We’re at the end of another great season of life on the lake and I would like to take a moment to let you know where I think the fishing situation is on our lake. The last update was from last spring and some things have changed, but for the most part the fishery is doing great.
One big change this summer has been the number and size of the Northern Pike. Last spring the pike numbers had been fairly low and the sizes were small. This year the pike are twice as big and there seem to be a lot more off them. I’ve personally caught them up to 30 inches. I believe that with the mix of species we have in our lake this should not cause a problem except to the anglers who lose baits from being bitten off.
As far as bait fish go the minnows are in full force. Lots of baby bluegills, big balls of baby shad, and I’ve also seen pods of baby bullhead. These are all great sources of food for the bass, pike, and walleye. In 2004 we stocked fathead minnows for forge along with the walleyes but with the amount of baby fish we have now I don’t see the need in having to buy more minnows.
There may have been some confusion from the last update as far as the Catch and Release suggestion went. As a general rule bass are usually considered a Catch and Release species for the reason that they’re not very good to eat but they are fun to catch. Returning them is just a way of giving others a chance to enjoy the thrill of catching them. For walleye, as long as they are over 15 inches, they’re legal to keep. All the walleye we planted in 2004 should be well above this length and ready for the skillet.
Another change I’ve witnessed is the catch rate of the walleye is dying down. I believe that the walleyes that were planted in 2004 have done extremely well over the years and our lake is suited well to sustain these fish. The issue with stocking walleyes is that reproduction in lakes with sandy bottoms and no current is minimal at best. I’ve been in touch with Stoney Creek Fisheries in Grant and explained our lake and our fishery to them. They say that most lakes that they deal with do an every other year stocking to keep the walleye numbers stable. I would like to start an every other year stocking this fall. If we can raise money and get our order in before the end of the month, then we can have a planting around the end of October. The fall is the only time that they recommend planting walleye, so if not this year then we’d have to wait until next fall.
The money we use to buy the fish is going to have to be donated as it was the first time we did it in 2004. The walleyes are 6-9 inches and cost $2.40 a piece. The number of walleye we plant will obviously depend on the amount of money raised. A good range would be anywhere from 150 to 300 fish. Any extra money raised could be set aside for further plantings. Anyone willing to donate can drop off money to Jason Engstrom or me, Scott VanderVeen by Sunday, Sept 26. I’ll be making the order on that Monday to ensure delivery this year. Any questions feel free to contact me.
Scott VanderVeen 5663 18th ave 889-4502
Jason Engstrom 6068 16th ave 890-8818