Kelley's Island

[Tightline]

Got back Sunday, fished Thursday through Saturday. Not one walleye. A few drums and silvers was it. I admit I am no expert at fishing Erie, this was only my third time, but had done pretty good first 2 times. We tried harnesses and cranks. Fished all around south bass, not one eye. Didn't hear about the kill until we were already there.

[jjoshin2]

Im not much of a Biologist myself, but we havent had a severe weather spring like we had most of april in quite some time,and i would think a die off happens every spring ,with or without the weather.
As for the spawn run,the Maumee has been the premier spawn site for Lake Erie for quite some time,and this season was no exception,except for the weather.The river level has been above normal all through the normal spawn temperatures,combined with unrelenting winds out of the east for most of April,those fish that did make it up the river had 7 to 10 foot and higher waves to return to coming out of the river.the usual first stops coming out of the river being 6 to 15ft. depths,i cant imagine swimming through that after a run up a swelled river,romping with the cows and dodging a few thousand snaggers.
Most parasites or biologicals generally need warmer temps that up until recently we havent seen,the river only reaching 59 after 2 85 degree days this past week. And as far as those who did catch in the river,the sizes were quite large,many jack in the 6 to 8 lb. range, which tells me a older,possibly ready to die series of fish returned to this area, 2007 revisited with some nasty weather thrown in.
Just my opine,as i said Im not a scientist, just a fisherman who loves a debate?????

[maul35]

Great article post Wakina. Thank you for posting some information that may be going on in the lake.

[spoontang]

A similar epidemic happened a few years ago with Lake Erie drum. There were dead ones everywhere. I don't remember the verdict on the cause. Speculation was spawn stress, virus, bacteria, farming contamination. My only conclusion is there is in no way shape or form a shortage of drum.

My thoughts on the walleye are as follow. There has been very very very little fishing pressure....The weather has been the worst for spring fishing as far as my memory goes for both wind and rain....many many species of fish die post spawn.


I am no biologist but I do not think the population is not adversly effected with this kill as there has been far fewer fish make it to the fillet table. Just as a hunch, I attribute the kill to weather. Remember,,,there are millions of millions of walleye in the lake. I'm not up on recent numbers but 20,000,000 perhaps. Fishermen taking 2.5 mil and commercial fish also about 2.5 mil with both of those numbers droppin about 5% each year.

I think we will be ok but I would like a concrete answer from ODNR. After all, they work for us through tax dollars and license fees.

Now darn it,,,I am ready to fish!

[wakina]

Ohio Sea Grant has updated at the bottom of the following link!!

http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/...0ad409331a5321