whats your opinion about keeping big walleyes. i keep everything that is legal until i get a limit

[miller73]

whats your opinion about keeping big walleyes. i keep everything that is legal until i get a limit

[RockySquirrel]

I am a total catch and release kind of guy. Let them live to fight another day.

I remember many years ago catching the same largemouth In the same spot 4 times in the same month on the same lure.

[1Browning2]

Release! Release! Release!. I actually had a pretty in depth conversation with a guide I was with. Leech Lake has a slot limit of 18-26". One of your fish can be over 26" for your limit. I asked him if it was worth keeping a fish over 26" and he said absolutely not. They don't taste nearly as good and the only reason to keep one that large is to mount. But it's better to make a replica and let that fish live on.

[jhjimbo]

For walleye in Lake Erie I put back everything over 5 or 6 lbs. They are the proven breeders and don't taste as good. Plus, being an older fish they could have picked up more contaminants. For the 'Fish Ohio' fish (over 10lbs), maybe a picture and then, if they are not injured, back in the Lake.

[chuckles]

I only keep the "eaters" up to about 2 lbs. The nice ones go back to breed and hopefully fight again another day. In lots of lakes in MN eating a big walleye is like eating a thermometer what with all the mercury.

[wittsec]

If your willing to eat it keep it but I agree the smaller ones taste better.

[DSMbirddog]

I keep the eaters but nothing over 3 pounds. My experience is also that the larger walleyes aren't very good on the table. Those larger ones are your spawners and need to stay in the gene pool.

[DakotaMan]

I don't fish for walleyes a lot and they are one of my favorite eating fish. I normally release most fish I catch but will keep any legal walleye for the dinner table. If I'm fishing all day and catch a lot of them, I'm happy to release the large breeders.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

When I catch a really big one I'll usually turn it back. More than I need anyway since I'm usually just feeding myself. Releasing the whoppers means someone else will have a chance at the same thrill. I usually fish alone and sure wish there was some way I could get a decent photo to keep. Walleye aren't particularly photogenic unless one works them up a bit for the camera.

[JustTakeMeHunting14]

I've always kept my legal catches. I think it depends on your upbringing but if the fishery cannot handle having these fish taken out of the group then they should put more scrutiny into the limits. Remember, overpopulation and disease will always kill more fish than my frying pan.

[drawer.bli]

I like to keep the smaller, medium sized ones. They taste better to me than the big ones. I usually release the really big guys, because they deserve it, having lived long and evaded all limiting factors.

[Boiler02]

My dad and I kept the first big ones we caught. They were both in the eight pound range and separated by ten years. Now we take pictures and release. We only keep the eaters now.

[Dangle]

You can always tell the better anglers....they do not keep everything, they limit their catch, and keep. Most have it right, the bigger ones are strong tasting, and not nearly as good as the 2-3 lb walleyes.

[Dogrel]

As long as people stay legal I don't care. Do whatever you please.
It's a balance.
Taking more big fish keeps predation lower, so you get more fish in your fishery, but they're smaller.
Taking more medium-sized fish and letting the big fish grow gives you more big fish in your fishery, but at the cost of increased predation on the smaller fish that make the bulk of your numbers.