Big Walleye!!!!!

[BIGSKY70]

So we were dragging plugs today for salmon and got a 13lb 4oz 33.5" walleye From what I have seen that is decent sized. Never fished walleye so don't know. Anybody help a guy out?

[BIGSKY70]

Pics soon

[Bluknight]

Ahhh yeah that would be a darn good walleye!

Looking forward to the pic - congrats!

[Mrdorkfish]

I caught a 6lb walleye and thought it was big....can't wait to see this one ! White gold...Yummie !

Lou

[raptorschild]

Originally Posted by BIGSKY70

Pretty much a food fisherman. If I catch it I eat it. Never caught walleye heard they were good to eat big fillets.

Yep...they are good eating. A salmon guy who catches a few as incedentals isnt going to do much damage. There are a LOT of very experienced walleye anglers who catch and kill 10 walleye every time out no matter the size. Those are the guys who put the hurt on, and they SHOULD be the ones who realize they are shooting themselves in the foot.

[simpleguy]

Now that's a nice accidental catch. Let us know how it eats.

[mkwerx]

Originally Posted by 1bigfish

WOW I can't believe you would eat a world record walleye.

well, it WOULD make some dang tasty fish & chips! Or fried up and served with fried tater slices (with onions) and hush puppies - like fried cat fish, only walleye...

In order to get cert'd as a world record fish, one generally has to keep it and get it weighed on a certified scale. The fish is gonna die anyway - so instead of sending the fish off to IGFA or the DFW or whatever, I'd rather fillet it up and put it in my freezer Would have plenty of pix of the fish after catching it for those who'd want to see the record-size fish.

A buddy of mine caught what would have been the new Oregon State smallie record out of Hagg. He weighed and measured the fish (not on a cert'd scale, but on a scale @ the grocery store) then cut 'er up and ate it. Wasn't till after the fact, showing pictures of the fish and her measurements to some others, that he found out what the record was. Says he still would've done the same thing. Foods food - and record-size fish are a lot of food!

[boblag]

Read the sticky: "This is not the place for having 'invasive species' discussions..."

[RiverJohn]

Pics ?

[BIGSKY70]

So you guys don't care that this fish pretty much eats smolt all day long.

Oh he doubts the size of the walleye here comes a pic.

[dan(or)]

Originally Posted by boblag

Read the sticky: "This is not the place for having 'invasive species' discussions..."

Please point me to that sticky? I can't find it.

dan (or)

[MXRacer105]

Originally Posted by dan(or)

Please point me to that sticky? I can't find it.

dan (or)

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=202150

Originally Posted by BIGSKY70

So you guys don't care that this fish pretty much eats smolt all day long.

Oh he doubts the size of the walleye here comes a pic.

Walleye and bass are not the problem with the salmon runs. Period.

[BIGSKY70]

I hunt I fish both to feed my belly. Why eat store bought when you can catch your own. Now the pic

[Spade]

Originally Posted by BIGSKY70

I hunt I fish both to feed my belly. Why eat store bought when you can catch your own. Now the pic

Wow that thing is fat.

[1bigfish]

That is a real nice looking fish BIGSKY70

[Bluknight]

Holy cow of a walleye! Nicely done Maybe I should just pretend I'm fishing for salmon when I walleye fish and I'll trick them like you did!

Thanks for the pic

[Oregon-Jet]

Nice catch please let me know how well it cooks up!

[CatFishSlim]

Looks like dinner to me! Nice catch!

[No Fences]

Don't blame you a bit. Nice fish and hope it eats well.

[Smoked Salmon]

Originally Posted by AUP

Do not post negative comments on another's fishing report thread. Such negative comments will be removed with out comment.

Also, this.

[Smoked Salmon]

And, Great Fish!

[hookumhi]

Nice Bonus Fish!!!

[dgdawg]

Nice walleye. You could spend a fair amount of time fishing for them and not get one that big. My biggest is 12#.

Walleye has excellent food value. I assume you caught it in the lower Columbia. If so, contamination (PCBs, Dioxin) is a concern. on Make sure you take all the fatty meat off of it before cooking / eating.

[BIGSKY70]

It was damn good.

[hawgcatcher]

Beautiful fish. The ones that are smaller are usually better tasting but They all are great table fare.

