are the walleyes starving?

[jignpig]

We just got back from the "big pond" and had a great time lots of fish. But everyone was commenting on the size of the fish, they seemed thin. I caught a 25" fish that weighed only 3 1/2 pounds, by my catch and release chart it should weigh 5.7 pounds.

My question is something wrong? all 30 + fish we caught were under sized? What do you locals think?

Thanks

Jig

set'em' hard!

[BDR]

I have noticed the same thing.I am usually 100% for setting slots but has this increased size to the point of wiping out all bait fish? Are the walleye's caniblizing to the point we will have no year classes coming? Would the DNR ever admitt that such slots are destroying the population? If the fish are starving it should be open with no slot and no limit for a while to reduce nubers that eat a high percentage of bait fish. I dont know if the tullipee and perch population could be restored fast enough to keep up. Just have to vent, if this is whats happening the DNR better eat **** and do something to counter balance fast. I think 2 years down the road this lake will once again be called "the dead sea"

[Grabs]

Up until yesterday my concerns with the fishery were based solely upon my couple of launch trips and the concerns of others. Yesterday I caught that 28.5" walleye, my largest walleye to date. At the time, on the boat the fish seemed heathly at first. But after getting him home; weighing him and comparing him to a couple of other fish from Mille Lacs from years ago, my concerns about the fishery have been heightened a lot! This fish barely tipped the scale at 6lbs, should have been well over 8lbs. The tail on this fish started right after the dorsal fin (12"+ of tail!), on the others that we have on the wall, the tail doesn't start until after the second fin, only a few inches of tail. While filleting this fish, I noticed that the rib cage had begun to collapse, a lot like what happens to some one who is anorexic. I am concerned, and others should be too, start writing letters and don't stop. These fish are starving, it is just some are staving a lot more than others.

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[This message has been edited by Grabs (edited 07-08-2002).]

[Whiskeywalleyes]

This lake is very similar to a lake in Alberta, Cananda.
1. All your fingerlings that have been place in the lake over the past 4 years are been consumed by your 14+ walleyes, seeing that the bait fish populations is low.
2. We are destroying a walleye population size of 14-16".
3. The only size of walleyes left to destroy next is the 19-26"..
4.This lake also has your tribal regualtions, which adds fuel to the fire.
The lake is going to end up being like Upper Red, limit your catch, and we will have no walleye harvest at all in 5-6 years. Or it will be nearly imposible to catch a walleye on this lake.
From experince that I have seen in on other lakes, our Famous walleye lake will soon be a ghost town.

[Guest]

What is the daily limit on Mille Lacs? Example: 3 fish between 14-16" and 1 over 20"
I was just using that as an example, we might head up next week.

[Grabs]

4 fish daily
14-16" and one over 28"

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[This message has been edited by Grabs (edited 07-10-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Grabs (edited 07-10-2002).]

[Guest]

Thanks