Walleye Poll ?

[GbayGiant]

It seems it's popular to release every musky nowadays and keep every walleye. I personally let most ( 95 %)Walleyes go, but once and a while give one to my Dad and Grandma, I'm usually only interested in finding the biggest fish and getting a nice picture to go along with a good fight for the sport.

 

It's hard for a Walleye being on the favorite tasting fish list.

 

What do you guys do with the fish ?

[huntervasili]

I will usually keep enough for a days shore lunch or dinner... Beyond that though I will let em all go...

[ccmtcanada]

Bly and I attempt to release all our walleye. We caught 18 that were 8+ pounds this past fall...with lots over 12 pounds and the biggest was bly's 15 pound one. We have that 15 poudner in the freezer...after she tried to release it for over half an hour. I would never eat one that big anyways!!

[DanTheMan]

I keep my walleye limit if I can get it. thats when I get it Cause I love my shore lunch.I think

I spend enought threw the year to deserve a good supper and lunch

[Terry]

I have not kept one in over 2 years.........

maybe this year I will keep a small one for a shore lunch

[tjsa]

Where I am, its not a big problem to keep a limit, even every time out, as I fish a different lake every time out, and sometimes do not get back to the same lake even in the next year, or even 2 yrs.

Much less fishing pressure on a lot of lakes up here, some are hit hard every weekend, but I generally avoid them, and go elsewhere.

[Flappn]

Personally, once a year we do our annual fishing trip...we will keep some for a fish fry. The rest of the year they go back. I really am worried about the walleye population and wish we could get some up to date info on really how healthy the population is. Because I feel it is depleeting rapidly and truly fish for the fun/sport of fishing, I throw them all back. I want to be able to take my kids fishing in the future.

[carll2]

when i go which is about 4-5 times a year i always bring back my limit, i dont even have time to freeze it and my dad mom and sisters have eaten everything all up.. but i let all the big ones go i only keep between 13-16 inches they are the best mmmmmmm

Edited March 7, 2007 by carll2

[nelly]

Last year total kept was 4 I think. I didn't get alot but I did do some catch and release. Some years are really good and some years are tough but I will not keep ever walleye that catch even if it is my legal right.

[Rizzo]

I keep one every other year or so, but I only catch them incidentally. This year didn't keep any, so I guess next year I'm eating fish!

[Big Al]

I keep 2 or 2 walleyes for my Saturday night fish fry and usually bring home a few on Sunday for Mom

[Moosebunk]

Don't have the numbers in front of me, but I think it was 99 fish total that were kept last year. A few of those trout and pike but likely about 80 walleye. I think that's about 20% of the total walleye catch for the year. We have about 2 meals at home per month and it takes about 7-8 walleye to feed 4. Yeah, that math works out.... couple shore lunches in there for guests in das-canoe.

 

I'd trade those walleye for something different, like perch, crappie or whitefish.

[JerseyDog]

I'd keep my limit - if I could catch it.

 

Truth be told, on my home waters I've only actually caught two of them, that was four years ago and that is also the limit where I generally fish. I should have kept them, of course these is a slot too.

 

No matter how you slice it, when I'm on the water the walleye are in no danger.

[duber]

I keep the smaller ones if I can get them.Nothing over 24 inches.But I am just as happy to get a nice pike or some panfish.

[fishdawg]

dpends on the waterbody I am fishing

 

I fish the Kawartha's a fair bit & as we know, sometimes it can be tough, other times not... so I am pretty slective up there - but if I am entertainig guests & we're joensing for a shorelunch i'll give the eyes a break & keep some small bass (when in season) or crappies & give'em a break

 

But if I am fortunate enough to limit out on a fishery like Erie or Nippissing ( not very hard these days) i'll definetly take home my legal amount because that waterbody can handle it

 

nothing wrong at all with a legal limit of walleye (pickeral!)- its all about personal preference & respect for the waterbody

[Joey]

I ususally keep 2 or 3 Pickerel for a shore lunch for Paul and I if we catch that many in the same day. He's more prone to let them go.

 

I did keep one for my father when he asked me a couple of years ago. He was thrilled, but I had to get it to him fast and had to work so I couriered it in a box with ice and it cost a fortune. He might as well have just gone to loblaws and bought one

 

Joey

[DT10Sam]

We have three feeds a year of 3-4 lbers, so I will try to get one limit in the spring, one in the fall and one during hardwater. Our fish frys are normally just a family dinner.

 

Regards,

Sam

[fishindevil]

yuuuummmmyyyyyyy. ...walleye,they are so tasty....cheers

[tjsa]

I keep the smaller ones if I can get them.Nothing over 24 inches.But I am just as happy to get a nice pike or some panfish.

 

, smaller ones, nothing over 24 inches??????????

 

Most of my fish throughout the year are less than 18". When I keep a limit, there is usually a fish around 12-13", then a couple in the 14-16 in. range, and the last fish for my 4 fish limit is in the slot size, if I catch one, the one we are allowed in a daily limit over 18.1 inches, but if its slightly less than that, who cares.

 

I'll take a limit of 14-16 or 17 inch walleye any day, fish above 20 inches almost always go back, unless hooked badly.

[Gerritt]

I voted for "I keep 3 or 4 a year, hardly ever." my reason for it? While I do enjoy walleye, Pike are just as good in my opinion... yeah they take a bit longer to clean.. but they are more prolific in most lakes and are not "put and take" like alot of Pickeral fisheries... such as Nipissing... sure there is natural reproduction on the Nip... but it is helped along with stocking.

 

 

so with that said... I keep few walleye and am more apt to keep a few Pike for supper.

 

 

Gerritt.

[Northhunter]

I picked limit, because this year that will likely mean 4 fish under 15 3/4" where I'll be fishing if I choose to eat walleye.

 

Last year it was 6 fish, any size. It was a good year, but the number of 'eyes I personally caught and kept was probably in the single digits. I kept a few fish that would have been slot fish had they been caught with the new regs, but I also released a few and kept nothing that would have been above it. IMO low slot fish are the bread and butter, but are also reproducing. I feel better about limiting my catch and keeping 1 - 3 fish that have reproduced, vs. keeping 4 that have not. I'd rather keep other species than eat those young fish, but the majority of the time will not have a choice this spring/summer for 'eyes.

[Greencoachdog]

I plan to really hurt the Wall-ice population every time I go , but alas... all I've ever caught is 1

[lew]

I only fish for pickeral a couple times in May each year and we'll sometimes keep a few for a fry one night at Quinte, but we haven't even done that the last couple years.

 

I do luv a fry of pickeral though.

[dustink]

When we're on our annual trip up that way, we usually will keep enough each day for supper. That's usually not quite our limit...but could be close. But, we do not bring a limit home with us, as we just like to keep them as fresh as possible. We found if we brought a limit home, we wouldn't eat it right away, and when we pulled them out of the air tight seal, they are still good, just not as good....so we quit bringing fish home.

 

Now, panfish....well that's a another story.....

 

dk

[OhioFisherman]

LOL Glen, walleye fight like catfish.