I went out with some friends and a guide (Glen Sommers) several years ago. We fished below the John Day Dam, near the island with Thunderstick lures. I had only caught one small one and it was getting time to go. My buddy hooked one and was reeling it in and the guide said that we might as well reel our lines in and we would head in. I dropped my pole tip down and raised it up and I felt dead weight. I tried to reel it again and a big pull came on my line. I told the guide and he felt the line, turned to my buddy and told him that he would have to handle his own fish as I had a big one.

Well fifteen minutes later, I got it up and he netted it. It too was a 13# fish, about 34" long. I never got another that size but I was proud of that one. There are bigger ones being caught but to me, I got my bragging fist.

You should be very proud. I congratulate you on getting it.

[BIGSKY70]

Heres a better pic

[CatFishSlim]

El Toad!

[Bluknight]

That is a much better picture. Makes it look two foot longer the first one!!

[RiverJohn]

Originally Posted by BIGSKY70

Heres a better pic

Very Nice !

[MJ13]

That things a toad!

[Cosmic Lazy Susan]

That is a pig of an eye!

Congratulations, on a very nice 'pigeye'

-Dale

[Wild Chrome]

What in the world was in that fat belly?

[cimfl]

Not trying to stir the pot at all, just curious, since you believe that they eat salmon smolt all day long, did you check the belly? I would be curious to see what it was eating, because it sure was fat!! Let us know if you did or not. Congrats on a really good eating fish!

[Catchn not fishn]

More than likely it was a Hen with eggs.
The Natives catch them in thier Nets over 23 pounds up by Umatila
State records
Oregon
Walleye19 lbs 15.3 ozColumbia River Arnold Berg1990
Wash.
Walleye18 lbs 14.4 ozColumbia River - John Day poolKimo Gabriel3/30/2001
USA
Tennessee25 lbs 0 oz Old Hickory Reservoir unknown8/3/1960

Originally Posted by Wild Chrome

What in the world was in that fat belly?

[Wild Chrome]

Originally Posted by Catchn not fishn

More than likely it was a Hen with eggs.

Walleyes are spring spawners.

[Thebaglimit]

Yes, great fish.....was it fin-clipped?

[Fish mojo]

More than likely it was a Hen with eggs.
The Natives catch them in thier Nets over 23 pounds up by Umatila
State records
Oregon
Walleye19 lbs 15.3 ozColumbia River Arnold Berg1990
Wash.
Walleye18 lbs 14.4 ozColumbia River - John Day poolKimo Gabriel3/30/2001
USA
Tennessee25 lbs 0 oz Old Hickory Reservoir unknown8/3/1960

Washington record was set at 19 pounds, I believe 3 or 4 ounces by Mike Hepper a few years ago in the Tri-cities area.

And, the Tennessee record has been disallowed. Current world record is in the 22 pound range from Arkansas somewhere. I believe many record fish are in the Columbia. There is a ton of water between the John Day Dam and McNary that never get fished.

[nick2136]

Wow that thing looks like a hog! very nice!

[ramrod]

nice fish

[eyechsr]

Lets try some education that is not meant to stir the pot, If you really believe that walleye just pig out on smolt then try and find a copy of the Washington state fish a game report called the Zimmerman Report , it was a 5 year study that proved just the opposite.
In over 15 years of walleye fishing the Columbia I still have not found a smolt in a walleye (and I do eat them);
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife started that rumor to deflect criticism away from themselves.
Most walleye fisherman are also salmon and steelhead fisherman as well, have any of you that give fish away to your neighbors ever looked at yourselves in the mirror for over fishing ? There are lots of reason's for this mess and all of us are partially to blame.
And yes that is a very nice walleye, my biggest is a 14lb walleye.

eyechsr

[fish-n-fool]

eyechsr is on the mark. I cannot recall a single walleye that I harvested for the table that had a smolt in it. I wouldn't say that it does not happen but I typically find crawfish, perch, lots of shad, sculpins and so on. I have harvested walleye from the Columbia City area to McNary. Largest to date 16 lbs 15 oz. Live to rip lips.

[tsorrels]

nice fish

[Poindexter]

I fish for walleye a lot, and we've boated a few this size and slightly smaller. My son has a 14# 6oz one on the wall at our cabin, and my Dad has a 14#3oz one on his wall (both are reproduction mounts -- we released the fish after measuring them & taking pictures). I personally don't keep them this big because I think the 20" ones are better eating, but I think the light pressure on the CR walleye fishery would allow keeping a breeder like the one you kept.

