Why so many 26 and 27 inchers?

[Blake]

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I was wondering if anyone can tell me why there are so many nice 26 and 27 inch walleyes in Mille Lacs? I have caught so many fish this size this year and I am loving it. I am assuming that it was because of a good reproduction year (whatever year that may have been??), but if anybody else can shed some light, throw your 2 cents in. I can't wait till the coming years....there are going to be so many 30+ inch trophies out there if everyone keeps doing their part in CPR'ing. Good luck all.

GoggleEye

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I never fished Mille Lacs....yet, but iffin you want monster walleyes, try Little Bay De Noc in Escanaba,MI....I've personally seen many 30+ come out of there...My personal best is 29 1/2, but fishing in 7 feet of water with jiggin rapala, there's nothin better!

[TrophyEyes]

HAppnhook, you took a little bit of a beating there and I apologize. However, I would much rather catch 1 or 2 fish for eating and 20 - 25" fish, than 20 - 14" fish and 1 - 25" fish. Thats why I love this lake and it proves that you have to be a good fisherman to know how to not only catch the big ones but also the 18-19 3/4" fish to win a tournament.

From my experience when you find 18-19" fish, they are all together, same with 25" fish. My own analysis says they must stay pretty close to there same year class weather for protection from preditors or some other reason. So when I get into the 25's and I need some eaters I may move spots. 15"-20" fish are in there, you just may have to change your tactics and also leave a spot where fish are biting if they are the wrong size.

[GoggleEye]

I agree in a way blake, but Bay De Noc doesn't even compare to Mille Lacs as far as numbers and larger quantities of upper 20 inch fish. I agree that Bay de Noc will produce more 30 inch+ fish and some fat ones at that. However, I have come home from Bay De Noc on several occasions where I caught less than a few walleyes and they were all small. I have never gone to Mille Lacs and not tied into at least one fish over 25 inches though. So you probably ask, "why do you drive 7 hours to go to Bay De noc???" It's because I know there is a better chance of catching a fish of a lifetime....maybe even a state record??? In Mille Lacs, I know I am going to catch at least one nice walleye sometime throughout the weekend, but I also know that it is going to be a very small chance that it is going to be over 30 inches. If the slot were raised to 30 inches, I would think otherwise. Bay De Noc is lucky, it doesn't need a 30 inch slot to produce monsters, it has the best forage you can find anywhere in the midwest and you can't compete with the size of it. Probably the only holdback on mille lacs is the fisherman not CPR'ing. I don't know for sure though as I am not a fisheries biologist. Good luck everyone on your river spawn run fishing!

GoggleEye

[HAppnhook]

Here's what the DNR is saying for 2006/2007

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/news/releases/index.html?id=1172005975

I did notice that in 2005 they did not catch any fish over 29" in their testing So protecting the 28's is looking more worthy.

Google, its a wonderful thing!

[Blake]

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I agree in a way blake, but Bay De Noc doesn't even compare to Mille Lacs as far as numbers and larger quantities of upper 20 inch fish. I agree that Bay de Noc will produce more 30 inch+ fish and some fat ones at that. However, I have come home from Bay De Noc on several occasions where I caught less than a few walleyes and they were all small. I have never gone to Mille Lacs and not tied into at least one fish over 25 inches though. So you probably ask, "why do you drive 7 hours to go to Bay De noc???" It's because I know there is a better chance of catching a fish of a lifetime....maybe even a state record??? In Mille Lacs, I know I am going to catch at least one nice walleye sometime throughout the weekend, but I also know that it is going to be a very small chance that it is going to be over 30 inches. If the slot were raised to 30 inches, I would think otherwise. Bay De Noc is lucky, it doesn't need a 30 inch slot to produce monsters, it has the best forage you can find anywhere in the midwest and you can't compete with the size of it. Probably the only holdback on mille lacs is the fisherman not CPR'ing. I don't know for sure though as I am not a fisheries biologist. Good luck everyone on your river spawn run fishing!

GoggleEye

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I agree with everything you said goggleEye....I meant the 30"+ monsters! As far as eating Walleye, I would never fish LBDN for eaters, jmo, but when I fish the deep,clear lakes of northern WI, there is no comparison and personally, I don't even like the taste of the 20" inchers out of there.

Going up to Whitefish in Ontario late March for some eaters (perch and wally's) Ahhhh.....best icefishin of the year!

[Bluegills1512]

Gorrilla I am always trying to stir the pot here, because some things said on here I disagree with and somethings I do agree with people on. I can't believe guys on here actually think that the walleyes in the pond only get 27 to 28 inches big, because of lack of forage and genetics! Try telling that to my good friend who has a 31 1/4" walleye from Mille Lacs on his wall, and try making that point to his father who has fished this lake for decades, and has caught and seen many 30+" fish come out of this lake. Even with the pressure this lake recieves today there are still places that do not get hit! Maybe you could use this argument for bashing the non-native muskie and how they are eating a portion of the forage that the walleyes use to eat, and there for the walleyes can't grow any bigger?? Just a thought, and yes I am not fond of muskies BUT I know that this statement would not hold up and is absurd as well.

Like I stated before I do like to stir the pot here a bit but honestly I am not bragging about eating a 32" walleye, because I have with 3 other buddies who ate it along with me when we were in the B-Dubs. It was a windy day 30-40 mph, were basically forced to stay at camp. We did try to get out to fish for less than an hour but for the most part was off of shore because the canoe that my friend and I were in nearly flipped because of the wind but my other 2 buddies were lucky enough to get in a calm spot for 15 minutes and all they caught was that 32 inch walleye, so they kept it cuz we wanted to eat fish and had planned on eating fish that day for our trip. So we ate it and she fed all four of us. I really don't regret it because she was all spawned out and was on her last leg. If you guys are wondering why we didn't keep her to mount, well its impossible to keep it alive when you have to paddle or portage many miles, and we were in the middle of our trip and were not about to end it for one fish. Not many guys can say they ate a 32"er, and she tasted as good as a 15"er or a 25"er, I couldn't tell the difference, and neither could my friends. For mercury content, who really cares I'd rather die from mercury poisoning from eating to many fish (which I love to eat) that I caught fishing (which I love to do) rather than die from cancer or in a car accident driving to work. Plus I look at where I was fishing in B-Dubs not the Mississippi or Rainy River below a paper mill or power plant.

PieEyed, I think I answered your question already by my story.

[gorrilla]

Bluegill, its just the principle. She might have tasted like a 15 incher, but thats a little like saying that really old ugly lady kinda reminds me of a college age hottie in the dark. Its not the same dude.

[river rat316]

lol

[rcatcherman]

After reading all these posts it seems to me a lot if people must fish the same way or never change there tactics. With a Great Fishery as Millacs is. I can't believe iif you can not catch anything over 23 or 25 inches on a regular basis. Even with a Pro. Why you continue to fish that way. You must change your Tactics. To be honest with you I'm looking for the walleyes between 32 and 36 inch Range. Thanks again for your time. Just keep your eye out for the Black and Silver Ranger with the 350 chevrolet magnum engine I.O. Feel free to come over and ask questions if in dought. SEE YOU on the WATER> aka rickkywalleye

[gorrilla]

its a good thing you limited your goals to 36"

a guy has to keep it realistic, you know...