Keeping large walleye

[Talking moose]

A good read.
http://www.joelnelsonoutdoors.com/as...7xxgcr5us3kiza

[58thecat]

I always let'em go.....take a pic....quick measurement and over they go....plus the best eating are the smaller ones for a great shore lunch.

[HuyFishin]

Yea those big mamas are no good haha
Small ones are better for the eatin.

I also let any big mama go.

Joel nelson is one of my favourite pro's he's got decades of knowledge and his product reviews and recommendations are really good.

[pikeman06]

Whacking all the potential broodstock on the head the first year they are of spawning age is the biggest mistake alberta ever made. Tough to repair. That pike over 63 cm and wallies over 50 cm has got to go. Or get a hatchery going for something besides rainbow trout and the precious walleye. There's gonna be lakes void of any young year classes.

[Smoky buck]

Not a much of a fish keeper but if I want to keep fish for dinner smaller to mid size is my choice. Smaller fish are better eating and big females are better breeders. Only time I take big fish home is if I question their chance of survival.

From past experience in aquaculture I can say for a fact the quality of eggs is far greater in large females. It also takes a long time before they decline as quality brood stock and size doesn’t always match age. I personally did not find a female was really good brood stock till they reached their 3rd-4th spawn

The old management theory of as long as they spawn once all is fine I don’t agree with

[-JR-]

I always let them go , just like a 10 point buck.

[pikeman06]

Well that's just it...if I want to eat a fish, and I love to eat fish in any form, then I'm forced to take a mostly female, breeding size out of the system. Nothin smokes nicer than a ten or twelve pound pike out of cold winter water. But I think they are the ones that are susceptible to being fished out because they are generally agressive, especially when when there's a nice strong year class of nice sized pike and lots of competion and territory overlap. Same with wallies, but I find they get more selective as they grow and a bit tougher to catch.

[barbless]

Well for me as it sits I don't buy tags and for the most part where I do fish I can't keep any anymore (0 for Pike and Walleye all over). I need to fish elsewhere. I do go to BC but might have to try Sask. Lots of travel time. I do prefer the smaller size when we could keep one or two.

[Lowrance Fishburn]

Keeping big fish of any predator species is in my humble opinion..Dumb

[pinelakeperch]

Regardless of the biological traits of large female fish, I don't see the appeal in keeping them.

Why keep a 30in walleye that is likely 25 years old? It won't taste very good, and no one is ever going to be able to have the experience of catching it again. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Have some respect for the fish, and your fellow anglers. Take pictures, get artificial mounts.

[fish99]

Originally Posted by pinelakeperch

Regardless of the biological traits of large female fish, I don't see the appeal in keeping them.

Why keep a 30in walleye that is likely 25 years old? It won't taste very good, and no one is ever going to be able to have the experience of catching it again. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Have some respect for the fish, and your fellow anglers. Take pictures, get artificial mounts.

I have replica of a 31inch , 13lb walleye out of pigeon lake that looks better then the skin mounts of the pike and trout I have , also they do not shrink as a old skin mount will over time. .

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by fish99

I have replica of a 31inch , 13lb walleye out of pigeon lake that looks better then the skin mounts of the pike and trout I have , also they do not shrink as a old skin mount will over time. .

I have a 31.5in replica (I swear I'm not bs'ing to one up you )
and I agree that they look fantastic. They'll also last a lifetime.

I recall seeing a company that made life-sized drawings of trophy fish. They were beautiful.

[aulrich]

I won't look down on a guy who keeps a true trophy and puts it on the wall, usually by that point that fish is probably near end of life and has done it's fair share of spawning. I'll still say a picture and a replica is better.

Two thing do get me going one is that very few of the big fish I have seen taken actually make it to the wall.

The other is big eaters, and according to my arm chair biology degree I have a self imposed slot limit (at least for pike) 26"-32" for when I am actually keeping fish Basically the fish needs to be big enough to have replaced itself with a spawn or two, and not so big that it's most likely a female. It's such a waste to see a pike much over 7 lbs on the fillet table.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by aulrich

The other is big eaters, and according to my arm chair biology degree I have a self imposed slot limit (at least for pike) 26"-32" for when I am actually keeping fish Basically the fish needs to be big enough to have replaced itself with a spawn or two, and not so big that it's most likely a female. It's such a waste to see a pike much over 7 lbs on the fillet table.

I like this self imposed call out. Good on you!

I'm pretty similar on the sizing. I've kept the odd 8 lber as the biggest and I've been happy with that. Anything over that I'm happy to release.

[FlyTheory]

Only way a big one is being bonked is if there’s no chance of it’s survival back in the water (like bleeding out with no chance at living). Obvy it’s a last resort thing

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by aulrich

I won't look down on a guy who keeps a true trophy and puts it on the wall, usually by that point that fish is probably near end of life and has done it's fair share of spawning. I'll still say a picture and a replica is better.

