Walleye egg take

[DEADhead]

The spawning platform on Sallie was put in last week. Trap net leads will be put in this evening. They'll start fishing tonight. Still early for the to spawn walleyes, though there were 6 in the locks area last night. This morning there was one pike and a bunch of suckers. Won't be long and they'll start stripping walleye eggs. I'll post again when the operation begins.

[DEADhead]

water temp was up at 46.5 degrees at noon today. The pike and suckers are starting to come in to spawn pretty good this afternoon.

[Code-Man]

When are they expecting the Walleye's to come in? Our fisheries teacher up here is taking the kids down there next friday and he's getting nervous they might be done.

[DEADhead]

it all depends on the weather... but they have a good chance of running still through next friday.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

What's in the river now??? Are you stripping walleyes? What's the water temp?

[DEADhead]

walleyes, suckers, pike, and muskies have been seen in the locks. Water temps are still cool, and the spawn has not quite turned on yet. Only a few fish have been stripped. Should pick up in the next few days if we keep getting weather like today!

[ScottND]

The traps were full of walleye's this morning and I watched them process the eggs from 8:30 - 11:30. I'm guessing they averaged 24" - 25"'s but could be wrong. I do know one female was 31" and full of eggs I'd imagine 11- 12 lbs. It may last a couple more days and if I heard right they started off the morning with 100 qts. and were going to 400. I don't know how many they got today but there is plenty! I videotaped quite a bit of it.

OK...so where are these fish when I go fishing?

[Havin' Fun]

I would guess that most of those 24" fish are part of that 1996 year class that people pounded on in 1999-00. They are growing up.

I also think most of the big dogs are either suspended most of the time, in the thick weeds or out on the deeper mud flats 25-35 fow. This doesn't narrow the lake down at all!

[DEADhead]

Scott, nice picture of Mandy and Arne. I caught one of those fish this winter (25") fishing the humps. From my experience, the window for catching walleyes during winter is pretty narrow. A half-hour before and after sunset is the most productive time. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.

BTW, Scott, the sunnies are back in that impoundment on Muskrat. Get that flyrod ready!

[huntfish44]

do you know what the water temp. is and how do you get involved in the process of stripping walleyes or tagging fish...I think that would be awesome to do!!!

Thanks for the info....

[DEADhead]

I don't know off hand what the water temp is there at the locks, but I can tell you that in order to strip walleyes, you need to be employed by DNR Fisheries. Egg stripping is not available for the public to do.

[DEADhead]

BTW, you should have seen some of the sows that were in there this morning! more 30"+ fish!

[Gissert]

Any word on how the operation on the Dead River is going?

[DEADhead]

I guess I'm out of the loop on that one Gissert, you'll have to fill me in. Is the Dead River spawn take where the Fergus Office get's theirs?

[ScottND]

Quote:

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I don't know off hand what the water temp is there at the locks, but I can tell you that in order to strip walleyes, you need to be employed by DNR Fisheries. Egg stripping is not available for the public to do.

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After seeing the professionalism of the 6 people doing the stripping I can see they know exactly what is going on and have it down to a science. Talk about team work...I was IMPRESSED! I wouldn't want to get in their way.

JP...tell them THANKS for what they do for our fisheries. That includes you too Bud!

[Gissert]

DEADhead -

Yep, that's the place.

[DEADhead]

Gissert, haven't heard anything about the Fergus operation, other than Arlin mentioning they were gonna start taking eggs soon at last week's Area Supervisor's meeting.

[blackdog]

Do you guys know if they put any of the hatched eggs back in the lake they milked from?

[Code-Man]

I know they have to return a certain amount of the eggs back into the body of water that they were taken from. Don't know how much they take but it is a percent of the total.

Code-Man

[deacon]

Heard approximately 10% of hatch goes back into lake. This is supposebly a lot more than would hatch naturally.

[DEADhead]

I don't know where you guys get your information from, but let's clear up a few things.

