08-15-2012, 10:27 PM
Couldn't agree more TD! I have seen trmendous changes in the condition of the walleyes in Starvation over the past 4 years. Starvation is a VERY healthy fishery right now. If you don't think so ask the DWR what their gill net survey data looks like. Once the walleye reach the 15 inch mark now they are borderline obese! I have caught several 21 inchers this year that weigh between 4 and 4.5 lbs on a IFGA certified scale. I caught a 23 - 1/4" fish this last weekend that weighed exactly 6 -1/8 lbs. I saw a fish caught that was 23.5" long that weighed 6.5 lbs. These fish have huge guts and are very thick clear through to their tails. Just a couple years ago a 21 inch fish was a 3 pound fish.
You are right, there are still plenty of bigger walleye in Starvation they are just much harder to catch now because the perch population gives them so much feed that they do not have to be in search of prey all the time. The bigger fish seem to not only be feeding more actively at night (which is normal for 'eyes) but they also seem to spend an aweful lot of time laying around or suspended over deep water. There are a handful of excellent walleye anglers that are catching allot of big fish up there but they've adapted and developed the when, where, and how to do it.
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You are right, there are still plenty of bigger walleye in Starvation they are just much harder to catch now because the perch population gives them so much feed that they do not have to be in search of prey all the time. The bigger fish seem to not only be feeding more actively at night (which is normal for 'eyes) but they also seem to spend an aweful lot of time laying around or suspended over deep water. There are a handful of excellent walleye anglers that are catching allot of big fish up there but they've adapted and developed the when, where, and how to do it.
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Sunrise on the water