What's with Walleye?

[iliketrout]

Two reasons for me. I come from a province with no walleye, so the novelty is still there for me. Still trying to figure them out, I've been lucky to get some great advice from guys who have forgotten more about walleye fishing than I'll ever know and I like the challenge. Still haven't broken the elusive 10lb mark yet.

And 2nd reason, can't beat the taste.

I should probably change my handle to ilikewalleye...

I also disagree that they are ugly. I think they're one of the better looking freshwater fish.

[chubbdarter]

walleye fiahing means something different to everyone

my quest is to near or hit the 20lber club. I dont care where it comes from. This is the last fish that im interested in fishing for to achieve that wgt level.
I occasionally eat a few and do enjoy the experience of selective harvest.
My lake selection is very limited as i do believe most lakes do not have the ability to grow the fish i want. Typically in southern AB lakes that provide a high bite count are fish that are in need of food because of the lack of it and therefore very cooperative for angling. Im looking for the fish in a high nutrition lake that has unlimited food and unlimited growth....that wants one more mouthful even though its pants are undone at the thanks giving table.

The other challenge i enjoy about walleye is ice fishing. Many anglers who on open water think they are like Roach and Parsons, quickly discover the reality of eyes and ice.

[npauls]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

walleye fiahing means something different to everyone

my quest is to near or hit the 20lber club. I dont care where it comes from. This is the last fish that im interested in fishing for to achieve that wgt level.
I occasionally eat a few and do enjoy the experience of selective harvest.
My lake selection is very limited as i do believe most lakes do not have the ability to grow the fish i want. Typically in southern AB lakes that provide a high bite count are fish that are in need of food because of the lack of it and therefore very cooperative for angling. Im looking for the fish in a high nutrition lake that has unlimited food and unlimited growth....that wants one more mouthful even though its pants are undone at the thanks giving table.

The other challenge i enjoy about walleye is ice fishing. Many anglers who on open water think they are like Roach and Parsons, quickly discover the reality of eyes and ice.

Well said Chub.

Eyes through the ice are a completely different story then open water eyes. That is a whole different challenge that will probably take me my whole life to even start figuring a bit of it out.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Walleye are just plain fun to catch. Personal favorite is ice fishing for them, and that ranks right up there with the big fall greenbacks on the Red River.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

walleye fiahing means something different to everyone

my quest is to near or hit the 20lber club. I dont care where it comes from. This is the last fish that im interested in fishing for to achieve that wgt level.
I occasionally eat a few and do enjoy the experience of selective harvest.
My lake selection is very limited as i do believe most lakes do not have the ability to grow the fish i want. Typically in southern AB lakes that provide a high bite count are fish that are in need of food because of the lack of it and therefore very cooperative for angling. Im looking for the fish in a high nutrition lake that has unlimited food and unlimited growth....that wants one more mouthful even though its pants are undone at the thanks giving table.

The other challenge i enjoy about walleye is ice fishing. Many anglers who on open water think they are like Roach and Parsons, quickly discover the reality of eyes and ice.

Ever fish the lower Columbia?

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Ever fish the lower Columbia?

yes from spokane to dalles frequently

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

What I dont get is what is the big deal with Trout....?

They taste like Chit half the time,you cant kept them in alot of river\creek systems,you cant use bait while fishing for them in alot of watersheads,you have to baby them when handleing the fish because they are wimpy!!!???

There kind of a Yuppy mans fish if you ask me.......

X2
girly fish. you want a real fight hook into a sturgeon

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by npauls

Well said Chub.

Eyes through the ice are a completely different story then open water eyes. That is a whole different challenge that will probably take me my whole life to even start figuring a bit of it out.

Bah, I got bored catching them last winter, give me a big mean pike through the ice anyday!

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Bah, I got bored catching them last winter, give me a big mean pike through the ice anyday!

I had the worst winter ever last year not one eye over 10lbs

[WayneChristie]

that does suck. I figure by next winter some of the ones I caught should be at least that. maybe I will have to actually work at it and find some big ones this time.

[dragon]

i catch walleye because someone thought Pigeon should be a walleye fishery so now they are the easiest to catch. I fish with my young family and quantity is the key to keeping them into it. so walleye it is!

When i wonder away from pigeon I def try to catch anything but walleye and pike

[Albertadiver]

I just caught over 100+ of them in the past five days. (only kept my limits)

YUMMMMMM

Trip report in General Discussion thread forthcoming.

