Quote Originally Posted by hageman View Post
I spent over 30 years professionally engaged in multiple fisheries studies and running ice charters on Lake Erie and have opened and checked thousands of walleye stomachs. I never saw mussels in any of the walleyes that I checked for stomach contents on the clock or while filleting them for myself or customer's catches. However, I have seen Zebra (or Quagga) mussels in the stomachs of thousands of other Lake Erie fish species including: Freshwater drum (Sheepshead), Lake whitefish, Yellow perch, Pumpkinseed sunfish, Bluegill, Smallmouth bass, Round goby, Channel catfish- but never Walleye. When Freshwater drum eat mussels, their skin often takes on a shade of gold, compared to the usual silver/gray hue. If there were indeed mussel shells in the walleye stomachs, my theory is that they are inadvertently eating mussels as they inhale Round gobies from the rocks, but not deliberately seeking them, like the other species mentioned are known to do. Take pictures next time!
Are you goin to get back into ice charters. Got my largest eye fishing with you several years ago. Loved to lady where you put me up with she had grate stories.