SO we all agree there's a walleye population problem,

[bountyhunter]

OK we know population of the eye's is down ,whats to be done? and who do we tell? sounds like ALL eye fishermen are willing to help .jim

[bubba k]

Check out the ODNR website. They have thurough reports of studies done over the past few years. The walleye population is down mainly due to bad hatches. Commercial fisherman have been reduced drastically over the past 10 years. The smallmouth population has been cut in half over the past 4 years due mainly to gobies attacking their nests in the spring. The ODNR has verified this through studies. The walleye hatch may have also been impacted by this.

[rich]

I only know about lake erie,Ohio has to stop its fishing during the spawn. The state wont big dollars for the state,and retail stores.Canada has to stop or limit there netters to almost nothing or limit it to a areas off the lake. They have to check all there ports to make sure that the netters dont go to a number of diffrent ports and have a quota at each port its happened.All states and canada must put back what we take out unilateral stocking programs.

[Ben]

This is a very complex problem to say the least. Whith all of the changes going on in the water from European trash being introduced to commertial netting to alot of pressure by sport anglers its a huge wonder these fish are still here. Every walleye fisherman on the water must practice catch and release especially when the bulk of the big females is most vulnerable.It would not break my heart at all to see Ohio stop the spawn fishing all together to increase the total amount of females who will drop billions more potential fry. If you dont think pulling thousands of fish during the spawn makes a huge differance,you better think again!! Do the math. The commertial netters in Canada supposedly been highly restricted, but who polices them?? This past summer it was pretty sad to see that 98% of the harvest was made up of one year class('99)of fish. And I do not Think I am exaggerating. I am totally amazed when I see and hear of guys going out during the spawn and the fall and pulling tons of huge females, throwing them in their coolers and bragging of their huge catch. Some, and I repeat some, charter captains are worse than this.
Last summer I read a post on walleye.com from a supposed respected captain about how his catches are 99% males from the western basin and how he does no harm to the female population. This is the same guy who has had pictures all over the braggin' board on that site and his own of consistant catches of 200 to 300 #'s of fish every other day from Huron in the fall. All males from Huron?? Multiply this five or ten fold when the fish are hungry and biting and ask yourself if it does any harm to the stock. Simply, we need more and more people practicing catch and release instead of talking about it.Take pictures of your trophies then release the fish, the pictures last a long time! I am not trying to point fingers at individuals but we all need to start doin our part because if we keep waiting around for the DNR it will keep getting worse. Good fishing to all and most of all think about conserving this wonderful resource.

[CarpetBagger]

I agree that the population is down due to bad hatches...but y do u think they are bad...I kinda agree with the guy "ReadThis And Post ur Thoughts" on this one, i think that the catch of the potential spawning fish during the spawing months may have something to blame for this, i also agree with EZmarc on that takin younger fish hurt the future of the lake to.

I really dont know what the problem was, but this year sucked down here in PA, so im lookin for something to blame for my bad luck...lol.

I dunno i think the population could turn around one day, hopefully that is. Im just glad some type of action has been taken to help manage the walleye population.

CB

[Len]

If anyone could begin to imagine the sheer numbers of fish that spawn both out on the reefs in erie or in the rivers this would be a moot point..
The truth is fishing of the sport variety done within the law has little effect on stocks.All of us know they arent always hungry :)..
No doubt commercial guys can do more harm in a few days than a thousand sport anglers can in a month.
We need to push further still to reduce the "commie" guys take.Makeing them do thier part to replenish stocks should be a given.
As always we should only can bring home what we can eat and not all can catch..
Its easy to rationalize that stopping all (recreational and commercial) walleye angling in april would mean more walleyes in he future on erie but is that cost to great?For some the answer is obviously yes..I dont believe it`s neccesary either.
Imagine this and this is just my thinking not a perfect plan.A slot limit with six fish between 18" and twenty four inches legal ..
Or how about one fish over 26"/man per with six total any time of the year. . Either would accomplish alot in terms of allowing huge numbers of spawners to reach their place on the rocks in april.
Now please understand I am not one to plead the sky is falling here.I have been around long enough to know that good things come and go in fishing as in life..
This may well be nothing more than a few bad years (spawning) but in truth we do need management.This resource is simply to valuable to watch spiral down and out..
Imagine how many walleye`s die in those nets up north every year.I beleive sport anlgers deserve a bigger slice of that pie with all we pump back into the economy`s of the north shore.
Not everyone has the same ideas or sense of value when it comes to erie`s walleye`s.To most people they are mostly eating fish~not trophies.That aptitude won`t likely change to the majority of anglers.Thats life.Even for me .Trust me once you`ve caught fifty pound + saltwater fish its harder to call a twelve pound walleye a trophy and I love walleye`s..lol.
I remember the days (late seventies) when ten fish walleye limits were easily taken all spring/ summer long (mainly smaller 16~18" "eating" fish). Now thats for the most part gone or at least a rarity.The numbers simply arent there..Maybe in time it will happen again and the vast numbers will return...We can each do our part to assure it at least has that chance..
Lets each turn an extra one loose next spring, that should do it.lol...Things are always changeing..They won`t stop changeing for us....Tight Lines..Len

