Fishing Forum

Walleye

The walleye is the most sought-after fish in Minnesota. Its thick, white fillets, handsome shape and coloring, and elusive nature make it the ultimate prize among anglers. Each year, anglers in Minnesota keep roughly 3.5 million walleyes totaling 4 million pounds. The average walleye caught and kept is about 14 inches long and weighs slightly more than 1 pound. The walleye is named for its pearlescent eye, which is caused by a reflective layer of pigment, called the tapetum lucidum, that helps it see and feed at night or in murky water.


A close cousin of the walleye is the sauger. Sauger have a more limited distribution than walleyes, and they don't grow as large. The two species look similar, but you can tell them apart by looking at the tip of the lower part of the tail. That part of the tail is white on a walleye, but not on a sauger.

To ensure that lakes produce enough walleyes to keep up with growing angler demand, the DNR protects habitat, limits the catch through regulations, and stocks fish where natural reproduction is limited and other desirable fish species will not be harmed. In recent years, the DNR has also instituted special regulations that protect medium-sized walleyes on several lakes to increase the average size of walleyes that anglers can catch.
[signature]

[blush][size 2][#804040]I never caught or no less ever seen a walleye. Consequently and perhaps a surprise to my good buddy JapanRon I HAVE NO OPINION TO OFFER.[/#804040][/size]

[#804040][size 2]Nice review TubeN2. I thought that the Walleye was a much bigger fish. Duh - Shows you how much I know.[/size][/#804040]
[signature]

They generally have more teeth and attitude than they have size. The size that they are specifying is only for that state. They do get bigger. We used to catch them when I lived in Utah. I'm trying to cover the fishys all over the US.
[signature]

The first Walleye that I've ever caught scared me when I reached into its mouth to remove the hook. I saw fangs! It's not mentioned in your article but every "eye" that I've seen seems to have canine teeth that are much more noticeable than the other teeth.

They do get quite large but like the article says, on average, they're just over a pound. I've caught them between a few ounces up to about two pounds. Talk to Flagman, Minneman, or Hattrk about Walleye's here in MN. They'll tell you how big they get.
[signature]

I can believe they get bigger. The ones we used to get in Utah would easily push 4 to 5lbs. There is nothing like a scrappy fight from an eye after you've set the hook.
[signature]

Take a look at the State Record listings. Quite impressive. Midwest Outdoors (tv show) had Ted Takasaki on the Mississippi below Red Wing, MN and they were catching 6-10 pounders like crazy.
[signature]

That would be the ideal situation. I think I could socumbe myself to such torture and enjoy it. hee hee.
[signature]

Look at this Walleye caught at Lake Hopatcong in NJ this winter...''this was on the nybass.com message boards.... what a fatty!!!


[signature]

Hi Dryrod,

Are you kiddin'! An opinon is a very abstract term. I look forward to your opinion (whether it's based on your actual experience or not)! Why? You have never put out a serious off-the-wall reply or comment. I assume that you, like me, do a lot of background work before we venture a reply. Since when does an opinon have to be backed up by actual I-did-this-experience?

I am supprised as I know you, like me, usually attack a question that we don't know the answer to with gusto.

I don't know where Al Linder got his walleye, but the videos I seen of him catching 'eyes' tell me there's always bigger fish in the sea....er .... lake!

Dryrod Fan Club president,

JapanRon[]
[signature]

[][#800000][size 2]Now that is what I expected a Walleye would look like.[/size][/#800000]
[signature]

[cool][#800000][size 1]Hi there JapanRon,[/size][/#800000]

[#800000][size 1]You are the president of the Dryrod fan club? [blush]Gosh I guess that you will have to get my vote next election. Or is it a life time appointment?[angelic][/size][/#800000]
[signature]

Walleyes in Wisconsin vary in size. You'll get alot of smaller eating size ones. The state record here is a bit over 17 pounds, caught on the Wisconsin River a few years ago, and released. I have a 30 1'8", just over 10 pounder mounted; and 2 that went about 8 3/4 pounds mounted as well. I got them mounted in the early 90's. Since that time I have caught many that have gone over 6 pounds. Had one that got net shy last year that easily would have went 12 pounds. Her belly was saggin heavily. Estimated that one at about 34 inches. Got a real good look at her before she did a hard dive for the bottom, and managed to spit the hook.

Saugers are easy to distinguish from a walleye, as they have black blotches on them all over their body. They also have big black spots on the dorsal fin. Caught about 30 of them last week on the Wisconsin River.

Saugeyes are legal on that body of water too, and I threw a fish back that had the black spots on the dorsal, but no blotches on the body. Just had a faint slice of white on the tail. The DNR told me that was a saugeye, and I threw a legal eater back..shucks!
[signature]

Anouther good article TubeN2!
[signature]

I'm glad to be of service. Next weeks fish will be a little smaller and a little less toothy.
[signature]

ahahha thats funny! i like that one. we got em in lake champlain that grow good n big and the connecticut river they grow huge! some almost as big as a good size muskie! i dont care fer fishin the river much, but my boys have pulled good ones out of there,. some et em. i never have awful bony but they say the flavor is good on a descent size one. ya dont want en too big ayways the med size is good tastin they said. bought 5 lbs, will do ya. later. i love that fish. ahha [][]hey i mae jack strawberry shortcake with my biscuits tonite. guess where he is?? ahah ya on the couch snorin. hahahaha later[]
[signature]

GOOD ARTICLE MOST OF THE LAKES IN KANSAS HAVE A 18'' LIMIT THERE ARE A FEW THAT LET YOU KEEP 15" FISH. THE WALLEYE BITE IS STARTING TO PICK UP NOW .GOING FISHING TOMORROW MAY TRY TO CATCH SOME.
[signature]

Hey patches, we have some good recipes on the other board for Walleye. Try some out. I like walleye myself when it's prepared properly. yummmmmmmmmmy.
[signature]

Hey fyshrmn, Do you have a link to your state home page?? I would like to check it out. thanks buddy.
[signature]

ok i probanly will when one of the boys git me one, i,ll be trout fishin then we can have a hood cookout! haha it,s gittin near time said its gonna be 60 friday!rain fer the next 2 so it will git rid of the SNOW!!!!!!! CAN,T WAIT. JACK SAID SOMETHIN BOUT TAKIN THE HONDA OUT SAT. HAHA thank god we got the clothes fer it! hahagittin the rest of my summer stuff out soon. i did it too soon a couple weeks ago. ahha wishin waitin hopin haha ya know. hey see the geese come back last night. headin toward everetts pond!! YEAH! NOW I KNOW ITS SPRING!!!!! WE,RE ALL FEELIN IT!! [][]WE.LL GIT THE HARLEY OUT AFTER THE SALT GOES. PRETTY LUCKY TO HAVE 2 BIKES HAHA ONE FER I DONT CARE THING AND ONE FER THE HOLE SUMMER, AHHA LATER[]
[signature]

I'VE GOT IT BOOK MARKED DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THE LINK THING. I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT. TOOK ME A WEEK TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN IT ON. COULDN'T FIND THE THUMB BUTTON. BUT THE ADDRESS IS [url "http://www.KDWP.STATE.KS.US"]WWW.KDWP.STATE.KS.US[/url] HOPE THIS IS WANT YOU WANTED
[signature]