Concerns about fishing conditions.

In response to the Canadian Commercial Fishing, I know this is one problem with the walleye. I sold my boat about 3 years ago and had a fellow from Canada call me about it. While we were talking he was asking me about our fish limits. He asked me about our penalties and when I told him there could be jail time, heavy fines and seizure of your boat and vehicle, he laughed and said thats what they needed to do in Canada. He said that a commercial fisherman in his hometown had went to Court that week for being almost a thousand fish over and was fined under a thousand dollars and that was it. That was just pennies compared to his profit. He and others are not going to be worried if they are just slapped on the wrist. But back to the fishing concerns, I too think the bad spring we had this year has something to do with the tough fishing, but as I said I have noticed it dropping off yearly for the last 4 years, and not just with our walleye but perch too. I hope I am wrong but I also hope someone is doing some testing before its to late.

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Originally Posted by Fishin Crazy

I have been hearing and reading allot about the walleye in Erie. Not sure what is going on but I am getting concerned about the fishing. I say that because I have not caught many short fish this year. In years past I almost always caught some fish that were below the minimum size limit. Don't get me wrong I don't like to throw them back but if we are not seeing any small fish what will the future fishing be like. Has anybody else noticed this or are the small fish out there and I am not catching them?

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I caught a little walleye on Sat, I guess it was about 12". I knew it wasn't a keeper so I didn't measure it, kinda wish I had now! Also caught two under 15" back in Feb.

Yep, I hear all of you and everything you all have said is true, but I would like to add something else. Has anyone else noticed the explosion of sheephead, white bass and white perch? Well I have and guess what....they eat the same thing as the walleye and perch. Everyone who catches these including commercial fisherman just through them back and their numbers are growing at an alarming rate. If everyone would not return them to the lake or if you do make sure they will not eat or spawn again how much more food will there be for our sport fish? If their is plenty of food you will have plenty of sportfish. Fishing pressure thru 80's and 90's removed a good portion of our sportfishing stock and these were replaced by sheephead etc. We can help our destiny cause Lord knows the government won't, by severly reducing the number of rough fish and keep food sources for the sport fish.

Airshot

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Originally Posted by ReelTime

ODNR Can't do anything about that if they don't know of it. If I knew someone doing what you say your dock partner was doing I'd be turning them in.

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Did the Ottawa co game warden did nothing. Tip line did nothing they said they didn't have time

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Originally Posted by airshot

Yep, I hear all of you and everything you all have said is true, but I would like to add something else. Has anyone else noticed the explosion of sheephead, white bass and white perch? Well I have and guess what....they eat the same thing as the walleye and perch. Everyone who catches these including commercial fisherman just through them back and their numbers are growing at an alarming rate. If everyone would not return them to the lake or if you do make sure they will not eat or spawn again how much more food will there be for our sport fish? If their is plenty of food you will have plenty of sportfish. Fishing pressure thru 80's and 90's removed a good portion of our sportfishing stock and these were replaced by sheephead etc. We can help our destiny cause Lord knows the government won't, by severly reducing the number of rough fish and keep food sources for the sport fish.

Airshot

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I sort of agree with you on this. I have heard some on here say it is unethical to kill the sheephead, my question is, is it legal? I do agree that these forage fish are taking food from the game fish and eating eggs as well. But, what I really think would help the walleye population is if the netters were pushed out of the Western basin, ESPECIALLY the reef area during the spawn for Gods sake! How can they reduce the take for sportsman yet allow nets in these critical areas at spawn time? Come on ODNR get with the program while we still have a chance. That is, until the Asian Carp get here then it's all over anyway.

[QUOTE=airshot;15125]

I fished Sat, Sun, and monday, caught walleye everyday, drifting and trolling. Yes it is a tough year for sure, no doubt at all. There are alot of fish out there of all sorts. Sheephead are plentiful and getting bigger. Most walleye are suspended and can be caught casting a short count and trolling the baits mid way in the water column. I have caught small walleye from 9 to 14.5 inches lately, Sunday the average size was 24 inch. Had 16 Sunday , all 4-5 pounds, drifting. Have stayed around the reefs most of the year and only going out further to get cleaner water when wind blew the mud around. 6 weeks of bad weather didnt help anything. Here is a good one , sort of funny but caught a 4.5 inch emerald shiner on a spoon today. Does that mean they are hungry to. Only one yellow perch all weekend. As for what to do with the sheephead you catch, some say they eat the zebra mussels. Some leave a train of sheephead behind the boat. I think the walleye are there, but they have plenty to eat as I see the fat in the bellies. Some of them have been inhaling the worms, they hungry. Presentation, presentation.Some days I cant get the presentation right the way they want it , and I think, Never give up. Maybe this is mother natures way of helping the lake and not the fisherman. The jury is still out on the spawn. Keep fishing, it should get better with stable weather through the summer. Keep Fishing, Keep fishing.

Turn your dock neighbor in. He is greedy and not a sports fisherman and with all the others doing this it ends up hurting the future generation. Take what you use don't use what you take.

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Originally Posted by Fishing Dude

Did the Ottawa co game warden did nothing. Tip line did nothing they said they didn't have time

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What a shame. Same warden would give you or me a ticket for having an undersize fish or 1 fish over limit.

The fist year we decided to fish the west end of erie we were greeted with the dead sheepheads,everyone was concerned and rightly so,but we caught walleye like hell!!! fast troll slow troll drifting,if you had line in the water you cought walleye. The second year we stayed in port clinton tried what worked last year,nothing for 2 days. We booked a charter to learn what was working year #2 drifting bottom bouncers with big gold blades. Took our education back to our own boats, we did okay. Year#3 found this web site payed close atten. made some friends on here, took their advice did catch some walleye but not many(maybe I dont know what the hell i'm doing) Year 4 wind blew like the dickens for 3 days then a tornado,didnt wet a line. Year 5 this year 6guys caught 11 walleyes in 7 days 6-13 of may. What I'm trying to say,is the way we fish for walleye changing,or is there a real problem!!! I see a change and live in PA. I can't imagine what runs through you local guy's mind,not to mention the charter guys with more bad days than good,it's not good advertisement for the folks who make a living off the walleye.:(

I recently wrote to the state inquirring about the specifics in which everyone has presented in this forum, I would encourage you to do the same maybe we can get an answer possibly some more clarity on this matter. Ohio Division of Wild Life web site and go to the bottom of the screen and contact them...