Catch & Release

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Explain to the DNR that you are playing catch and release with your limit of walleyes in the cooler your sitting on. This topic has been beat to death over the years. Here are a couple of things I have learned over the years.

1) There is no such thing as a boat limit. If you caught 3 walleyes and I caught 9 I am 3 over the limit. It is really hard for them to track this but you never know. A couple years ago on a head boat out of Port Clinton. ODNR had agents on the boat and cited people for over the limit. A father was hooking fish and allowing his son reel them in, father was cited for over the limit. A couple of other gentlemen were all together and one of the guys caught 8 or 9 fish that they kept between the 3 of them. The one that caught the most was cited.

2) When trolling take turns reeling in the fish, you never know who's watching.

3) If you limit out in the morning don't go back out in the afternoon. (refer to #2) A buddy of mine went out with friends and were back with limit #1 for the day by 9:30 am. Put fish on ice, had breakfast, and back out by 11am. Back in by 2pm with second limit, ODNR at dock. How did you guys do? Great got our limit. ODNR How did you do this morning? They had pics and video. Everyone on the boat lost their license for the year.

4) I asked a game warden about catch and release after I have my limit and he told me once you have your limit in the cooler you are done with that species for the day. If you can keep walleye alive as bass fishermen do then you may cull your catch. Walleye don't fair well in the live well.

5) ODNR Biologist told me that there are not enough females caught through the ice or during the spawn to effect the spawn. He said only about 100,000 walleyes caught through the ice and during the spawn.