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