Quote Originally Posted by Firetiger View Post
So ALL these numbers are just "estimates" ?? They could be millions and millions off. If you just net a area that has a high concentration of walleye normally, your numbers will be skewed, just my opinion.... I think those are numbers are grossly over inflated.

But think about this theory on a smaller level, because you have no proof that any of your numbers are remotely close to real world.

Ill base my theory on a smaller level with numbers that would be easy to understand the theory. If lake x has 1000 walleyes that are spawning females, and it also has 500 white perch and gobies that fight to eat those eggs. If I take out 500 of those spawning walleyes, there will be the same amount of predators fighting to eat smaller said amount of eggs, which in turn will be smaller chance of survival for said eggs. If you have 10,000,000 eggs vs 5,000,000 eggs , your odds are always better for a better hatch with 10,000,000..... All the others factors that weigh in like weather,current, and so on, you will have a better chance with twice the amount of eggs. All this really doesn't matter anyways, its just THEORIES with the numbers. We as sportsmen have to make the decision and do what we think is best in our eyes. I originally made the post to see what others thought not to insight panic. Ill sleep fine at night doing I what I believe in my own eyes what is best for the fishery . As far as eating larger fish, a 10-12 year old fish has been exposed to more contaminants than a say a younger 15" fish, so to me a its a no brainer. SO the moral is do what works best for you, and I will not make any more female walleye posts on this website........
Who is panicked unless it is you! I am not panicked at all about the fishery for walleyes or your opinion either, fact is I respect your opinion as it shows to me that you have a great concern for our walleye population! Our opinions differ and I accept that and hope you do to! You asked me for information and I supplied it to you, so if you have a beef then direct it at the ODNR, it is their info that I passed along to you and whoever else may be interested and every one should use it as they please. It was also their efforts that was used to gather the data that was used to arrive at the estimates, they used the available scientifically gathered data at hand. They actually went out on the lake and performed research to make yours and mine fishing experience as good as possible. I accept their findings and will not get into suggesting that they have it all wrong, so I do not have to perform my own research but rely on the research that my license fees have help support, as well as the wages for those PHD's and lower degrees in fish management that those biologist have earned while attending the university of their choice.
I have said this before and I will say it again! I do not target large walleyes but instead target any walleye that would decide to eat what I am offering. I will also state that I will commit to my daily bag limit any legal walleye that I catch be it just legal or 30+ inches long. I have seen the best of the walleye fishing and to date the worse walleye fishing over the years fishing Lake Erie. In the 50's it was keep as many as you could catch but there were very few recreational boaters that would venture very far off shore at that time which limited the impact of sport fishing. Then the 60's arrived and with them the terrible pollution that wiped out almost all of the walleyes. We kept fishing and during a summer season we would be lucky to catch as many walleyes the whole season as you catch now in a couple of days. The early 70's was not much better but did improve as they grew into the mid to late 70's and the ODNR placed a 10 fish daily limit on walleyes and bought out the commercial walleye fishing fleet. Then as the recreational boaters started targeting walleyes and the number of boaters grew they imposed a 6 fish limit.
Due to weather conditions and lack of ice last year, as an example, their were far fewer walleyes caught than in previous years. But the survival of the hatched eggs was minimal and we ended up with a below average recruitment! Why?