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Spent an evening out at willard last night trying for some walleye, slow slow slow. I ended up catching one eye about 18" male so didn't see the skunk anyway. Fished until 9:30 and headed out before the rain started. Was hoping for a little wind to stir things up but it was as calm as could be so I'm blaming mother nature for the slow fishing, gotta blame something besides me, lol.
Anyway, as I arrived back to my truck there was a couple guys that had just gotten back to their vehicle and we started comparing fishing success only to here that they had caught a large walleye. I ask if I could see it and it was a big female, beautiful eye. I congratulated them on there success because they were very excited. However it  dened me to see this big female walleye removed from the resource. I feel it is very important that we as sportsmen have an obligation to release these big females to help with the population of the walleyes in our lakes. So with this being said I'm glad these fishermen caught a nice walleye and were very excited about their success but on the other side of it please do the right thing for the resource and return the big females, there are plenty of smaller males to go around. [  ]
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I've only caught a couple of walleyes in my life but I'd like to catch more. How do you tell the females from the males so I know for the future when I become more proficient at catching walleye? If you have any pics that would be great too.
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Very Nicely Put!!!! Do what is legal but releaseing large Females is Extremely Helpfull to and Walleye Fishery, we can all contribute on occasion..
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[cool][#0000ff]Releasing the large females is a noble thought but entirely unnecessary in Utah Lake. The lake is overrun with walleyes...including large females. Just because the average fisherman can't catch them does not mean they are endangered.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No need to harass another angler because they keep a large walleye. it is purely a matter of personal choice. There is NO WAY that a healthy walleye water like Utah Lake could ever be cleaned out of walleyes by anglers. The only times the walleyes have suffered is during a drought when they have poor spawning and the white bass population drops because they also have poor spawning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Every year there are tens of thousands of big walleyes that die of old age in Utah Lake. Removing a few for the table ain't gonna hurt it. And, contrary to what the walleye-huggers like to promote...the big ones are just as good to eat as the small ones.[/#0000ff]
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HERE HERE(or hear hear?) AND WELL SAID!!!
You're GOOD!!
As I was reading the post thinking of Willard or UL and the walleye...UL not in danger, Willard...hmmm...maybe...but still not in trouble at all...is my guess.
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Could not agree more with TD.
I've read biologists state that the large females are no better spawners than a walleye who is spawning for the first time.
This catch and release mentality has some merit and logic to it...but it can't be applied everywhere to every situation.
Big walleyes are just not as crucial to a walleye population as many people think. They are more fun to catch - but they don't necessarily contribute more to the system than smaller walleyes.
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But how do they taste?[cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]Walleyes are some of the finest eating fish available...large or small. Contrary to what some folks would have you believe, the large ones do not develop soft flesh or bad taste. They just have thicker fillets and need to be handled and cooked differently to maximize their edibility.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]People who claim that they don't like fish...or claim that a certain species tastes bad...are usually not proficient at properly caring for the fish before cooking and don't know their way around a fish kitchen very well. You can make almost any fish palatable if you take care of it and cook it in the best way for the fish you are cooking.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Granted, there are fish from individual waters that develop "off" flavors...no matter how you fix them. But the big walleyes of Utah Lake are superb table fare. The only times I have seen them in anything other than beautiful eating condition is when they have been stressed for an extended period of time due to low water or warm water...or being starved due to lack of food. That will affect any fish of any species.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have watched the commercial netting operation on Utah Lake and have seen hauls that had as many walleye as carp in the nets. And the walleye are all big, fat and healthy. No need for bleeding heart conservation...just to save pregnant females. If anything the lake could probably stand a much greater harvest.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Ever eaten walleye?[/#0000ff]
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Wow, I guess I need to get down and give UL a try. Too bad it's so far away.
I beleive Perchound was talking about Willard Bay though. Is the walleye population at Willard as strong as Utah Lake?
In my experience, walleyes are not near as good-a-eating from 5-6 pounds on up. Granted, I have never caught one out of UL or broke the 5 pound mark at Willard (lost her right at the net [pirate]). But a 5-6 pound plus walleye is usually sportin' some pretty old meat.
I know the Bear River walleye fishery could have used alot more selective harvest over the last 10 years. Not to mention a fishing closure of their spawning grounds . . . or at least a reduced limit.
Sounded like Perchound was pretty cool about his fellow fisheman's great catch though.
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females are big and fat males are skinny and smaller.
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[ ]Thanks Got_Bait, I personally don't know much about UL and I have never fished it, but I have spent several years fishing willard and know that the walleye could use a little help from all of us. Years ago willard use to produce some hog walleye's and I haven't seen anything over 29" for years nor heard of it either. I would some day like to be able to catch a 12-15 lb. walleye out of there and release it for some other fisherman to get excited about. Thats just my take on willard and I'm sure we all have our own opinion on it.
Feel the walleye rush!
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Can't agree more Perchound!
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Moved to the Utah Fishing General forum to solicit more replies.
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I personally agree for most fisheries to release the females. I'm predominately a bass fisherman and have been fooled a lot. If I go by shape I'm wrong a lot. Some fatties have no eggs and some skinnts have eggs. Is there a better method?
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[quote TubeDude][cool][b][#0000ff]Releasing the large females is a noble thought but entirely unnecessary in Utah Lake.
