Where are the Walleyes

[fishman]

Was on Ida Saturday am from 9 - 12 in 20 to 65 fow. Got 3 bites and one fish. Did not see any one else boat fish.

Was on Le Homme Dieu and Carlos Sunday am same time frame.

Not one bite. Was in 18 - 50 fow.

Can't figure out where they are. Cannot mark a fish on the graph.

Any one else getting anything?

[fuzzyray]

I was out on Ida last Sunday (Nov 6th), 7:00Am-Noon. We got into a lot of walleyes, around 18, between the 2 of us fishing. The only thing is all the fish we caught were very small (A pound or less). I couldn't believe how deep the fish were. We got most of them in 65' to almost 80'. I actually got one in 78' right on the bottom, by far the deepest I've ever caught anything. The fish had to be brought up VERY slow. We ended up keeping a few because we got them so deep. I even got a fat little 3 lb northern on the bottom in 55. Not sure why the fish are so deep. My dad got into them in 20-25 the night before on the same structure but sunday morning we couldn't get anything shallow. I hear there are some nicer fish to be found but you have to keep moving to find a school of them. Not sure when I'll be getting out again. Winter is fast approching and I'm starting to think Ice. Good luck, don't be afraid to go deep!

[bubblehead1]

I'm no expert on the subject, but is it possible the fish are going deep because of the increased clarity of the water, and light penetrating deeper? I have heard a lot of fish are being taken in shallow water at night.. 4-6'. I know the clarity improves with turnover. Anyone else have an input on this? It is something many fishermen would love to understand. It becomes difficult to control your presentation at 6o'

[Havin' Fun]

It's called turnover. During the fall water temps at the surface get colder than the deep. The less dense deeper, warmer water rises, and the colder surface water sinks. The surface water however is much more oxygenated which causes the fish to follow, including bait and the larger fish. This situation usually last a short time period as the shallows oxygenate themselves fast with any windy weather. This is why shallow night time trolling sessions following a few windy days can be awesome. I have had good success fishing windy shorelines in the fall at all times of the day, but cloudy days tend to be better especially on a lake like Ida.

Ida can be tricky, but realize those deep fish you are catching are going to all die that you catch, whether you see it or not. Also, your smaller fish tend to spend their time deeper, while the larger fish will work the shallows, especially the windy shoreline/weed edges.

[cylinder]

Hey Hamemer Em, I've always wondered -- How deep can you pull fish up from and not kill them?

[Luckyguy]

Hi guys,

I have always heard that fish would die if you caught them below about 25 feet. I read your comments and thought I would go to the experts, so I sent the question to the DNR. The following is the reply I received. Pretty interesting.

This is a reply to your question about releasing fish from deep water. The short answer is, well, there is no short answer. We did a hooking study on Mille Lacs Lake in 2003 and 2004 and found that most fish caught in 30 feet of water survived just fine. The ones that didn't survive were generally hooked in the stomach or throat. We have heard reports of smaller fish not making it when caught from deep water and released. Maybe the little ones can't resist the pressure difference, maybe anglers are treating the fish more roughly than they should. Most fish are able to keep their bladders compressed when they are caught and released, unless they are damaged or fatigued. For many fish including walleyes, perch, sunfish,and bass, reducing air bladder pressure takes hours. So, don't play the fish so long that it gets tired. Fish like trout and northern pike can burp out extra air. Some people believe in fizzing (pushing a needle into the air bladder to reduce pressure), and some don't. I have seen studies that support both viewpoints, seems like it depends on 1) the fish, 2) the experience of the fizzer, 3) the depths, 4) the belief of the practicioner and 5) water temperature. Few of our study walleyes floated, and most of the almost 1/2 that died after floating were damaged. The deeper the water, the more likely a fish is to float when released. At the water surface, fish are vulnerable to predation. I am unsure why a floating fish would die at higher rates than one that wasn't, except that it's already tired and weak or it's damaged by the hook or by handling, which are not caused by an expanding air bladder. A floating fish still has its gills in the water. So, there is no definitive answer to your question, only partial answers that depend on a lot of factors. Hope this helps.

Keith A. Reeves

MN DNR-Fisheries Research Biologist

1837 Treaty Office

1200 Minnesota Ave S

Aitkin, MN 56431

phone: 218-927-7505