Washington, Spokane - Columbia River 20.32-pound walleye
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[url "http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/mar/06/criticism-of-record-walleye-misguided/"]http://www.spokesman.com/...d-walleye-misguided/[/url]
As the fish-tail turns, seems there's some discussion and debate about keeping such a toad for the sake of the record, and some interesting information regarding such a choice.
We've had some recent discussions and debates about similar topics here, though it might make a good share.
Not trying to stir the pot or open an airsoft war, so just keep that in mind.
one that size is likely at the end of its life cycle ant how so why not rather see him enjoy it then it floating and bloated next year
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While I applaud and encourage releasing large "breeder" fish, I can forgive and forget when it's a possible/probable world record.
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[#0000FF]You coulda stirred up a lot more buzz if you claimed the fish was from the Bear River...or even the Jordan if you are not too prejudiced about the south.
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It is interesting to hear the ethical discussion.... particularly since this guy released two nice sized fish the same day he kept this one.
I've caught and released a number of 24"+ cutts at Scofield over the past year. IMHO, those large fish are vital to winning the Chub battle there.
But I've kept some too -- usually those that break a personal record for me.
Plus they taste great marinated up and BBQed. Speaking of which.... I think I have two last fillets in the freezer for dinner tonight.
What is not discussed enough within the "catch and release" community are the downsides of NOT harvesting in many areas.
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No controversy at all. That fish was meant to be killed lol. A swwweeet looking eye for sure!!!!
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Touche - or I could bring down the rain of hellfire, and photo-shop my picture into it to further fuel the antagonism! At least is wasn't a Bass!
Don't know that it's a WORLD record, but it beats the 1988 record, and not many +20s recorded.
I do appreciate the notes from the fishery folks noting how the guy probably did more to support the state's fishery by keeping it, and causing such a buzz. Record fast record keeping too they say.
I know TD, and others have discussed how selective harvest can benefit a fishery, and I'm a believer.
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[#0000FF]Selective harvest can be a good thing. Too many waters that become full of smaller fish because there just ain't enough groceries to support them. But the C&R protagonists (related to PETAites) are against any form of harvest...especially on their favorite waters or species. Hooray for me and to hell with thee.
Two good reasons for keeping a biggun like that. One is that replica mounts of toothy fish...like big walleyes or northerns...just cannot do justice to the mouthful of pointy things they use to get prey. And second...wait for it...they are just as good to eat as smaller walleyes. I roll my eyes every time someone tells me to release the big walleyes because they are not good to eat. In most cases those folks have probably never caught one that big and have not tried it on the table. I have caught and kept a lot of walleyes over 5# and I have never met one I didn't like.
I seldom keep big female walleyes during the spawn for two reasons. First is because I do have a bit of a fondness for them and want to see them make more babies. Second is because...like some other species...they quit eating actively for a while and live off the stored nutrients in the flesh. That can make the flesh less firm and palatable. Otherwise, they are good the rest of the year...as long as they are living in water with proper temperatures and chemistry. Any fish that is stressed by overly warm water with a lot of mud and industrial waste is subject to degradation of quality. In short, the best time for good eating 'eyes is late fall, winter, spring and the early summer...post-spawn. Best time to catch them is whenever you can. They are GOOD eating even at their worst.
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Just an FYI - having grown up on the Columbia - the walleye were introduced via bucket bioligists in the late 60' - early 70's - initial thoughts were they were going to eat all the salmon and steelhead smolts and ruin the river forever. Now a 20+ pounds Eye Times are a changing.
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Amen dude! During the spawn I let the girls go, but after the spawn is done they are fair game. Walleyes in my opinion are a god send for one or two reasons to me, the biggest of which is to go on my plate! I fish for walleyes with the intensional of eating them. I have eaten them from perch size on up to 9 pounds and there is no difference in how they eat up other than how wide you have to open your cake hole to bite the fillet
Awesome walleye he caught and good on him if he wanted to keep it. I'm sure it's not the only one that big lurking in that water.
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I really need to try a Walleye Steak one of these days...
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I pray you catch one big enough to get a steak from!
Wait a minute, I pray that I CATCH ONE big enought to get a steak from!
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Oh HGS, sometimes you're udderly
. Walleye are fish my friend. Just ribbing ya!
We should play around the river, or rocks and see if we can't find some. Andy nabbed that nice one (you know where) last spring. Too bad he didn't know what it was (or how good). Chatted up other anglers along the river, similar stories - scary toothy prehistoric beast - threw it back as they didn't know what it was. Hopefully it dropped a bunch of eggs!
My first happy ending on a river trip last spring:
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Maybe a run north to Oneida could be considered.
I've oft asked - is Wallaye so favored because it's good tasting fish, or fish that isn't fishy tasting. And being kissing cousins to the wee perchlings - I tend to think it's the latter. But a fried filet is certainly thicker, flaky, and tender tasty. I'd put 'em up there is a Slab Crappie - or better even.
Talk about stirring the pot, and causing a buzz, this little guy's colony is gonna get a real buzz! Must be a Colorado bee me thinks.
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Yote, that's a small 'eye'.
But hey it's an 'eye'! Better than what I've caught. I wonder how big they get around here?
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Next item for discussion, are they good C&R tactics. Specially a fish that big, would have been easy to miss handle it.
Just because a fish swims away doesn't mean it has not been killed through miss handling.
Fish of a life time! I say go for it. I also agree it was probably at it's last rodeo.
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So a different look at this is to ask the question; why should we care if he let it go or not? There are tremendous arguments to be made for the conservation and continued legacy of released fish, but the fact of the matter is that once this gentlemen hooked and retrieved that fish, it became his property. If he truly performed all that the law requires him to do to legally harvest that fish, the minute he boated or landed the big'un, what we think is no longer part of the equation.
Is it our place to judge what the farmer does with his prize bull, if what he chooses to do is legal? Is it our place to judge the hunter who takes the three year old buck who would have bred and grown trophy offspring? The answer is obviously No!
This is a great fish. I am happy for him and hope someday to be in his place. As for what he did with it, well, that really is his decision and none of my business.
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I'm not the one to ask about BIG fish, nor good knots, right? [
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Though I do know people who have caught 10+ pounders in our area. I hear stories of others too. They're pretty pokey fish. Even sharp gill plates. Not to mention the sharp teeth! But one thing abojt eye hunters, the keep it mum.
What you say may be true but a fish in the pan will never get any bigger or fight again..
And a fish that is bleeding does not always die..
How each fish is handled for one person may seem wrong but to another it may seem right..
No matter who or how good you handle the fish some will die that you think should have lived and some you think should have died will live..
Now if you know what I am talking about let me know so we both know..[
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Agreed. Just saying big fish are a little harder to handle...correctly. I know as I am guilty.
And any hook fish will have a shorter life span...potential. .[
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