Two thing do get me going one is that very few of the big fish I have seen taken actually make it to the wall.

The other is big eaters, and according to my arm chair biology degree I have a self imposed slot limit (at least for pike) 26"-32" for when I am actually keeping fish Basically the fish needs to be big enough to have replaced itself with a spawn or two, and not so big that it's most likely a female. It's such a waste to see a pike much over 7 lbs on the fillet table.

In the end my personal choice does not mean I look down on someone keeping a legal fish.

Your self imposed slot for pike is pretty close to mine. I find 28 inch is perfect size to feed the family for a meal, good meat, and less chance of bonking a prime female. Only way I keep one over 30inch is it was deeply hooked

[Egymcara]

This thread has gotten a little off topic but I figured I'd throw my 2 cents out there.

The argument that anyone is forced to keep large spawners due to regulations is just silly on its face. You are "choosing" to keep and kill that fish. Secondly, if you like to eat fish and its become near impossible to keep one? Go to the grocery store or pay a commercial fisherman for fish. Do you actually realize how much it costs to go fishing when you factor in gas, vehicles, food, etc. I can buy walleye for $3.50 a pound from a commercial fisherman. You can do the math compared to 1 fishing trips' total expenses.

For all people defending catch and release, good on you! I love catching, taking a picture and throwing it right back in!

[trainerdave]

Not to mention the other issue with older,larger fish sitting on top of the food chain. The bio accumulation of mercury, and other toxins in their flesh. Nasty stuff.

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by Egymcara

This thread has gotten a little off topic but I figured I'd throw my 2 cents out there.

The argument that anyone is forced to keep large spawners due to regulations is just silly on its face. You are "choosing" to keep and kill that fish. Secondly, if you like to eat fish and its become near impossible to keep one? Go to the grocery store or pay a commercial fisherman for fish. Do you actually realize how much it costs to go fishing when you factor in gas, vehicles, food, etc. I can buy walleye for $3.50 a pound from a commercial fisherman. You can do the math compared to 1 fishing trips' total expenses.

For all people defending catch and release, good on you! I love catching, taking a picture and throwing it right back in!

I’m primarily a catch and release fisherman, but there is something to catching the fish that you cook. Some of my greatest fishing memories are shore lunches.

[stubblejumper01]

Originally Posted by Egymcara

This thread has gotten a little off topic but I figured I'd throw my 2 cents out there.

The argument that anyone is forced to keep large spawners due to regulations is just silly on its face. You are "choosing" to keep and kill that fish. Secondly, if you like to eat fish and its become near impossible to keep one? Go to the grocery store or pay a commercial fisherman for fish. Do you actually realize how much it costs to go fishing when you factor in gas, vehicles, food, etc. I can buy walleye for $3.50 a pound from a commercial fisherman. You can do the math compared to 1 fishing trips' total expenses.

For all people defending catch and release, good on you! I love catching, taking a picture and throwing it right back in!

Didn't they stop commercial fishing a few years ago in Alberta?

[mickeyjim]

3.50 a lbs?

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[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by mickeyjim

3.50 a lbs?

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

holy crap I need to stop throwing back all those priceless walleyes!

[Talking moose]

Why is it ok to keep all the largest perch caught but not pike or walleye?
Not many 12” plus perch go back down the hole. Is this why there’s so few jumbos in Alberta?

[Egymcara]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Why is it ok to keep all the largest perch caught but not pike or walleye?
Not many 12” plus perch go back down the hole. Is this why there’s so few jumbos in Alberta?

Most people seem to have an infatuation with keeping any large fish regardless of species. This stems beyond fishing obviously, its human nature. Very few people actually have enough common sense to strike a balance between what is best for nature rather then themselves.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Why is it ok to keep all the largest perch caught but not pike or walleye?
Not many 12” plus perch go back down the hole. Is this why there’s so few jumbos in Alberta?

When a fish us taken out of the system it is gone, so yes perch are easily fished down, especially in Alberta with our high fisherman to lake ratio.

[whitetail Junkie]

2 weeks ago I kept a 28” male....he hit the batter and oil and was one of the best eating fish I’ve had in a long time.I’d prefer to keep a couple 16” -18” fish instead Because the lake is polluted with them however until our laws change it ain’t happening.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by FlyTheory

Only way a big one is being bonked is if there’s no chance of it’s survival back in the water (like bleeding out with no chance at living). Obvy it’s a last resort thing

Exactly and if not pic, length, girth then back in...if required a replica made.

Prime breeders and are not best table fare....let'em go!

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Why is it ok to keep all the largest perch caught but not pike or walleye?
Not many 12” plus perch go back down the hole. Is this why there’s so few jumbos in Alberta?

Some lakes are littered with gooders....just gotta get on them....