Was up fishing the big lake this past weekend with WALLSTER and we boated numerous fish in the 23-26 inch range just like we have been for the past 4-5 years. My question is why arent there more 28-30 inch fish, I would think that all those 23-26 inchers we caught 4-5 years would be in that range by now. I'm not complaining about those big fish we are catching now its just that we always talk about how many BIG fish will be in the lake in a couple of years and that was a couple of years ago when we started saying that.
Lip Ripper
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I wish I had the answer, but my guess is genetics and growth rate in the lake. I think the majority of this gene pool of walleyes don't get as big, unlike the Lake Erie strain of fish. And if they are able to grow that big it takes them a lot longer to grow from 26" to the 28-30" fish we all are looking for. I also think some are lost due to many other factors. Factors like just flat out old age mortality, hooking mortality, netting, netting mortality, harvesting, and etc.
Again a great topic to debate and something that has crossed my mind more then once.
I wonder if the couple of recent years with low amounts of baitfish (2001 i think and the last two years) have really wore down the fish. On erie the fish have huge diets of high fat food. Much like the Mississippi, where fishing can be very slow in the summer because of all the forage (at least from what I hear as I never really am there in the summer). I have always wondered if the few summers where the fish have been almost starving could have slowed the growth rate and also caused a higher mortality than a normal lake.
just a theory as I agree with all the things Lip Ripper said also.
BIRDDOG
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I think if the Tullibee population wasn't so scarce we'd see a lot bigger/healthier fish. I don't think we're going to see those cookie cutters grow to 30"+ when they're main source of forage is bugs and perch. The fish will all gorge themselves on the bug hatches, great for the smaller fish, it can sustain them for quite a while but once they get bigger they need bigger forage, fattier meals to continue good growth rates...they're just not getting it. Stock the lake with tullibee or have a bloom and I believe we'd see the size, both length and girth explode.
BIRDDOG
-------------------- FOR BETTER OR WORSE, FISHING AND HUNTING COME FIRST
Criticalconcepts
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I think a lot of those fish get put on the cutting board. Most people know it's taboo to cut up a big fish like that but not all of them care. Like Lip said though, it could have more to do with genetics than anything. This would be a good question the next time you're checked by a creel survey person: How many fish over 28 have you seen this year?
I've had more, 4 last weekend alone, bigmega sumo walleye carcasses drift in on my beach this year than any I can redall. The fish were well "aged"; past even being eagle bait. The girths were big. I think there are a lot of older fish in the biomass that are just dying off & thus not as actively feeding. Being a south end guy I've always felt that the rock / gravel fish are deeper & heavier than the mud fish. I really never saw the big head / small thin bodies back in the lack of forage years a couple of years ago. The fish were beat up going after crayfish & such but seemed to have held their body mass pretty well.
I thought of posting this exact same topic on here many times...Lets hope someone has a vaild answer.
I always thought that it had to do with the lack of quality forage, as well as age. One would think that those bigger fish have a tough time growing when their diet is compromised of 2-3" baitfish, and insects...
You look at some of the lakes/rivers we have here in MN that have a thriving population of quality baitfish (Tubilee, Cisco, Gizzard Shad), and it appears that these waters have a much higher percentage of Trophy Fish.
I dont know what you refer to as a the "Big" walleyes but if you go to the places where the "Big" Walleyes are feeding on more than bugs.....you will find the bigger fish. Last weekend Saturday we had 4 over 28 inches and the largest being 29.5. My tip to you is go high and slow over deep water with big baits.
Tony
BIRDDOG
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Here is the one of the 29.5. Too bad my friend is so ugly and doesn’t know how to hold a big walleye for a picture. I just wanted to get her back as fast as i could without gill plate holding by an inexperienced angler. Second photo shows that they like the big bait cranks.
WHERE ARE ALL THE BIG WALLEYES?