[Gust]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Walleye are cool lookin

wow that is some exhalation

[1899b]

Personally i would much rather throw on a backpack, grab a flyrod and hike and fish for 9-12" grayling or trout rather then fish some big lake or resevoir in a boat for walleye any day. Also allows me to scout for big game and see some beautiful country rather than deal with idiots at boat launches and hotshot waterskiers and jet skiers. Did lots of Walleye fishing when i was younger. Nowadays walleye habitat bores me.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

they are delicious

they can be caught in a majority of our lakes and rivers.

they are delicious.

they can be fished basically any different way with good success....some with great success....making them a good species to target with kids and beginners.

they are delicious.

and they are pretty good eating

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

What I dont get is what is the big deal with Trout....?

They taste like Chit half the time,you cant kept them in alot of river\creek systems,you cant use bait while fishing for them in alot of watersheads,you have to baby them when handleing the fish because they are wimpy!!!???

There kind of a Yuppy mans fish if you ask me.......

Originally Posted by SonnyJ

I think walleye are the best tasting fresh water fish that you can get,perch are a close second.Yes it's true that they are not as scrappy as a pike or a trout but every once in a while you'll hook into one that will fight just as hard as any pike.

The three best answers of the year. There is nothing I could add to those.

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by 1899b

Personally i would much rather throw on a backpack, grab a flyrod and hike and fish for 9-12" grayling or trout rather then fish some big lake or resevoir in a boat for walleye any day. Also allows me to scout for big game and see some beautiful country rather than deal with idiots at boat launches and hotshot waterskiers and jet skiers. Did lots of Walleye fishing when i was younger. Nowadays walleye habitat bores me.

every year I lean a little more to your way of thinking. I will be out west chasing trout or up north after grayling alot more these days...... only walleye/pike fishing I do will be up north where you gotta work to get in and will never see a 5th wheel or boat bigger than a 12 ft aluminum....

[fishpro]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

What I dont get is what is the big deal with Trout....?

They taste like Chit half the time,you cant kept them in alot of river\creek systems,you cant use bait while fishing for them in alot of watersheads,you have to baby them when handleing the fish because they are wimpy!!!???

There kind of a Yuppy mans fish if you ask me.......

Trout are the ultimate sportfish in my opinion, and you've listed part of what makes them so great - you can't use bait or keep them, so you are out there actively pursuing them all day simply for the enjoyment of the fishing itself. To me this is way better than sitting on your @$$ trolling and/or waiting for them to take a bait as people often do for walleye, it is more true of a fishing experience, you're actually fishing for them in between the times that you have one on the line.

Trout also fight way harder pound for pound than walleye do, and trout are found in some of the most incredible places ever, the scenery of a lot of trout streams is way more incredible than anything I've seen walleye fishing.

I'll say walleye taste great and I can see that being a draw, but trout are my favourite and always will be, although fly fishing for pike can be pretty incredible, and sometimes sturgeon fishing can be exciting due to the size of the fish despite all the waiting involved (the size outweighs the waiting aspect).

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by fishpro

Trout are the ultimate sportfish in my opinion, and you've listed part of what makes them so great - you can't use bait or keep them, so you are out there actively pursuing them all day simply for the enjoyment of the fishing itself. To me this is way better than sitting on your @$$ trolling and/or waiting for them to take a bait as people often do for walleye, it is more true of a fishing experience, you're actually fishing for them in between the times that you have one on the line.

Trout also fight way harder pound for pound than walleye do, and trout are found in some of the most incredible places ever, the scenery of a lot of trout streams does not compare to anything I've seen walleye fishing.

I'll say walleye taste great and I can see that being a draw, but trout are my favourite and always will be, although fly fishing for pike can be pretty incredible, and sometimes sturgeon fishing can be exciting due to the size of the fish despite all the waiting involved (the size outweighs the waiting aspect).

yaa maybe

my biggest eye is 16.8 and it fought harder than any 20lb + trout ive ever caught

the canyons of the Missouri breaks and the Columbia Gorge are as pretty as it get to me. The Breaks are so full of historic signifacance its spooky and haunting. The Gorge is the start of the prettiest place on earth to ME

[fishpro]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

yaa maybe

my biggest eye is 16.8 and it fought harder than any 20lb + trout ive ever caught

the canyons of the Missouri breaks and the Columbia Gorge are as pretty as it get to me. The Breaks are so full of historic signifacance its spooky and haunting. The Gorge is the start of the prettiest place on earth to ME

Cool, perhaps some walleye truly fight hard, I've just never seen it myself, I've caught lots up to around 8 lbs and never gotten a real good fight out of one. Perhaps it depends on where you are.