[ReadThis and Post ur Thoughts]

Well Written Len!! Like i said before there are alot of factors that contribute to the walleye populations decline. I agree that no1 can be that hungry to catch and kill 300+ walleyes a year.

Maybe my spawn kill theory is a little off in places, but it has to be a factor to add into this equation somewhere. That and EZMarc's theory on the juvinile fish being killed too has to all factor in somewhere.

CarpetBagger, sorry to hear u guys further east had a bad season, but ya know what they say, a bad day of fishin is better than a good day of work. Only problem is we may be having some more bad ones commin again.

Go figure, we gota help the fish...i know that sounds weird, but its quite true.

[bubba k]

I agree with all of the imput on how we (meaning us educated anglers) can help the walleye population but you're preaching to the choir. The major problem is not us. The major problem has been poor hatches whether we want to admit it or not! The ODNR has identified the problem but hasn't given a cure. Much has been blamed on the weather yielding strong winds during the spring in mid-late 90's that disturbed nests. I've also read reports that blame low river levels that hurt the small population that runs up the Maumee and Sandusky. Studies also show that gobies attack nests and this isn't good considering gobies populations thrive in reef-like areas. Although nobody wants to say it, lets face the fact that Lake Erie could be in trouble. The ODNR surveys show a drastic reduction in the walleye population from the early 90s-present and an unbelievable reduction in the smallmouth population from 1997-present. The bronzeback population has literally been cut in half and this species has no commercial fishing pressure and most anglers practice catch and release!!! The ODNR website offers a 100 page journal documenting all of their research for the year 2000. Take a look at it and you'll see what I mean. Remember taht we can do our part as educated anglers but "mother nature" has the real control. If the cure was that simple then the ODNR would have resolved the problem much sooner, and they know a ##### of alot more than we do.

[Ohio]

I was critical last year about having the frigin RCL right in the middle of spawn! I thought it was a bad example and only contributes to the decline of the Walleye.... and guese what... everyone cried like a bunch of babies and slammed me to no end.. for suggesting the RCL be at a time other than spawn. I've never seen such selfish and narrow minded thinking among fisherman. I grew up here and remember what it was like to put on my favorite green Erie Dearie and catch a bunch of Walleye w/ dad. We all know the walleye population is about 1/3 of what it was. For sure there are many reasons for the decline but we need to do all 'we' can as fisherman to help. Heavy fishing to include having a gient tournament (where weight in the form of egg laden females is everything) right during spawn in my opinion is a terrable example and sure as ##### isn't gonna help improve the hatches. About the RCL. I'm glad its here. I'm glad to have the opportunity to learn from the pros. I just think it could have been done at a better time. I guese my point is I don't think we as fisherman have been doing our part as a whole to bring back the Walleye and we're quick to point fingers at everyone else when we surely could be doing (as a whole) a much better job ourselves. Lets think whats truely best for the fish before ourselves.
Take care,
Ohio

[tahoej]

It is sad to say but its true. Although they dont allow comercial fishing in the US side of Erie the Canadians still allow it. That is the first thing that needs to stop. Second a closed season during the spawn would help the numbers. There was nothing like pulling that 14lb female out of the water and taking it to the taxidermist. But think about how many walleye were killed then, and everytime we keep fish that are pregnant.

[Tim FRick]

Hears some food for thought!
http://www.cleveland.com/outdoors/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/sports/101014026913514259.xml

It must be winter time, were on this subject again!!

Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[bob oh]

You're right Tim it's winter and we're back on this topic and people are still blaming the rod and reel when the problem is gill netting and a changing lake, and weather patterns. EVERY biologists I have talked to says you CANNOT fish out Erie with a rod and reel and that fishing during the spawn takes a very small toll -- especially the river fishing where only 10 to 20 (depending on who is estimating) percent of the eyes spawn. We can't stop the gill netters, but Ontario has agreed to cut the take about 58%. 2001 was an excellent year for eyes and perch in the Western Basin (we had a lot better weather than 2000) and ODNR said the 2001 hatch was very good.
So, what does all this mean -- nothing. We will continue to argue and speculate and hopefully the DNR's and the Lake Commission will do the right things for Erie. We can help by getting involved in those groups who are fighting for Erie's future -- sportfishing groups and the LECBA (Lake Erie Charter Boat Association), many of whom were involved in pushing for the cuts in quotas that have been implemented.

Bob

[I-Man]

Your post is Right on Target >< Bob :-)

Please Support LECBA
http://www.lecba.org/

[Lake Erie Guy]

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between taking a 15 inch female caught in June out of the lake or a 30 inch female being taken during the spawning season.No matter what that is still 1 less fish to spawn in the future. I agree the numbers are down but the fishing is still great. I always said that I would never troll on the lake . but now that is my favorite way to fish. If people are willing to use different tech`s to fish there are still fish out there to be caught.I can`t tell you how many times I`ve been trolling around boats that are drifting and I am hammering the fish while they are catching nothing.What does that tell you?

[Big Rick]

Lake Erie Guy, The differrence betwen the 30 inch female taken in the spring and the 15 inch female taken in June is that the 30 inch female will not be able to fulfill her destiny of laying millions of eggs whereas the 15 inch female will have by being left alone in the spring. Here is another point that you can ponder. Most females are not sexually mature until they reach the 15 to 16 inch length. If you take 14 inch walleyes out of the rivers in the spring, how do you know that you are not taking sexually immature females instead of males that the ODNR says will not damage the fishery. It just makes no sense at all to take and kill fish that are trying to help you maintain a future fishery. Not fishing for two to three weeks out of the year will not kill anyone. The weather does impact the survival of the eggs that are laid on the reefs. Bad weather on the lake could possibly destroy evry egg laid. The strong winds that usually are the culprit when this happens are much less likely to have an effect on those eggs that are laid in the rivers. In bad weather years, these may be the only eggs that survive, making it even more logical to protect these eggs and their bearers at all costs. If we tried this for a few years, maybe we wouldn't have such terrible hatch survival as occurs when we get bad spring weather.

[FreeByrd]

I've avoided jumping into this one but the question of the difference of taking a 15 inch eye VS a 30 inch fish strikes a a hot button with me. The difference is this:

The 15 inch fish has NEVER SPAWNED A SINGLE EGG while the 30 inch fish has over the course of many years SPAWNED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF EGGS.

The consensus among the fish biologists seems to be that the eggs from the older fish are not fertile - or at least not as fertile as the younger fish. Even if they are wrong - the 30 inch fish has "done her job" by spawning multiple times over her life. Removing the 15 inch fish from the system before it has had a chance to "do it's job" ensures that it will never spawn. So - who is doing more "harm" to the future of the fishery - the guy that takes a limit of 15-18 inch fish that have NEVER spawned, or the guy that takes a few big fish?

Also please don't say that the big ones don't taste good. There were a couple hundred people at the WC fishfry this November that liked eating the big fish we caught, cleaned, and cooked. And remember - this is Lake Erie - not some remote inland lake you could throw a rock across - fisheries management issues are vastly different for Lake Erie compared to smaller isolated systems. Others have mentioned the weather patterns, and the abundance of bait fish that probably had as much as anything to do with the tough catching in Huron this fall. The changes in the lake's ecosystem over the last 15-20 years are the main reason for the walleye population decline, not that rod & reel anglers caught too many fish.

Oh yeah - for the post about the Port Clinton RCL being in the middle of the spawn, anyone that was at the RCL will tell you that most of the fish weighed were POST spawn. Most of the big fish we caught even a week before the RCL had already spawned - with great weather conditions so we had a good hatch this year.

Steve

[John]

Although it is not a bad idea trading information and thoughts on this web site, I think it is much more productive to voice our opinions to the people who have the ability to make a difference. Write your comments to your congressman, representatives, govenor and to ODNR. All of their address can be easily found here on the internet and maybe a difference can be made. Simply complaining amongst ourselves will do very little good.

Although there are many good ideas being traded on these post, there are definately some that have no basis. It is apparent that very little research has been done by the some people providing some of their opinions/post. Therefore, do a little research and write some letters, it can go a long way.

