Costco Walleye

Battery · #1 02-10-2009, 06:05 PM

Well stopped at Costco in Calgary today just to look around and see what they have, ended up going into the meat section and found some beautiful walleye fillets, and personally walleye is my favorite fish to eat. They had nice big fillets and about 4 in a pack for 20 dollars, i don't eat walleye much unless im at my uncles house because he fishes all the lakes where you can keep them so he usually has a good supply. I don't fish anywhere where it is legal to keep them nor was i aware you could buy it from places. But man is it good. I think costco's going to be a weekly trip, unless this is a one time thing then i have to go back tomorrow and buy it all

, is this a regular thing? does anyone who shops there know if they always have this fish for sale? Thanks guys

The Fisherman Guy · #2 02-10-2009, 06:19 PM

I would wager a guess that, like most store bought fish, they are farmed fish. Unless it states on the label, WILD, I would stay away... Or you may be disappointed.

On the contrary, they do have reasonably good beef...

Fish Feathers Game · #3 02-10-2009, 06:27 PM

Billingsgate Fish Co sells Walleye fillets as well based on availability.
Commercial fishing (harvesting) takes place in lakes and reservoirs across Alberta and Canada. The netters are allowed by licence to sell to all of their catch to fish processing facilities. Lake Winnipeg has a huge commercial fishery for Walleye specifically and as such, I would bet Costco's fish came from there. Walleye are not farmed as yet in Canada.

The Fisherman Guy · #4 02-10-2009, 06:31 PM

Great information! I am aware of the commercial fishery that takes place in AB, but as with most fish we find in supermarkets here I was inclined to think it was farmed.

Costco is a stones throw from my office, looks like Walleye on the work barbeque for lunch tomorrow!

Alta_Redneck · #5 02-10-2009, 06:42 PM

they used to commercial fish buck and newell.not sure if they still do

boomstick · #6 02-10-2009, 06:53 PM

the wife bought some at costco three weeks ago and it was great.
we went on sunday and they still had it out.
cooked it in the oven in foil with lemon slices, onoin,and veggies,and a dash of lemon pepper no-salt.
we will definatly be buying more.

Albertabowhunter · #7 02-10-2009, 08:18 PM

I believe I've seen it there for a while now..... I think its a regularly stocked item

milesfromthere · #8 02-10-2009, 08:52 PM

A little off target, but speaking of farmed fish could everyone on this fourm NOT buy farmed atlantic farmed salmon as they are, with out a doubt hurting the wild salmon on the wet coast. I do not have a problem with fish farming as long as they are land based and do not hurt any other fish envoiroment. sorry for the rant.

Plummerbutt · #9 02-10-2009, 09:00 PM

We had fresh Walleye for supper last night. Except we came about it the old fashioned way, we actaully caught it ourselves.

slingshotz · #10 02-10-2009, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milesfromthere

A little off target, but speaking of farmed fish could everyone on this fourm NOT buy farmed atlantic farmed salmon as they are, with out a doubt hurting the wild salmon on the wet coast. I do not have a problem with fish farming as long as they are land based and do not hurt any other fish envoiroment. sorry for the rant.

100% agree with you, atlantic salmon also doesn't taste nearly as good as wild and there's quite a lot of environmental issues with farming them. For those interested here's a list of sustainable species: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/c..._regional.aspx

Fish Feathers Game · #11 02-10-2009, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alta_Redneck

they used to commercial fish buck and newell.not sure if they still do

Not sure about Buck lake but the last Newell fishery was Nov 5 - 28, 2008. The next harvest (pillaging) of our resource is set to take place on Milk River Ridge Reservoir on Feb 18 - 20, 2009. The last time they harvested this lake, they went over their "tolerence" limit of sport fish by 3X in a single days pulling of the nets!! Thus they were closed off for 3 years. This year is shaping up to be same as the big walleye are just coming back! This fishery is open to angling with a ONE fish limit over 55 cm. They keep everything they catch! I encourage all to show up at the lake and observe what will happen! It will make any angler cry at seeing all those big pig females coming out before they spawn! There are 24 lakes and res. that are available to be harvested in southern Alberta. Normally they schedule them on a rotating or an annual basis. This year, they only "scheduled 10 of them and listed all the rest as "ON-REQUEST" by the commercial fisherman!!

Fisheries are supposed to be managed for: 1 - conservation, 2 - subsistence or native fisheries, 3 - Angling, and 4 (only if there is a surplus, which with a one fish limit, how much is surplus??) commercial fishery! I for one do not think fishery managers are following their own rules!! To have commmercial fisheries on lakes that are restrictive to angling either by regs (Milk River Ridge) or by tags (Newell) is contradictory at best!!