And the scenery element will be different for everyone, my favourite is being in the middle of jagged mountains above the treeline.

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by mchapple

Pickeral fishin. lol.
I'm almost afraid to even say that... most people are like "what's a pickeral?"

You get dirty looks back home for using the work walleye though... people think you're an American

ain't that the pure truth!!


And lets not forget the HEADSHAKE!!

[SonnyJ]

Originally Posted by fishpro

And the scenery element will be different for everyone, my favourite is being in the middle of jagged mountains above the treeline.

Got pics?

I love the high country and would love to see some..

[fishpro]

Originally Posted by SonnyJ

Got pics?

I love the high country and would love to see some..

Here are a couple! I was actually below the treeline while fishing, but was surrounded by mountains. These are just a couple of the places I've fished in the past couple years where I'm in the mountains, sometimes within a few km of the continental divide. I do want to fish some lakes that are completely above the treeline though!

[SonnyJ]

Thanks fishpro....those are awsome...

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by GustavMahler

wow that is some exhalation

Ya, I guess I should look for a new camera man eh

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by fishpro

Trout are the ultimate sportfish in my opinion, and you've listed part of what makes them so great - you can't use bait or keep them, so you are out there actively pursuing them all day simply for the enjoyment of the fishing itself. To me this is way better than sitting on your @$$ trolling and/or waiting for them to take a bait as people often do for walleye, it is more true of a fishing experience, you're actually fishing for them in between the times that you have one on the line.

Trout also fight way harder pound for pound than walleye do, and trout are found in some of the most incredible places ever, the scenery of a lot of trout streams is way more incredible than anything I've seen walleye fishing.

I'll say walleye taste great and I can see that being a draw, but trout are my favourite and always will be, although fly fishing for pike can be pretty incredible, and sometimes sturgeon fishing can be exciting due to the size of the fish despite all the waiting involved (the size outweighs the waiting aspect).

I Can see where you are coming from and there is the old saying that,opinions are like Azzholes.....Everyone's got one!

From my perspective I grew up\lived in the crowsnest pass and okotoks all my life.I had a great time fishing trout in the mountains for many years,espicially when I was younger and could actully use bait in a river\creek and catch alot more fish,which when your a kid is the most important thing to you when you going fishing.however them times are gone,because things are always changeing.In my opinion for the worse,in others for the better.

I've caught every species of fish in alberta and I do stand corrected about trout,every fish has it's place,however besides Bull and lake Trout,They dont do to much for me.I dont have a boat,and 95% of the time I fish for walleye by ripping Rapala's off the shoreline at resevoirs.I've spent a majority of my Fishing days in the mountains,but not anymore because it aint what it use to be.

[MoFugger21]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

yaa maybe

my biggest eye is 16.8 and it fought harder than any 20lb + trout ive ever caught

the canyons of the Missouri breaks and the Columbia Gorge are as pretty as it get to me. The Breaks are so full of historic signifacance its spooky and haunting. The Gorge is the start of the prettiest place on earth to ME

O really...??? Pics or didn't happen obviously....

[Jamie Black R/T]

Originally Posted by MoFugger21

O really...??? Pics or didn't happen obviously....

x2

not the "it didnt happen" part....i believe chub

but i want to see!!

[waterninja]

my favourite target is trout but i've caught a lot of fish in the nsr this year including walleye. i,m happy catching anything at all but walleye have to be the laziest fighters of all the species i,ve caught. it might be cause there from the river and perhaps they got more fight in a lake, but a 2lbs. rainbow puts up twice the fight as a 5 lbs. walleye.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by waterninja

my favourite target is trout but i've caught a lot of fish in the nsr this year including walleye. i,m happy catching anything at all but walleye have to be the laziest fighters of all the species i,ve caught. it might be cause there from the river and perhaps they got more fight in a lake, but a 2lbs. rainbow puts up twice the fight as a 5 lbs. walleye.

True. At least a brown trout will roll in the line a few times while it swims towards the net.

[NSRfishing]

I think the river walleye have more fight than lake eyes walleye just lazy fish