Identifying Females (walleyes!)

[Sluggo / NY]

I fish a rather fragile fishery here in NY and release a good portion of the walleye I catch, but I do keep a few for a meal on occassion. I try to keep the males and let the egg laden females go, but I sometimes get fooled by a female that's not fat enough! Anyone know of a good way to tell other than slitting them open? That makes it tough to release them! Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[Juls_WI]

Well, the difference in the shape of the anus is one way to tell. I can't remember which is which, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong...
I believe the female's anus is shaped like an hour glass and the male's is round.

Don't quote me on that though. I release just about everything I catch, so it isn't something I put into memory...gotta save "space" don'tcha know..heheheh

Have a great day!

Juls

[Boatnut]

hey ya Juls..
maybe ya oughta try running "defrag"...works for me! ROFL :)

[Backwater Eddy]

The wedge for the male and the hour glass shape for the female has been said to be a close, but not 100% acurate methode of ID. This is best done in early spring and late fall as the fish may show signs of pre-spawn swelling.

Stizo is the guy to ask on this deal for sure. He has in the past filled us in very well on this topic.

I think the jist is you can't tell unless you do a genetic test to be sure?

Backwater Eddy ~ ~ ~><sUMo> ~ ><>

[THUMPER]

We know of no 100% sure way to tell. We keep fish for meals all the time but rarely keep any fish over 16in. Deep hooked fish get kept if they will not survive and fish that you would bet a paycheque on being female turn out to be male. I commend you for your conservation minded question.