DWR Willard Fall Netting

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]First of all, not throwing rocks at DWR for their attempts to manage the walleyes in Willard. They have done a great job in increasing supplemental plantings and monitoring results. I do still have a problem with allowing the inlet to remain open (for snagging) during the annual walleye spawn. There are far more big females and mature males removed during that short time than are taken by hardcore walleye anglers on the main lake for the rest of the year. The fact that there is neglible viable spawning in the silty channel of the inlet is of secondary concern. From an angling standpoint, big fish removed by illegal means are all big fish that legal anglers will not have a shot at during the rest of the year.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The rivers and reservoirs of the midwest that are famous for fantastic walleye fishing are indeed well managed...for the most part. There are slot limits and varying possession limits reflective of each water's carrying capacity, angler pressure, food resources, natural spawning, etc. And many of the spawning tributaries ARE CLOSED during the spawn...to ALL fishing. Of course, most of those clear flowing waters with gravel riverbeds are truly good spawning grounds and the fish should be protected.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Probably the biggest differences between Willard and midwest walleye ponds are the age of the lakes and the long-term natural buildup of multiple forage species...for year round feeding and growth. Another is that they are mostly natural lakes with constant water flow through and fairly stable water levels. Definitely not Willard. DWR does a good job to try to offset the differences but it is tough to manage the unmanageable.
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[#0000FF]The flip side is that Willard does have an overabundance of food...shad...but only for a few months of the year. Gizzard shad grow fast and by late fall most are growing too large for all but the largest of the predators to catch and consume. That leaves several months before the next shad spawn reaches edible size.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]In the pictures provided by Chris, the picture of the walleyes shows some good girth...recent meals and/or visceral fat. They been eating good. But now begins their annual survival period.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Wiper stocking? There is still annual stocking of both sac fry and fingerlings. But the survival rate for both has been low the past couple of years and wiper numbers are down too. However, there were representatives of both of the last two years in the nettings so there is hope for bigger numbers soon. I doubt that reduced survival rate of wiper young is solely attributable to hungry walleyes. More likely cannibalism by the huge wipers from the large year class of 2014. They do eat their own young...as do all members of the striper and white bass clan.
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[wormandbobber]

[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]The flip side is that Willard does have an overabundance of food...shad...but only for a few months of the year. Gizzard shad grow fast and by late fall most are growing too large for all but the largest of the predators to catch and consume. That leaves several months before the next shad spawn reaches edible size

Wiper stocking? There is still annual stocking of both sac fry and fingerlings. But the survival rate for both has been low the past couple of years and wiper numbers are down too. However, there were representatives of both of the last two years in the nettings so there is hope for bigger numbers soon. I doubt that reduced survival rate of wiper young is solely attributable to hungry walleyes. More likely cannibalism by the huge wipers from the large year class of 2014. They do eat their own young...as do all members of the striper and white bass clan.
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That was kind of my question...with an adequate food supply for some of the year--shad--is something else filling the void during the remainder of the year? What has changed or has something changed?

I wonder if the stocking of lots and lots of sacfry wipers is helping fill the void and keeping walleye on the tough-to-catch list despite decent numbers. I am not blaming low wiper recruitment solely on walleye--I am sure catfish, smallmouth bass, other wipers, bluegill, sunfish, crappie and whatever else contribute as well. But, I do think the increased wiper stocking could give the walleye more potential food and make them harder to catch.

I am not going to argue the inlet now...I will wait until spring when this topic comes up again for its annual run!
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]About those green sunfish. Most folks who have "experienced" them can attest to their aggressive defense of their nesting territories.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Your near "nipplectomy" is not surprising...although I'm sure it was a surprise to you at the time. Reminded me of a second hand tale from a fishing buddy who was attacked by greenies while bathing (nude) in a secluded cove on Lake Powell. I will leave it to your imagination as to what indignities might have been inflicted on exposed nether parts.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I suspect that your bleeding injury may have been caused by one of the rare "saber-toothed" sunfish. It is believed that radiation leaching downstream from the Moab area has created some picscatorial anomalies among Powell's fishkind. Or...someone may have released an aquarium piranha into Powell.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Not disputing your story. Just offering possible alternative causes.
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[wormandbobber]

Yeah, I think it could have been a saber-toothed green sunfish that attacked me. It probably was of record proportions too! LOL!
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[TubeDude]

"That was kind of my question...with an adequate food supply for some of the year--shad--is something else filling the void during the remainder of the year? What has changed or has something changed?"

[#0000FF]There is a line from "Jurassic Park"..."Nature will find a way". And thus it is with Willard Bay. Over the course of each year's fishing that lake, anglers find an amazing variety of "alternative" food items in wipers and walleyes. Crawdads are common at some times of year. And young crappies, bluegills, yellow perch, carp and even juvenile catfish are also seen in some fish. However, I cannot ever recall finding any remnants of young wipers. Like the old saw about sharks not eating attorneys...out of professional courtesy. Maybe the wiperettes get a pass...or maybe they are just not available in numbers...in sizes small enough...long enough...to be a regular food item. Like the shad, they grow fast.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Other food items in stomach contents include log perch and spottail shiners. Both of these species were introduced as potential forage long before shad were brought in. Small populations still exist (and flourish) in a few isolated areas of Willard. And when pickings are slim the hungry predators search them out and invite them to dinner.
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[PBH]

[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]Probably the biggest differences between Willard and midwest walleye ponds are the age of the lakes and the long-term natural buildup of multiple forage species... [/quote]

No. This is not the biggest difference between Willard and midwest walleye waters.



[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]Another is that they are mostly natural lakes with constant water flow through and fairly stable water levels. Definitely not Willard. [/quote]

This is a better attempt. I would add: walleye are native to the majority of those waters, including the Great Lakes region and Canada.
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