View Full Version : Caught a Slammer!!!!
Eyelander
04-09-2001, 05:34 PM
I live in PA and the Walleye season is closed until May.
I have been out the last 3 times and have been catching monsters,
naturally I have been releasing them but the one I caught today was really hard to release. 32" 12 to 13 lbs. This is by far the biggest Eye I 've ever landed. Forgot the camera!!!!!
I know most of you guys out there fishing the great lakes and Canada probably catch them this big all the time, but for PA this is a big fish (well at least for me it is).
This was probably the hardest thing I've had to do releasing this one!! I fought with the idea of sneaking it out of there for maybe a minute. I really wanted to get this one mounted!!
But I let her go. At least I got to see this fish and measure it!
She was definately getting ready to lay her eggs so that helped me to do the right thing.
I think I'll be going trout fishing for the next couple of weeks!
LOL!!!!
FISH
THE
WORLD
WAeyes
04-09-2001, 05:48 PM
A 32" walleye is big no matter where you caught it. I don't think anyone catches fish like that all the time. Sneaking an illegally kept fish back to your vehicle would have weighed heavy on your conscience as you looked at that fish on your wall. Congratulations, you did the right thing. Next time remember the camera, it's the fishing story's best friend! Almost forgot, what would you tell the taxidermist about your closed season walleye???
Scott D
04-09-2001, 06:09 PM
Consider looking into a fiberglass reproducable mount. You may not get it exactly right since you didn't get any pictures but maybe you can get close to what it looked like. Just an idea.
TeeDub
04-09-2001, 07:13 PM
Congratulations both on the fish and the decision. That's a great 'Eye in anybody's eyes. I've fished for Walleye in a lot of waters in Canada over the past 30 years or so and haven't come close to that yet. This could be the year though! ;)
BigBass
04-09-2001, 07:15 PM
I agree... that is a big girl no matter who is talking! Congrats on the great catch and release - You are a true Outdoorsman!
ristorapper
04-09-2001, 07:19 PM
Nice catch and decision. You just reminded me to put a cloth tape in the boat so that if it happens to me I can get the measurements and have a reproduction made. Thanks.
Great fish, I am jealous(excuse the spelling). Don't forget some of the border lakes are open. We are going to Pymatuning tomorrow through sunday. Trout make nice bait. Was that a susquehana river fish? jk
Eyelander
04-10-2001, 11:24 AM
No I caught it a resavoir. I have caught some nice ones in the susky. About a month ago I got an 8 lb.
I like the idea of getting the replica made. Thanks.
I am only 31 years old so I would think that in my life time I will get another one that big, at least I hope to.
Cool! Congrats!
That is huuuuge!
I hope to see one of those someday. My biggest so far is 27.5"...
Box in MN
Wow!
Guys like you will insure the future of walleye fishing. Big fish, like the one you released, are survivors and keeping those genetic qualities in the walleye population guarantees the walleye in that gene pool will inherit those traits that allowed that fish to get that large.
My best release was only a 27" female ( full of eggs) and I have never regretted letting that lady swim away.
Eyelander
04-10-2001, 09:11 PM
Well I feel a little about the whole thing just knowing I did the right thing. And thank you all for the vote of confidence.
But I am going trout fishing until Walleye comes back in. First day of trout in PA is 4/14/01 and it is a tradition.
It's gonna be hard to get excited about these little stocked trout after all of this. But it will be nice to get out on the water just the same.
FISH
THE
WORLD
Dave in Mpls
04-11-2001, 05:59 AM
Nice fish, Eyelander! Glad you released her.
Not trying to kill your buzz, but is it legal in PA to intentionally target an out of season species? That's the reason for the closed season....
Regards
Eyelander
04-11-2001, 06:46 AM
I don't know about targeting, But I use large shiners for pickerel, Trout, Bass, Catfish...Oh yeah I almost forgot WALLEYE(lol) , so I wouldn't say there are any grounds for DNR to cite me.
Dave in Mpls
04-11-2001, 07:14 AM
No problem -
I'd just hate to see ya get get zapped on a technicality, as I've seen it happen more than once here in MN. With the DNR here, your guilty until proven innocent, or so it seems!
By the way, if your luck is anything like mine, you wouldn't have caught anything but sheephead and rock bass if you would have had the camera with you!!
Regards