Bank Fishing Walleyes

[Justin Spencer]

no, they are not hard to grow, it all comes down to how expensive they are to transport my friend

Have you ever grown them?

[Feathers and Fins]

Bry im going to say BS, to that, Ive worked with the White Seabass hatcheries when i lived in Cali, There is numerous reasons for not raising fish to large sizes, Cali a ( broke ) state could easily do it there pens are in or right on the ocean and could raise every one of the fish to legal size but that would prevent them from raising large numbers. Its not a money in transport cost and please dont make it out to be that when its not. The jobs of the hatchery is to raise quality fish and numbers and they have limited space to do it.

Transportation is a small cost when you factor everything in to it, You have staff, filtration, feed, etc transport is probably vry low on the cost list.

[Justin Spencer]

I've never heard of a hatchery die off that wasn't attributed to an environmental issue or human error. They die because they let them die... because if they get bigger, they cost more to transport, u see. It's all about the $.

That is partially true, when you grow fish in high densities the longer you hold the fish the better chance something will kill them and you will have nothing. If they had to overwinter these fish to get them bigger as you suggest there would be big dieoffs during the winter and they wouldn't grow much during the winter due to the cold water. Looking at these factors it is easy to see why they stock them when they do. Sure it would cost them much more to transport 900,000 12" fish than fry or fingerlings, but the fact is they could never produce that, by the time they got them to that size they might have 10,000 fish (just a guess). It's easy to bad mouth our hatcheries, especially when you have never done work like this yourself, but the fact is they are keeping certain fisheries going that otherwise wouldn't be there. Unless you have ever worked in the fish farming industry as F@F has, and I did for a living before becoming a canoe hauler, then you really don't have a ton of "hatchery cred."

[Justin Spencer]

I do live in Missouri and will start catching the tar out of walleye in the next few weeks just down from my doorstep in Norfork where there are tons of nice walleye. I understand the stockings aren't always gonna be perfect, but maybe there wouldn't be near the walleye in the lake if it wasn't for the stockings. We won't ever have northern walleye fisheries and maybe someday they'll decide to stop doing it, but they are doing it the only way that makes economic sense, and I catch enough walleye that I hope they keep doing it. If you don't maybe you need to revisit your technique.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Your accounts of the stockings and success don't add up Bry. You claim they waste money by not keeping them longer, keeping them longer cost money and increases the chances of a big loss. I know they get their fish 8 miles from my house, and they do it in March, so if they're going to release them in the spring they'll have to board them a year. What ever they do, the hatchery fish don't have to run the gauntlet that the wild fish do

Some waters in this area do better than others and they have been in the major river systems for a long, long time. I suspect it takes deep oxygenated water for them and some our lakes are a lot deeper than others. LOZ has had eye's, AKA jack salmon for as long as I can remember and I think BS probably has also. LOZ has never been a hot spot unless you knew exactly where to fish.

Given the over all return walleye are most likely marginal in terms of $ and opportunity for the state and its sportsmen.

[powerdive]

I think folks are arguing from partially informed positions. The fact is that Bull Shoals is a great walleye fishery thanks to the efforts of both states. They both know what they're doing, and I believe that each department does try to maximize its returns within its capabilities.

I've helped with sampling, and listened to many informative presentations. These guys are good at what they do. About seeing walleye fry being dumped into 86 degree water...If true, I suspect it was a one-time thing involving end-of-season surplus stocks that had to go somewhere. It happens.

[Justin Spencer]

are you bad mouthing me Justin, lol

are you saying that my technique is inferior to yours, that I might not catch as many walleye as I could/should?

guess you didn't know I was a part time guide on BS, and work at a marina too. I used to fish walleye tournaments on a reg. basis, and have done quite well with big fish honers and top five finishes, I don't claim to be a walleye pro fisherman either, I fish for everything I can.

I think I'm doing ok, but thanks for the concern...

I'm not bad mouthing you, just badmouthing your badmouthing of MDC and second guessing how they do things. Everyone on here seems to be an expert on how MDC should do everything from wildlife management to smallmouth, to stocking fish etc, and most seem to have all the answers and think they could do it better, even though they have no background in the fish or wildlife field, other than catching or shooting. I wrongfully assumed you must not catch many walleye since you were complaining about how they stocked them, I thought maybe you didn't think there were any in the lakes. If Arkansas fish are the only ones that live then I do hope MDC saves that money and I'll just catch the ones that come in from Arkansas, I bet you'd see fewer fish if they quit however.

[powerdive]

Wow, 170+ replies, wide-ranging topics, a couple little disagreements...seems the folks who have an interest in walleye fishing were a little backed up! Good to see some earnest walleye talk in the midst of the usual bassntrout lovefest. Hope Mr. B's excellent info didn't get lost in all the excitement, because that was truly enlightening.

[Feathers and Fins]

I will say i badmouth the MDC on occassion but having been to many states and seeing how they run the MDC is heads and tasils above most. And to quote a good friend who is a USFW Biologist i one time asked his dream job and he said anywhere in MISSOURI they arnt perfect but they try and care.

[rps]

I wanted to add a note here. This thread is 174 posts and so far even those who have disagreed have been civil and intelligent. What a pleasure to read!