TubeDude this is the second time this week that you have misquoted the author. We know you are the leader in posts on the Utah BFT Forum but please "read" as well post here. This is ruining your credibility for some. Mainly me. You offer a great deal of information for some but 7 posts a day??? A little too much??? Yes!!!
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[quote rod-n-gun][quote TubeDude][cool][#0000ff]Releasing the large females is a noble thought but entirely unnecessary in Utah Lake.
TubeDude this is the second time this week that you have misquoted the author. We know you are the leader in posts on the Utah BFT Forum but please "read" as well post here. This is ruining your credibility for some. Mainly me. You offer a great deal of information for some but 7 posts a day??? A little too much??? Yes!!![/quote] Don't sass the King.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Crawl back in your cess pool.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I acknowledged his post and supported his position on releasing walleyes in Willard on his second post[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here is what I wrote there:[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]"After popping off about the Utah Lake walleyes I probably should clarify that I totally agree with you on helping out the Willard fish. I have fished Willard walleyes since the 1970s and have seen a lot of changes in their populations and in their feeding habits. In the "olden days"...before wipers and shad...walleyes dined heavily on the abundant crappies. They reproduced faster and they grew bigger faster. When the limit was 6 fish with only two over 20 inches it was rare to catch a walleye under 20 inches. And there were trips that we caught at least 20 to 30 fish apiece to end up with a couple of 5 pounders...throwing back lots of bigger fish.[#000000]
[/#000000][#0000ff]The drought years of the early 2000's, together with the big "suck out" a couple of years later reduced the walleye population in Willard a lot. They are coming back well...and will probably have a heavy population again within a couple of years. But until they do it stands to reason that every spawning female can play a role in the comeback.[/#0000ff][#000000]
[/#000000][#0000ff]Still, the matter of keeping or not keeping a big fish is up to the individual. A lot of anglers are not nearly as focused on building a fishery as taking home a big fish to show off and eat."[/#0000ff][#000000] [/#000000]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=659631;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]LINK TO POST[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You have no credibility.[/#0000ff]
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Tubedude, can you give a beginner without a boat some advice on fishing for walleye on UL? I live close and have never fished it. Where is a great place to cast from shore, and what are some of the basic setups a beginner could use?
By the way, you can post a hundred times a day if you'd like. I love reading them all.
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Youch. I know there's limits on fish at various ponds, but didn't realize there was a limit on posts at the forum.
Geez - is there a limit on words too? I'm probably in violation a bunch of times over if that's the case. [shocked]
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[cool] [#0000ff]First of all, welcome to the board.[/#0000ff]
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[cool] [#ff0000]Edit: Sorry. I keep doing this. Did not read the UL since we were talking about Willard. So after dumping all that stuff about Willard I will add a PDF file about fishing UL walleyes. Hope it helps.[/#ff0000]
[#ff0000]I get so  .[/#ff0000]
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[#0000ff]Second of all, you probably already realize that there are no "easy" solutions to fishing for walleyes. They are tough to find and catch even if you have a boat with all the latest electronics. Fishing for them from shore is a matter of good guesswork, good technique and good luck.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now it can be especially difficult because the fish are in a transition stage...from spawning to post spawn. The good news is that some of the best walleye fishing of the year is soon to come. When the fish go on their post spawn feeding binge it becomes a lot easier for most folks to catch them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are already more walleyes being caught around the lake. Most are being caught by serious walleye specialists...or guys who are trolling for wipers in the traditional spots with proven lures. However, there are more and more being caught near the rock dikes too. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are several areas around the perimeter of Willard where "bank tanglers" find a few willing wallies. One of the best is along the north dike. You can park in front of the gate for a $3 daily fee if you do not have a park pass. Then start at the "outlet"...where there are the concrete structures on the dike. Keep working your way out along the rocks...casting out parallel to shore or fanning your cast...until you find a fish or two. Then duplicate what works.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fishing "low and slow" is necessary to catch walleyes. Throw plastic twisters, tubes or shad bodies in 3" to 4" sizes...with 1/8 oz. or 1/4 oz. heads. White, pearl or chartreuse are the better colors. As the fish get more active you will do well with diving crankbaits...in silver, white, chartreuse or crawdad colors. You want to imitate shad or crawdads.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can also catch a walleye or two by fishing bait. If you have a two-pole permit you can set up one bait rod while you fish with lures. Use a whole minnow or nightcrawler on the bottom...or suspended just above the bottom with a slip sinker rig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are a lot of other places around the lake where you can sometimes find walleyes close enough to the rocks to make fishing for them worthwhile. When the annual spawning closure ends in the inlet for the south marina...about the 1st of May...you can catch lingering walleyes up near the baffles and all the way down the channel. Lots of places to cast from shore but brushy and snaggy next to shore.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Inside the south marina you can fish off the dikes or even inside the marina early and late in the day before it gets too busy with boat traffic. Lot of walleyes caught by accident in there by folks fishing for crappies or wipers. You can also walk out on the dikes to fish the corner as the channel goes into the main lake...or along the dike as suggest for the north dike. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The next popular area is the SW corner. That is a free access point if you don't have a pass. Take the perimeter road (see map) and park down below the dike. Go up over it and start rock-hopping and casting. When the fish are in you might have a lot of company. Good place for wipers too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Then there is the NW corner...at the light pole. You need a tough vehicle with high clearance and good suspension to get out over the "war zone" road. This road is well maintained to the SW corner but not along the west dike. But there are often both walleyes and wipers to be had out there. Good fishing for cats too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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