I love salmon and steelhead fishing as much as the next guy, but there are times of the year (the next couple of months being one of them) that the walleye fishing is really good, and I target them. Personally, I think you guys that fish solely for salmon and steelhead are missing some great fishing, but to each his own, I guess (and just leaves more for those of us who like to fish for them).

[fish-n-fool]

Like you, the big ones go back after pictures, weight and measurements. I had Rick Leach do a mount based on the measurements. Keep searching for next bigger one. Someday maybe.

It is time to be on the watter but alas, work keeps getting in the way. Soon though!

[Dinikin]

Came across this article from the Oregonian.
http://www.oregonlive.com/environmen..._greatest.html

With supporting study
http://blog.oregonlive.com/environme...0species_1.pdf

Some interesting info.

Walleye are known to prey on juvenile Pacific salmon, consuming
an estimated 250,000 to 2,000,000
smolts annually in the Columbia River

Originally Posted by eyechsr

Lets try some education that is not meant to stir the pot, If you really believe that walleye just pig out on smolt then try and find a copy of the Washington state fish a game report called the Zimmerman Report , it was a 5 year study that proved just the opposite.
In over 15 years of walleye fishing the Columbia I still have not found a smolt in a walleye (and I do eat them);
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife started that rumor to deflect criticism away from themselves.
Most walleye fisherman are also salmon and steelhead fisherman as well, have any of you that give fish away to your neighbors ever looked at yourselves in the mirror for over fishing ? There are lots of reason's for this mess and all of us are partially to blame.
And yes that is a very nice walleye, my biggest is a 14lb walleye.

eyechsr

[boblag]

Originally Posted by boblag

Read the sticky: "This is not the place for having 'invasive species' discussions..."

[RiverJohn]

Originally Posted by boblag

Read the sticky: "This is not the place for having 'invasive species' discussions..."

Nah !!!

Oregon classifies Wallaye as a "game fish". Introduced or not they are a Game fish.

I love hearing any and all Walleye stories...if you dont like the pics or stories maybe they (Walleye) deserve a section of their own ?

To me this section best fits Walleye fishing.



I guess the Moderators can clarify ???

[1bigfish]

Originally Posted by RiverJohn

Nah !!!

Oregon classifies Wallaye as a "game fish". Introduced or not they are a Game fish.

I love hearing any and all Walleye stories...if you dont like the pics or stories maybe they (Walleye) deserve a section of their own ?

To me this section best fits Walleye fishing.



I guess the Moderators can clarify ???

Boblag was not trying to say walleye should not be talked about in the bass & panfish section. He was only trying to give warning to the one or two people that visit this section from time to time that like to think warm-water fish(including walleye) don't belong in Oregon.

In short, please continue talking walleye RiverJohn. In this secion we love walleye just as much as any other fish.

[RiverJohn]

Originally Posted by 1bigfish

Boblag was not trying to say walleye should not be talked about in the bass & panfish section. He was only trying to give warning to the one or two people that visit this section from time to time that like to think warm-water fish(including walleye) don't belong in Oregon.

In short, please continue talking walleye RiverJohn. In this secion we love walleye just as much as any other fish.

Thank you for pointing that out !

My apology to Boblag.

I love warmwater fishing in addition to Salmon & Steelhead.

As with many, my first fishing was introduced to me as a kid with warmwater species.

[wameppspro]

I seem to recall a study done by I believe by US Fish & Wildlife back in the 70's. It was not mentioned in this report. As I recall there were a number of stomach samples done on backwater species and the percent that had salmonids in their stomachs was almost non-existant.

I have been looking for that report for a while and can't seem to find it. Would make a good warm water argument before they 'open season' on the warm water species.

I do remember that they did check the largest Sturgeon checked during their research was in one of those little backwaters connected by a tunnel.

If anyone knows where I can find it I would appreciate it.

[boblag]

Originally Posted by RiverJohn

Thank you for pointing that out !

My apology to Boblag.

I love warmwater fishing in addition to Salmon & Steelhead.

As with many, my first fishing was introduced to me as a kid with warmwater species.

No problem. We agree! And thanks for clarifying, 1bigfish.

[Jrr]

Walleye sturgeon thread sounds like a good idea........