Fish-Hawk.Net

MNR has laid out the following options.

A slot of 40 - 65 cm will provide the greatest range of age to further reproduction. The length of time for a walleye to reach sexual maturity and the related curve of reproductive strength is safely within this range.

A slot is not a bad thing, you can still catch fish but releasing those that will keep future generations healthy assures our grandchildren a future fishery.

For those who seek trophy sized fish then the upper range is wide open and for table fare nothing beats fillets from a 15"er.

Remember though - don't target fish in 40+ feet of water and expect them to live without very careful retrieval and handling.

Hi Bill,

I am in favor of that range as well ( and voted for it ) for all the reasons you stated, you can still keep a few for the frying pan, release the reproducers, and still have a shot at a wallhanger if so desired. Seems like a win-win-win situation to me!

i wish they would drop the min's and max sizes, slots, and all the rest, and simply make it 2 per person, province wide.

simple as that.

simplicity is something that needs to be added to our regs.

What the? Are you 5 serious? Supporting Protected Slot 40cm/15.7" to 65cm/25.6" means no eating of any pickeral. Pickeral is the only fish I eat. I tried a 25" pickeral once; too tough, not enjoyable. Under 15.7; you would be allowed 2 and they wouldn't be very fat.

Minimum 19.7 I can sort of live with if I had to.

Scott

"I" actually supported no slot size, no minimum or max size....

just two fish per person, province wide.

also, i'd get rid of the conservation/sports licence stuff....one licence for all...

further simplify the regs...which is what is needed the most.

I support a maximum size limit of 15.7 inches in lieu of a protected slot limit of 15.7 to 25.6 inches. I wouldn’t eat any walleye over 25.6 inches anyway and I personally don’t believe it is necessary to harvest so called “wall hangers” to prove you caught a trophy. Instead, measure your trophy walleye, take a picture and release her. A graphite mount will last a lot longer than a skin mount anyway.

Yes, I understand that large older walleyes don’t produce as many eggs as the primary spawners (typically those walleye 20 to 25 inches in length) and that their eggs as not as viable as eggs produced by the primary spawners. Nevertheless, I support protecting the gene pool in those big girls in lieu of harvesting such a specimen for the wall.

Tomcat, the issue is you are going to have to keep a 14 inch pickeral to eat if the max is 15.7. 14 inches is to small to eat, sure it woul taste great but the size!

Cheers,

Scott

Scott:

Limiting walleye harvest size to 15.7 inches or less has no impact on the size of walleye that I or anyone else may catch and release. While eating walleyes that are 15.7 inches or less in length (maximum weight is probably about a 1.5 lb) may be an issue for you, it isn't for me. I've been lucky enough to have experienced catching big walleyes in the western basin of Lake Erie and I've released lots of 10 lb plus walleye. I prefer eating smaller walleyes for 4 major reasons:

1. Smaller walleyes have such a sweet taste, it's akin to eating candy;
2. Smaller walleyes (less than 18 inches) haven't yet reached sexual maturity (consequently, I'm not eating primary breeding stock);
3. Smaller walleyes don't tend to have mercury contents exceeding Health Canada guidelines; and
4. Eating smaller walleyes affords long term protection for the walleye fishery for all to enjoy.

All fishermen are entitled to their opinions on such subjects. And regardless anyone's opinion, it should be respected as such, their opinion!

I eat the smaller ones to but under 15.7 is too small. That means you are going to end up keeping a 14 inch pickeral....rediculous.

Scott

I am with tomcat on this one, but I really think the size for the slot should be dependant on each fishery. Some fish grow faster on some lakes than others.

Keeping the small ones is the best solution for portecting the fishery. The slot size has been in effect on nipissing and it seams that the fishery is getting better. And like Tomcat said those small ones taste way better than the big and I don't think keeping a walleye under 15.7 inches is rediculous but I wouldn't keep a 10 inch walleye.

DH

...to me 18-21 inch is perfect table fare. Don't they have regs in some areas where you can keep one of these then the second fish you are allowed has to be over / under a slot? That would be do-able.

Scott

Whatever the MNR chooses, there will be a % of anglers not happy.

RRC wrote:Whatever the MNR chooses, there will be a % of anglers not happy.

Amen to that brother, Amen to that!

Last (slot) choice got my vote.

W.