Please keep one thing in mind, although Lake Erie may not be what she used to be when it comes to walleye fishing, she is still the best place in the world to walleye fish for both quality and quantity fish. Futhermore,I feel she can be as great as she use to be with a little care and good management by all.

[JBL]

Here is the link to the ODNR report that bubba k mentions. This was released in March 2001. Good winter reading. You need acrobat reader if you don't already have it. (It's free)

ODNR 2000 Lake Erie fisheries Report: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/fairport/status2000.pdf

Acrobat reader:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html

[Seagull]

I can't read all this without throwing in my two cents worth. It really disturbs me to see so many big fish being harvested from Lake Erie. I can guarantee you your fisheries people barely have a clue about how many fish (Walleyes) exist in the lake. How did you go from 70 or 80 million fish to 25? Blame it all on commercial fishing and they certainly deserve much of the blame but answer one thing for me.............How can those that love to fish for and catch those giant Walleyes continue to harvest them? What in nature does not follow the perspective of genetics? Don't you feel larger fish will produce the same? If you continue to take 11,12,13,14,15 pound fish to fillet........I am sure that some day you will wish you had considered selective harvest more seriously. Rip away!

[marcbodi]

Hi,
As a young man I fished the Maumee and Sandusky in 1962,1963 and finally caught my first Walleye in the Fall 1964 in the Sandusky River .Ended up catching 27 in that fall.Started fishing Lake Erie in 1965 .Fishing was tough 5 to 8 fish a day until the 1970's 3 guys.If we have a little patience and let the New Rules 4 fish in the spring work I think in 2 years we will be happy again.We still have the best Walleye fishing in the U.S.A if not the World.

[CJW]

My question to the board is!! Whats the difference taking a large fish in the spring run or taking one in mid summer or off the pier in fall? All the trophy fish that are very large are females aren't they? Males don't get that big do they? Seems funny that guys here will gripe about fishing the spawn, but think nothing of taking large fish later. I think there should be a one fish limit above 26 inches as they do on Mille Lacs. The ODNR had an article last year or the year before stating that the older females produce eggs but aren't very fertile. I believe thats where some of the guys on here are bringing that up from. I don't know if its still on there or not, but thats where I remember seeing it. Just my two cents and I know there only worth a penny not two. :-) Craig

[Al]

Read all the posts.

As I stated many times last year on posts:

1. No fishing during spawning season

2. Keep no fish under 18 inches.

3. I believe their is a consensis among biologists, ODNR, etc., female walleyes over 7-8 pounds, become very marginal reproducers. There is also lot more of these big fish that are not being caught then you would suppect. They didn't get that big by being totally stupid. Last years fall catch of big fish between Huron and the sandbar support this. Perfect fishing conditions. This fall, to much bait fish. Nothing caught off the piers to speak of.

ODNR should be able to make a factual determination whether this is true or not, (SEE above #3, first sentence). If it is, we should be able to keep 8 pound plus walleyes without harming future reproduction.

[Lake Erie Guy]

Steve,
That was my point. All of these guys crying about us catching and keeping the big fish.Telling us to keep the smaller ones. In my opinion keeping the smaller females would hurt the fishing more than anything.

[Atomic Eye]

Bounty Hunter, We don't all agree that there is a WE population problem. It is probably a failure of reproduction on our expectation schedule.

A lot ski areas in New Mexico make snow to assure that there is enough snow base to meet skiers' expectations. That way the expectations are met.

When I worked in the factories on the south side of Chicago, we had plans for when some part of the production line went down, so we could still put out acceptable amounts of finished product.

My current state, New Mexico, exports (to other states) a lot of WE eggs & milt to help other states to meet there WE import needs. That way the other states' expectations may be met.

These are all resource-leveling methods. Maybe we should budget & plan for artificial WE stocking for most lakes for most years, and rejoice in the bonus of an excellent, occasional natural reproduction?

Comments??

Atomic Eye -- "Gone Fission!" or is that "Fish-on?"

[JCarp]

I agree with Airwave/Bob,OH and like Co. but to address the specific question of how do you explain the population decline?

The water clarity and quality improvements have totally changed the entire ecosystem. In addition to zebra mussels, water pollution control has improved and will continue to. Forage bases have changed. Erie has increased reports of sturgeon, burbot. White perch numbers seem lower? A very long standing state record for smallmouth was broken twice then absolutely shattered in a short time. State records for walleye get broken time after time. Couple of new burbot records. Maybe a recent new coho or Lk trout record? White chub numbers are reporting increasing. It's a different lake now.

