Finally

[lmt-outfitters]

Have had a tough summer so far, being on a consistent walleye bite.  Was catching some nice fish 3 or 4 weeks ago.  But not much for numbers.  Now it has flipped catching a good amount if numbers but not much for size.  Last 4 trips 115 total walleye with 21 keepers.  Mostly catching on  bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses. It was a hot one today hope everyone is staying safe out there and catching a bunch of fish.

[Heretolearn]

You have done much better than me this year.  I haven't caught a keep walleye in 6 weeks.  Lots and lots of shorts though.  Also catching a lot more short crappie than keepers.  Keep up the good work!  I still need to set up a guided trip with you.  I do have a couple of days off in September if you are not already booked.  Please send a PM if you have some free time.

[Sam]

On 8/24/2021 at 7:16 PM, Heretolearn said:

I haven't caught a keep walleye in 6 weeks.  Lots and lots of shorts though.  Also catching a lot more short crappie than keepers.

We're doing about the same.  Partner and I had a strange, but still fun, trip on Thursday, Aug. 26.  We stuck with brushpiles and got no walleyes this time but caught and released a tremendous number of barely-short crappie.  We kept 26 keepers plus a couple of white bass, but we caught at least an 8-to-one ratio of shorts to keepers and finally quit when we ran out of minnows!

It was hot and miserable, our clothes got covered with fish slime, and we're not complaining.  We figure we caught over 200 fish between us and the majority were black crappie between 9" and 9 3/4".  We didn't get to keep a single black, though the black crappie would have all outweighed white crappie of the same length.    The white crappie caught ranged from 9" to 10 1/2", no "slabs" at all.

We're wondering how long it will take these barely-short fish to grow to the legal length of 10" - some of them this year and before cold weather I'd think, and certainly before spring.  We're strict about measuring, and there are a LOT of 9 15/16" fish in there that I turn back saying "Last time you're gonna get released, little fella!".  How fast will they grow?