Wisconsin Walleye Decline

[Snowking]

On some of these lakes that have walleyes and bass. Maybe we need to promote keeping bass instead of walleyes. Someone else posted that the Wisconsin Winnebago system is going to go to three walleyes Jan 1. Not sure if that has totally passed yet.

[spurs101]

Originally Posted by Snowking

On some of these lakes that have walleyes and bass. Maybe we need to promote keeping bass instead of walleyes. Someone else posted that the Wisconsin Winnebago system is going to go to three walleyes Jan 1. Not sure if that has totally passed yet.

Yup. My local changed slot on bass 14-18, anything under is far game. Hard to convince the bass guys, but I've seen an increase in slot bass and some over. I personally think that stocking the northerns (all in the range of 13-17 inches) over the last 5 years has had a positive effect as the top predator. I would like to see the limits down to 3 statewide. Meat hunters have plenty of other species to put on the table.

[fishin10]

Interesting article, I also came across this article and it seems the WI DNR is not just sitting on it's hands.
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Fishing/Out...nitiative.html
I noticed the size of the fingerlings were 6-7 ", maybe if the waited until they got a little bigger perhaps more would survive. Not all waters can support a year round fishery and allowing fishing,netting and spearing during the spawn when fish are the most vulnerable does nothing to improve fish populations. I grew up and married into a fishing family, fishing Northern Wi,Mn and the UP in the 50's,60's,70's into the 80's. very rarely did any of us come back to shore with a limit of walleyes or fish 5+ lbs. I would think allowing only 1 pole/line per fisher person, no more than 1 planner board setup per fisher person, closing the season to fishing,netting and spearing when the spawn is on to EVERYONE would go a long way. Hiring more enforcement officers to cover more waters to ensure regulation complience and a on going, expanded lake survey program to identify waters requiring more attention.

[yoopertrout]

It's been interesting during the 40 years of my adult life to watch musky, bass, and in some places, stream trout fishing become better and better as catch and release has caught on. With more people, more motors, more snowmobiles, more electronics etc., we can't expect to have fishing like in the 40's unless we put them back. I love fishing more than eating fish. I'd rather have a special meal or two a year, and really good fishing, than to fish a pounded resource and keep every legal fish I can manage to hook. I understand that other factors, such as warming, shoreline development, silting of spawning rock due to motor boat traffic, and others are probably tied into the problem. Bass MAY be an issue, but I'm reluctant to see people start wiping out that fishery without knowing if it's really the cause. I think that, for the most part, we have me the enemy and he is us.

[spurs101]

Originally Posted by yoopertrout

It's been interesting during the 40 years of my adult life to watch musky, bass, and in some places, stream trout fishing become better and better as catch and release has caught on. With more people, more motors, more snowmobiles, more electronics etc., we can't expect to have fishing like in the 40's unless we put them back. I love fishing more than eating fish. I'd rather have a special meal or two a year, and really good fishing, than to fish a pounded resource and keep every legal fish I can manage to hook. I understand that other factors, such as warming, shoreline development, silting of spawning rock due to motor boat traffic, and others are probably tied into the problem. Bass MAY be an issue, but I'm reluctant to see people start wiping out that fishery without knowing if it's really the cause. I think that, for the most part, we have me the enemy and he is us.

I think you have to trust what the fish biologist recommends and move on those initiatives. One of the deficiencies note in our local was lack of structure. We have built 29 cribs (DNR build recommended) approximately 5'x5' x6' and placed them strategically in the lake. Having fished the lake for years, I thought the structure was pretty good. Nope not so much. I've taken a camera down and scanned the cribs this year and was amazed on what they are holding for fish habitat.
We have to guard ourselves about preconceived opinions and be open to accept what the "experts" actually recommend.

[Bobby Winds]

Originally Posted by spurs101

I think you have to trust what the fish biologist recommends and move on those initiatives. One of the deficiencies note in our local was lack of structure. We have built 29 cribs (DNR build recommended) approximately 5'x5' x6' and placed them strategically in the lake. Having fished the lake for years, I thought the structure was pretty good. Nope not so much. I've taken a camera down and scanned the cribs this year and was amazed on what they are holding for fish habitat.
We have to guard ourselves about preconceived opinions and be open to accept what the "experts" actually recommend.

The so called “experts” declared the walleye population on Lake Erie was going to CRASH because of the zebra mussels invasion.........and once again they cried wolf with the round gobies. They couldn’t have been further off.

[yoopertrout]

Originally Posted by spurs101

I think you have to trust what the fish biologist recommends and move on those initiatives. One of the deficiencies note in our local was lack of structure. We have built 29 cribs (DNR build recommended) approximately 5'x5' x6' and placed them strategically in the lake. Having fished the lake for years, I thought the structure was pretty good. Nope not so much. I've taken a camera down and scanned the cribs this year and was amazed on what they are holding for fish habitat.
We have to guard ourselves about preconceived opinions and be open to accept what the "experts" actually recommend.

I agree with that. It's also worth remembering that many lakes that have been walleye lakes over recent decades never originally had walleyes. Many were bass lakes. The history bulletin board at Bent's Camp on the Cisco Chain indicates that originally there were no walleyes in that chain.

It's up to people to decide whether they want to keep walleyes thriving in lakes that they weren't native too, and the amount of expense they are willing to go to to pull it off.

[kzoofisher]

Originally Posted by Bobby Winds

The so called “experts” declared the walleye population on Lake Erie was going to CRASH because of the zebra mussels invasion.........and once again they cried wolf with the round gobies. They couldn’t have been further off.

Actually, they didn’t. I bet it makes you feel good to believe they did.

[Scandrews]

I have never fished WI, grew up fishing in Ne and S.D. and Ne always did a random voluntary creel count, my dad and I always stopped and would let them measure our keepers and if we didn't have any or only catch and release we would give them measurements and how many or what shorts we caught. It always amazed me how many people would drive by them because the info they collect will help them manage the lake better and they have a idea of how many fish are being harvested, I always thought they should be mandatory. IMHO

[Bobby Winds]

Originally Posted by kzoofisher

Actually, they didn’t. I bet it makes you feel good to believe they did.

Other concerns are arising regarding the reefs and other rocky habitat. Most rocky areas appear to be almost completely
covered with mussels already. The zebra mussels attach to each other, sometimes forming layers that are several inches
thick. The accumulation of pseudofeces in these beds creates a foul environment. As the waste particles decompose,
oxygen is used up and the pH becomes very acidic. Research is needed to determine if these anaerobic, acidic conditions
will be detrimental to the hatching success of reef-spawning fish species such as walleye, white bass and small mouth
bass.

https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connec...61a724-mdGDxOu