Walleye Fry

[ToE_Nathan]

Hey everyone. I am wondering what is the length of a walleye fry? I know the size of fingerlings. But, what is the size that everyone calls walleye fry? I need to know this because I was studying up on how many walleye are dumped into certain bodies of water in South Dakota.

I don't know if any of you have heard of Waubay Lake in Northeastern South Dakota, but game, Fish stocked 16.5 million fry there in 2000 alone. That's a lot of walleye.

I would appreciate an answer please. Thank you.

[Backwater Eddy]

Typically, 10 percent of the walleye fry (which are newly hatched walleye) released in walleye rearing ponds survive to become 4" fingerlings. The survival rate of fry dumped straight into a system in far less, maybe 5 percent.

Fingerlings have a higher rate of survival to 1 year and on to adulthood. If possable the fisheries would like to hold fry tell they reach 4" then transplant into a system, but due to cutback's in the fishery programs in the late 80's and early 90's there is no room or finances to do so.

SD had a bumper crop of fry this past season so they have been seeding many new waters with fry and extra fry are dumped in high use areas such as Waubay.

Fry & fingerlings have a rough road ahead of them to make it to 1 year, especially in a lake with ton's of pike such as Waubay in SD.

BE.......><,,>

[sib]

while were on the subject of fry and fingerlings, to what extent if any do adult walleye cannibalize the young fingerlings and fry? thanks in advance for any info.

"go outside and play"
sib

[Eyez]

Walleyes are opportunistic, and they have no qualms about eating smaller walleyes if that's the opportunity they're given. They'll fill their stomachs in any way they can. I've caught walleyes with small (3-5 inch) walleyes in their stomachs along with minnows and perch.

So, that being said, the extent of cannibalization depends on the situation in that particular lake. If it's a lake with a good perch and preyfish population, the odds of a walleye eating another walleye among the masses of small perch and minnows are relatively small. If it's a lake with no perch, and just walleyes and minnows, the odds are pretty good, because walleyes will possibly target larger and a better meal, than the minnows.

There are also other factors too. Perch will eat walleye fry, as will smelt and ciscos. I think that in most waters, walleye fry are more vulnerable to the smaller fish, and don't become a target for walleyes until they get to be about 3 inches.


Dusty

[henckel]

To answer your question about the size of walleye fry, they're pretty much just eyeballs and tails. They're just-hatched.

They do a lot of fry plants here in Montana, especially on Fort Peck. As to the survival of fry planted in the wild, the biologists here tell me they're not sure how good the survival rate is. They do say that in some years, survival is better than in other years. As to the factors involved, they're not sure of those either. -- mark