04-07-2013, 03:23 AM
Been sitting back just reading the posts on this thread, being content to not jump in... until now.
Walleyes are opportunistic predatory fish that tend to like a fish diet. As Tazasorus mentioned, there are scads of suckers, chubs, perch and stocked kokes as well as little trout in Ririe to keep the eyes fat and happy for a long time. In addition, they will eat aquatic invertebrates if that is the easiest source of food (Mille Lacs in Minnesota they actually key in on mayflies during the hatch). They have even been known to eat there own young in some lakes. Because of their eatig habits and the fact that they are not as prolific as say a bluegill, perch or even the smallmouth bass, walleye populations do not tend to get "stunted".
Now the issue of the S. Fork... That is NOT a walleye river. I highly doubt that walleyes could infiltrate the river and decimate the cutts. Have we forgotten that there are brown trout in the S. Fork? If I am correct, they are just as much a meat eater as any walleye are. Walleyes are a cool/warm water species and the S. Fork is a COLD water environment. A great thing to comapre to the S. Fork is Oneida Narrows and the Bear River. Walleyes have been socked and stocked in the reservior and have ultimately made it into the river section that is directly below the dam. But yet the river is not infested with trout killing walleyes, is it?
The biggest fear right now is the fear of the unknown... How will the walleyes affect Ririe, time will tell. All this speculation about what will happen is simply that, SPECULATION. I have not caught any walleye out of Ririe but last year got turned onto the kokes. I sure hope it does not have such a negative affect on the kokes that fish and Game ceases stocking them. But on another note, does the walleye predation on some of the kokanee have anything to do with the large size of those 3 year old kokes? Like I said, last year was my first time chasing the kokes so I am not aware of what the "normal" size is, but I had heard that they were bigger than usual. Makes sense though if the population is smaller, those that make it can obtain a larger size.
Heres to hoping Ririe can sustain a fishable perch, smallmouth, kokanee, cutt and yes, walleye fishery!
Again, only time will tell.
My 2 cents...
Paul
[signature]
Walleyes are opportunistic predatory fish that tend to like a fish diet. As Tazasorus mentioned, there are scads of suckers, chubs, perch and stocked kokes as well as little trout in Ririe to keep the eyes fat and happy for a long time. In addition, they will eat aquatic invertebrates if that is the easiest source of food (Mille Lacs in Minnesota they actually key in on mayflies during the hatch). They have even been known to eat there own young in some lakes. Because of their eatig habits and the fact that they are not as prolific as say a bluegill, perch or even the smallmouth bass, walleye populations do not tend to get "stunted".
Now the issue of the S. Fork... That is NOT a walleye river. I highly doubt that walleyes could infiltrate the river and decimate the cutts. Have we forgotten that there are brown trout in the S. Fork? If I am correct, they are just as much a meat eater as any walleye are. Walleyes are a cool/warm water species and the S. Fork is a COLD water environment. A great thing to comapre to the S. Fork is Oneida Narrows and the Bear River. Walleyes have been socked and stocked in the reservior and have ultimately made it into the river section that is directly below the dam. But yet the river is not infested with trout killing walleyes, is it?
The biggest fear right now is the fear of the unknown... How will the walleyes affect Ririe, time will tell. All this speculation about what will happen is simply that, SPECULATION. I have not caught any walleye out of Ririe but last year got turned onto the kokes. I sure hope it does not have such a negative affect on the kokes that fish and Game ceases stocking them. But on another note, does the walleye predation on some of the kokanee have anything to do with the large size of those 3 year old kokes? Like I said, last year was my first time chasing the kokes so I am not aware of what the "normal" size is, but I had heard that they were bigger than usual. Makes sense though if the population is smaller, those that make it can obtain a larger size.
Heres to hoping Ririe can sustain a fishable perch, smallmouth, kokanee, cutt and yes, walleye fishery!
Again, only time will tell.
My 2 cents...
Paul
[signature]