Yes, fry from walleye egss harvested from Sallie are stocked in back into Sallie. No, it is not a requirement that they have to return a certain amount of the eggs back into the body of water that they were taken from. And no, the amount that is stocked is not 10% of what was hatched.

The walleye lakes managed by Detroit Lakes Fisheries have a quota established by management for a certain amount of fry to be stocked each year. These decisions are based upon available forage, existing biomass and fish population structures in the lake, etc. The DNR webpage on walleye management should help explain this. The amount of fry stocked in lakes is not static, and varies annually.

Also, it should be pointed out that, in the words of one DNR report: "There is no evidence that the walleye population of the stocked natural walleye lakes sampled were increased over that which might occur naturally without stocking." Sallie is a great producer of naturally reproduced walleyes. It does not "need" to be stocked. Fry reared from eggs harvested from Sallie are stocked in lakes with poor or little natural reporduction. The main reason any fry are stocked in Sallie is due to the fact that sometimes there are extra fry leftover from stocking the other lakes.

Hope this helps clear up any misconceptions about the egg/take operation at Sallie and walleye fry stocking.

[DEADhead]

The DL Fisheries crew met their quota of 400 quarts of eggs harvested. The spawning platform is being removed and offical egg harvesting operations are over. See you next year!

[Havin' Fun]

You mentioned stocking dependence on biomass, ect. How has the excess dumping of fry into Sallie and Melissa effected this biomass? Has this changed some of the previous practices? I am curious based on data I saw back in 2000 that showed a boom or walleye from that 1996 stocking of millions of fry, and rumors of a decimated sunfish and perch population as a result of a also increasing Northern Pike population. I know this was partially responsible for the excellent catches of that year class of walleye but I it also appears the DNR has taken a more liberal approach since that year with it's stocking, and the numbers of fish have decreased, but size is outstanding.

I would also be curious to know what has happened to the tullibee population as well. I believe the summer of 2000 or 2001 was a tough one as temps were in the upper 90's for a week straight and very little wind. (During WE FEST if I remember right).

Care to comment on my thoughts JP?

[DEADhead]

hammer, tullies took hit due to low dissolved oxygen in 2001. They are a difficult fish to try and get a true sense of their population since they do not net as well as other fish during survey. I do believe the populations is still low, compared to other years.

As far as stocking strategy goes, that is an issue I'd rather not get into here. Maybe we can discuss it face to face when you're up here. The decisions involve a lot of political influence, bolstered by support from certain individuals and special interest groups. Let's put it this way, there was a solid feeling of alienation among managers, to disregard internal information providing a sustainable stocking rate.

As far as having increased stocking in a lake such as Sallie with a low population of big fish; in my opinion all those stocked fish just now became forage. With reduced perch and panfish forage, those fry and fingerlings you just stocked just now became lunch.

It's been kind of interesting fishing Sallie the past few years. I've found a ton of 6-8" perch and walleyes. There is excellent forage in that lake. I've hardly seen any eater sized walleyes, but I've seen a ton of huge walleyes. It doesn't mean that they're catcheable, because there's a reason that got that big to begin with. But the population has shifted in Sallie to a smaller population of big fish. The same trend is also being noted in the Northern Pike population, due to the special regs.

[Havin' Fun]

I would also agree we should speak in person. But thank you for your insight, as I would love to discuss the lake with you. And a few others. Heck, I told Noah I'm giving him my old GPS so now he can have a few GPS spots.

I don't believe it will be opener, but hopefully early June will work out though. That way I can come for a little longer and make the 200.00 gas bill worth it! LOL

[DEADhead]

I'd like to see the look on Noah's face when he gets out to the lake, plugs the gps in, fishes all day, catches nothing, and then finds out all the gps coordinates were moved 30 yards.... Just an idea hammer

[fisherdog19]

That's a good idea. You probably owe him anyway Hammer.