Gordoats26 · #12 02-11-2009, 12:03 AM

As far as i know they are only allowed to net Whites out of buck Lake im sure the odd walleye gets caught as well but there only allowed so many

Walleyes · #13 02-11-2009, 07:34 AM

There are still numorous lakes in the N/E of the province that are comercial fished for Walleye anually. Lake Athabasca for one is still a very active fishery it is I beleive the only remaining full time Walleye harvested lake in A.B.. As well there are litteraly hundreds of lakes that are opened every year for a quota catch. Lakes like Cold Lake. Slave, Beaver, Pineheurst well you get the picture there are just to many to list. The fish caught by the fisherman are brought to a fishermans co-op and then sold to the fish buyers from there. After that I would emagine they are sold to the highest bidder or by contract and I would emagine that Costco has some pretty big contracts out.

Mhunter51 · #14 02-11-2009, 07:51 AM

I don't know about Alberta or even in Saskatchewan, but Manitoba has farmed walleye. I worked at a retail grocery store in the meat dept and ordered fish each day from Pacific Fresh fish out of regina which is out of Manitoba. I questioned where the fresh walleye came from in the spring when all fishing was closed and was told at least the small ones come from fish farms. We could not get larger fillets in the spring probably because it is not viable to raise a walleye to 3 lbs.

merk1 · #15 02-11-2009, 12:02 PM

Actually, I was looking and that world record caught by Ron Boggs at 47lbs was denied because it was caught in coastal waters, salt water, so it does'nt count record from what I found say's 25lbs.

Russ C · #16 02-11-2009, 01:26 PM

The walleye at the Calgary Costco's comes from Manitoba and is not farmed. It has been a regular item for quite some time.

sonny · #17 02-11-2009, 01:56 PM

Thanks for the posting Fish Feathers Game,
Anyone who can make it out to Ridge Reservoir on Feb.18-19,2009, will have a chance to see commercial at thier best, 3 years ago at Ridge, the netters on a 1 day ,1 pull fisherie , The Walleye tolerance was exceeded by 275%,there was 1 fish and wildlife officer checking netters, Only 10-30% of catch was checked, So how many walleye were truely harvested.
I personaly was at lake and saw the truck loads of Walleye taken, With the price of Walleye ,3 years ago at 7.00 lb.,Whitefish at 2.00lb., Knowing the Walleye tolerance will be exceeded they the netters know they will be off the lake for 3 years , Which fish do you think they will target.
The more people present when nets are pulled the better, Bring cameras,
I personaly asked the fish and widlife officer why a 100% check of netters was not done, His responce was that the netters were honest people.

Big Red 250 · #18 02-11-2009, 02:30 PM

Manitoba does not have farmed walleye.

mountainmike · #19 02-11-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ C

The walleye at the Calgary Costco's comes from Manitoba and is not farmed. It has been a regular item for quite some time.

X's 2

Costco has it in as long as it is open season. There are times when they don't or can't fish them, so Costco's vendor can't supply it to them.

MM

The Glock · #20 02-17-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainmike

X's 2

Costco has it in as long as it is open season. There are times when they don't or can't fish them, so Costco's vendor can't supply it to them.

MM

Yep it does come from winnipeg and as long as the vendor can get Costco will carry it. Thats what a little bridy has told me.

Rumtan · #21 02-17-2009, 09:01 PM

Buck lake was commercialy fished last year. I talked to a F & W who was there overseeing the operation, he also runs the group campground which we rented last year.

-JR- · #22 02-17-2009, 09:39 PM

Have to check it out next time I am in Costco.
I hate buying fish when I can catch them.
Price does seems alittle high for 2 fish,but my last fishing trip costed me much more on fuel !

Big Red 250 · #23 02-18-2009, 07:59 AM

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a bag of fresh walleye fillets from a commercial fisherman. There were 13 individual frozen and saran wrapped fillets. Cost was $45.00. At a guess, I'd say they came off 2-3 lb fish. I was also issued a receipt stating the fisherman's name and licence #. The wife and I have had 2 feeds already and havn't found a bone yet. There is still 8 fillets in the bag. This talk of walleye is making me hungary so I'll fry up a feed for supper.

Hunter Trav · #24 02-18-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battery

Well stopped at Costco in Calgary today just to look around and see what they have, ended up going into the meat section and found some beautiful walleye fillets, and personally walleye is my favorite fish to eat. They had nice big fillets and about 4 in a pack for 20 dollars, i don't eat walleye much unless im at my uncles house because he fishes all the lakes where you can keep them so he usually has a good supply. I don't fish anywhere where it is legal to keep them nor was i aware you could buy it from places. But man is it good. I think costco's going to be a weekly trip, unless this is a one time thing then i have to go back tomorrow and buy it all

, is this a regular thing? does anyone who shops there know if they always have this fish for sale? Thanks guys

The wife and I buy 95% of our meat at costco, and they usually have the walleye fillets there when we go. They are good if you haven't been able to go out and catch your own, but they will never beat fresh from the lake...