig out of the fishes rear end and dont care what condition the fish goes back. Some people do care but dont have anything handy so by the time they get their pliers out and then dig the camera out and then maybe drop the walleye a couple times in the boat its been 2 minutes and then yes that fish is pretty much a goner. You give the walleye some care after landing it and then releasing it, have your tools ready, it most likely is going too be good too go. I would venture too say most of those fish floating are results of poor handling and too much time out of the water, people need too be a little smarter about things. You know when you are on Mille Lacs and you get into fish you are going too catch fish that need too go back so be ready, and get the fish back in the water. Its more us the fisherman that are the problem, not the slot in my opionion.

A pain too carry a measure? I dont know anyone right now who already doesnt carry a measure. And people staying away from MN? How bout better future fishing drawing more people too the state, thats how i look at it. I fish Red Wing in the spring multiple times and that has a reg of anything under 15" has too go back. I dont see any slack in visitors because of this regulation. In fact its completely rediculous the draw the river has at Red Wing in spring, and now Lake Pepin in summer. And ALOT of the boats are out of staters.

[Fishhawk17]

James_Walleye, I totally agree with you. With proper care a fish will and does survive catch and release. A couple of times I have caught a fish, cut the line because I could see the hook but was deeper than I like, released the fish and caught the same fish again a few minutes later. With the hook in the back of its throat. Come on guys, isn't it the thrill of the hunt and the catch that makes fishing a great sport. And I do not have a problem with a fishermen occassionally keeping a 20+ walleye, but by changing the regs it will stop the meat hungry beast from harvesting everything he can and destroying mine and everyone else's enjoyment. I believe I heard this on KFAN's outdoor show that Al Lindner won't fish Gull anymore because there aren't a sufficient amount of large fish in the lake anymore. Everyone just takes what they want. And from seeing what I have seen during a tournament I used to fish in on Gull that is so true. It is ridiculous, and breaks my heart to see the amount of large 'eyes that are taken or killed from poor handling from that lake. I used to fish in a tournament up there the weekend after opener, some 80+ boats enter. About 4 years ago me and my fishing partner placed 1st with a catch around 35 pounds for a day and half of fishing. This year, for example, the winning boat was a little shy of 20 pounds. And last year was the same way. Previous years you had to be at 10+ pounds or somewhere close to that to get big fish for the day and this year it was barely over 5. And with regards to tourism and drawing people to the state, if the fish aren't there people will not come.

[TundraKing]

Well, here's my 2 cents. I agree with the new reg. Yes, it will restrict a size range for a period of time but it will obviously help reproduction.

I look at it this way: Simply put, say after 5 or so years these 20+" breeders have pumped out enough spawn to have a whole lot of nice fish under 20" and a whole lot more over 20" for "catch and release" and a nice meal so that on pretty much any given day you can go out with your family and friends and have a great time catching walleyes.

Now maybe to some people this will sound like a pipe dream, but it is possible and (in my eyes) well worth trying.

Enough said, good luck fishin'!

[tyler97]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Lets get on to something else...