Tlwc Field Trip & The Walleye Spawn

[Mike Worley]

The Twin Lakes Walleye club took a field trip to the MDC hatchery where the walleyes that were collected from BSL near Powersite dam this year are spawned. We were told by the hatchery spokesman during his presentation that some years the walleye reproduction in BSL has been made up of 80% natural reproduction. So I don't think that the walleye population in BSL is a put & take thing. I found the hatchery trip to be quite informative. BTW MDC did collect a 14#+ female this year but she was well past her prime and did not survive the spawn. The hatchery personnel said females in the 2-8 pound range are the best producers and after that are generally not successful in spawning so if you catch a 8 pounder and want to keep it I don't think you are hurting the spawn. BTW I fished on the lower end of BSL yesterday and stayed after dark to see if the walleyes were still on the points spawning. We saw very few walleyes last night where we saw probably saw 200 last week we did see a female that looked like she was really beaten up. I think that maybe the really warm weather we had with 50 MPH wind over the weekend may have gotten them spawned so maybe the bite will get going soon.

[Col Ron]

Great information Mike, I didn't know the 8# bench mark was the key to spawning, I thought it would be much bigger, especially down south. Personally, I don't keep anything over 24" and discourage anyone from doing the same.

Good fishing to everyone,

Ron

[Mike Worley]

Great information Mike, I didn't know the 8# bench mark was the key to spawning, I thought it would be much arger, especially down south. Personally, I don't keep anything over 24" or discourage anyone from doing the same.

Good fishing to everyone,

Ron

I was surprized by that 8 pound thing also.(To the best of my recall) The hatchery personel said they try to collect a real big female or two each year to try and get her genes spawned back into the stocking but mostly it doesn't work too well.

[Ham]

I got a 21 1/2 and a 23 1/4 on jerkbait under a ball of shad. First I've caught since early Jan. I hope it's a sign of better things to come.