Now toss in weather & gobies. The netters were there before the referenced decline. The river guys were there too. The ice out boat thing has grown, but not that much. The jig/reef spawning male thing is about the same. The pre-post spawn trolling aspect is fairly new & growing, but just isn't significant in the big picture. Population has always been tied to the success of the hatch which in turn is based on the weather. Catch rates are tied to weather and eye/forage ratios.

Close the rivers & the early spring nearshore fishery pretty much eliminates the fishery for those who only own or rent waders/14-16 footers. It would be real injustice to do it if not biologically warranted. I've only fished erie for 16 yrs, but one thing has been constant - it is dynamic, something is always changing. Overall, I work harder for fish now, but probably catch more.

It's my opinion that ODNR has access to more information/data than most of us. We pay them to hire individuals that are trained and qualified. Let them do their job w/o political interference. The option is to base our game laws on whoever has the most political clout as opposed to science.

Twenty yrs ago erie shoreline property owners were scared of record high water levels. They investigated trying to drain excess water from erie until they calculated it would take 20 yrs.

Best Wishes, jc

[riverunner]

What eye problem? Many I know have not seen the eye fishin as good as it has been, for years.Any time you can limit out in no time is good fish population. There's tons of fish ,but just keep the 2-3# fish ,for your own health. good luck good fishing

[ohio]

injustice? there we go again.... the fisherman come first

[fish]

the population is DOWN BY 70% ##### it!!!!! thats the ##### problem.
all we talking about is possibly selective limits and leaving em alone for a couple of weeks to spawn without any inteferance. But thats too much. Its easier to blame the Canadians stuck to their quota regardless of how they were harvested, or the weather. Some of you are so ##### selfish it makes me sick.

[ezmarc]

It's so easy to be rude or to say irrational things while hiding behind anonimity! Try it when people know who you are and it will mean more.

[JCarp]

Ohio,

Please read the entire sentence and don't take things out of context. ...if not biologically warranted. - means do what's necessary to protect the resource, but don't make decisions based on political pressure from well intentioned special interest groups. That means you, me, PETA, the charter boat associations, commercial groups. Let the Wildlife Management Professionals do their job.

Do you think changing the spring limit to 4 was based entirely on good science or was it a compromise that also factored in opinions such as yours and mine?

[bob oh]

The 4 fish limit was political -- to get Ontario to go along and to appease the "stop the river fishing" whiners -- there are more big females caught in the fall than during spring spawn-time fishing. The reef catch pre, during and post spawn is very, very heavily male. Anyway, it doesn't matter, as several have said it is changing ecological conditions, weather conditions and commercial harvest that has driven down the eye population, not rods and reels. We still have 25 - 30 million eyes in Erie (probably more than the total of all walleyes in most states!!!) and many biologists, including one who has studied Erie for about 30 years, claim that the lake CANNOT support the numbers of the 80s. They claim (and it is their job) that is the reason the eyes jumped in the boat -- there was not enough feed to support them. 2001 was an excellent year in the W. Basin and we had a very good eye and perch hatch in 2001. The lake commission also cut the eye and perch quotas more than 50 PERCENT (gill netters are to take 58% fewer eyes). Right now, future looks good. If you don't want to keep fish don't, but don't jump all over the guys who are taking fish within the regulations!! Want to help the lake, get involved in some of the groups who are working to make sure the lake commission takes care of the lake!!!

[Big Rick]

Riverrunner, You are obviously a western basin fisherman. You couldn't possibly be serious in that statement if you fished the central and eastern basins. The walleyes are very few and far between over here.If they do their easterly migration next year like they used to, and for whatever reason didn't last year, the guys out west will be crying about how few eyes are in the lake. There is a lot more of Lake Erie than just the western basin.

[Toolman]

I think that most of us that fish Erie regularly agree that the population is down. We will probably never know an exact count. I have a couple of theories on the lack of fish in the Central and Eastern Basins:
1. Increased habitat for forage fish and the "newly discovered" shrimp species in the western basin. Ever growing grass beds are harboring this food,and in turn, juvenile walleye, perch, etc. As these grass beds have gradually increased over the past several years, due to the increased water clarity, more and more fish are staying there.
2. Increased bait in the Central and Eastern Basins gives trolled lures more competition. Increased water clarity also may have fish more line/lure shy.
I would favor reduced limits/closed spawn if that's what it would take to stabilize this great fishery. Let's hope for a few years of good weather for good spawns, that will surely help over the long run.
Fish On
Toolman

[Rich]

Big rick your so right with your comment. These people are very selfish they forget that there is more to the lake than the western basin. Stop fishing during the spawn (about 6 weeks) for a couple years and see what happens. Remember what happened to the blue pike and than there were none.

