illegally introduced walleye

[kickingfrog]

From National Geographic:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/10/wildlife-watch-news-forensics-fish-ear-bones-crime/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20181012animals-fishearbones::rid=&sf199843136=1

 

State biologists discovered two illegally introduced walleyes, a carnivorous species that grows to about two feet long, in Swan Lake, in northwestern Montana. The scientists had been netting for lake trout, another invasive species, when they serendipitously caught the walleyes and took them back to the lab for analysis.

[Rizzo]

well its better than asian carp introduction I suppose.

[OhioFisherman]

I can understand the concern, and it's probably not a good idea to introduce a carnivorous fish, which probably includes most of them to waters they are not native to.

Most fish eat smaller fish, and even trout are carnivores, I had caught steelhead with perch in their bellies, so I would assume the would also eat small walleye, or any other smaller species, so no concern when they stock them in Lake Erie?

It's sort of like the Salmon and Striper stocking tried in lakes here, they are bigger aggressive carnivores that will compete with native species for food and some may suffer? Who gets to make that call?

From a pessimistic view, if you introduce a species that doesn't require annual stocking you eliminate fishery workers jobs?

[grimsbylander]

Just try to imagine the thought process that went on here...I'm going to illegally introduce a new species into a lake and possible upset the ecosystem that has been in place for xxx's of years. Why? So I can fish closer to home. Really? The lengths people will go in the name of selfishness is amazing. 

[kickingfrog]

And a lake with those types of fish tend to be more of a delicate balance of chemistry and organisms than  most of the lakes around here that most of use are used to.

[chris.brock]

yes, that's a lake with native Bull Trout, that's pretty special, the fish community in that lake has been intact since the last ice age

[Spiel]

It's sad. But closer to home (very close to home) I know of a chain of spring fed lakes that has had perch, smallmouth bass and pike intentionally introduced into a natural Brook Trout lake because the locals couldn't catch the Brook Trout. Suffice to say, the Brook Trout have suffered huge.

Even more disturbing is these fools have now introduced the three species into an upper Saugeen watershed that was once home to natural self sustaining Brook Trout.

 

 

[BillM]

There's a local brownie stream I fish that's full of crappie.  Needless to say the raccoons are very well fed after I leave! 

[dave524]

33 minutes ago, Spiel said:

It's sad. But closer to home (very close to home) I know of a chain of spring fed lakes that has had perch, smallmouth bass and pike intentionally introduced into a natural Brook Trout lake because the locals couldn't catch the Brook Trout. Suffice to say, the Brook Trout have suffered huge.

Even more disturbing is these fools have now introduced the three species into an upper Saugeen watershed that was once home to natural self sustaining Brook Trout.

 

 

Seen smallies ruin a few Brook Trout lakes when I fished backwood  lakes in Haliburton, Lakers however seem to co-exist  with the bass  OK,  Now,  I understand darn jackfish are making inroads in Haliburton , there goes the neighbourhood ? 

[singingdog]

Big issue up here. Pike have been introduced into several small lakes in Haliburton County: lakes that used to be great smallie/musky lakes. I suspect that carp have been introduced into a few of our lakes/rivers as well. One of my favorite smallie lakes suddenly became impossible to fish without getting bitten off. Ran into some eastern european folks - who were fishing with live perch for bait - that pretty much admitted putting the pike into the lake because "it wasn't good fishing".

One of the lakes with a healthy, reproducing brook trout population has had smallies intrduced into it: lots of lakers and smallies now, very few brookies left.

[AKRISONER]

Rumour has it that the world record walleye will come from washington check out Chad Halvorson, the guy fishes the columbia river for invasive walleye. Regularly catches 15+lb walleye.

[dave524]

53 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

Rumour has it that the world record walleye will come from washington check out Chad Halvorson, the guy fishes the columbia river for invasive walleye. Regularly catches 15+lb walleye.

Just because you read it on the internet doesn't make it true ?

https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/walleye_67523/

 

[AKRISONER]

1 hour ago, dave524 said:

Just because you read it on the internet doesn't make it true ?

https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/walleye_67523/

 

lollll who the heck comes up with this stuff.

[Tom S]

I call Bull. Who ever heard of a walleye fighting for a half hour?

[dave524]

38 minutes ago, Tom S said:

I call Bull. Who ever heard of a walleye fighting for a half hour?

I had one fight for over half an hour, didn't know it was on cause it couldn't trip the downrigger  release,   think that story of the 47 pounder was posted April 1st.

[kickingfrog]

6 hours ago, Tom S said:

I call Bull. Who ever heard of a walleye fighting for a half hour?

When it's an anchor rope.