[bountyhunter]

OK OK I started this now EVERY body E mail the gov,r and let them know WE ARE WILLING TO HELP .jim

[Tim FRick]

Pollution and commerical fishing killed the blue pike not the rod/reel guys. Were wasted our time and energy towards the wrong people. If you really care get involved with the LECBA, ODNR, or Ohio Sea Grant.
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[Tracy]

Freebird,
Thanks for posting what I was about to say! The RCL was held in April, By then most all of the female fish in the lake had spawned out. The big girls do it early and head east by the second week in April just about every year.
Tracy

[hot-tot]

i agree runner where we fish at in the detroit river i dont even hit erie (RIVER ALL YEAR LONG!!!)

[Paul]

Gobies eating eggs,loss of plankton,zebra mussells,water fleas,low lake levels,fishing pressure during the spawn,weather,commercial overfishing. All these factors and the eco system hasn't stabilized.
Just my 2 cents.

[ohio]

here we go again... waaaaaa... the population is down by 2 thirds and of course the people who actually take them out of the lake don't want to take ant responsability... typical.

[bob oh]

Do some research and et some facts and then post some info instead of smart a** remarks

[ohio]

Fact 1 Walleye population is down by 2 thirds...As previosly stated.
Fact 2 Fisherman harvest millions of walleye.
Yes theres other factors .. but people like you ignore the "facts"! and FIND EXCUSES!

[Ohio]

Canada stuck to their harvest quota.. They should not be a scape goat for the "rod n reel guys"

[CarpetBagger]

I think this was established like 15 posts ago, but ill bring it up anyways...lol WE HAVE A PROBLEM!! Like some1 mentioned, I am an eastern basin fishermen and i have yet to see a year like this 2001 season.

I know the western basin is always better fishing, but this eastern/central basin used to be pretty good to from what ive heard from some of the older fishermen in my campground. Grant it, we did ok this year, but trolling for 8 hours on what is said to be the walleye capital of the world for 2 walleyes isnt too great in my book.

Nets are to blame, but so are the sport fishermen, u cant point a finger in the directing of the accused cause ud need like 10 hands.

There are so many factors anymore that have caused this mass decline in fish and fishing over the years, zebra mussles, water clarity, nets, gobies, people takin more than their limit, bad hatches, ect...

I think u get my drift...we just have to do all we can to help out the walleye population...

CB

[Sorry to hear that]

We dont have that problem in the great state of wisconsin!

[Al]

You know guys I dont have an Erie boat so alot of my fishing is restricted to shore. But i continualy hear stories of the great fishing,and how guys have a hundred pounds of walley in the freezer or have caught a thousand perch. Now me personally would love to have a day or two that i could catch a limit, cause my family and i love walleye and perch. But if any of you have taken the time to pick up a little book from your local bait shop about the fish consumption advisory, it states no more than 8oz raw portion size of walleye per week is safe or healthy. So how much fish do you really need. To keep going out day after day or nightafter night and KEEPING a limit is just plain greedy and not smart! Dont waist our presious resourse. Take a tip from the bass fisherman, if you love fishing learn to practice alittle bit of catch and release, and youll be able to enjoy fishing allot longer. thanks I will get off the soap box now. Tight lines

[Guess Who]

This is to Big Rick where did you get your info about Lake Erie. Was it given to you by the ODNR or where.What says the fish migrate to the N/E/W/i don't see the fish going anywhere except to find food . We have more bait in this lake now then in 20 years.The big fish in the fall mostly come from deep water in Canada.

[Big Rick]

Guess who, Talk to some of your Lake Erie biologists. Kevin Kayle in Fairport Harbor or Roger Knight in Sandusky. I've talked with these gentlemen and attended meetings were they have spoken. Have you ?

[walleye pro]

lake erie is the best walleye lake in this wonderful world yes lake erie has its probs with canadian netters and people getting over thier limits and not doing catch and release i think lake erie is goin to heck because the lake is a lot cleaner than it was say 30 yrs ago and the reefs in the western end are coverd with zebras and the walleyes go to spawn and muscles have cleaned it so much in which makes the eggs a easy meal for the gobbies and other game fish
well wisconsin only has a lake every where you look

[Eastern Basin]

Dunkirk PWT - 1st place 89.62lbs :-)