Fishing Report for May 10

[Tanner Wildes]

Saturday I guided out on the chip, We fished on the west side, started out casting Reef Runner ripsticks, over the weed tops in about 8-10 feet of water with thick weeds, we caught a pile of fish, a little bit of everything, caught largemouth bass up to about 4 1/2-5 pounds, pike up to 36 inches, crappie, perch, walleye, all but one over 20 inches.

We would cast stickbaits until we caught fish, and then slip bobber the area, didn't matter if we caught bass, pike or walleye, got about half of our walleye on slip bobbers with minnows, and the other half on stickbaits. the reason for that was if the bass or pike were active the walleye would be too, and more cases than not it was true.

Caught all of our fish while it was snowing out in the morning, when the snow stopped, the fish stopped. seems like for me when you have overcast and wind I would rather fish the shallow weeds and cover water with the stickbaits, its where you will find the bigger fish, and that is when they are the most active.

water temp was 50-52 degrees. the fishing on the chip this year so far has been feast or famine, Saturday was a feast, great fishing!!Hope this helps everybody out.


Good Luck,
Tanner Wildes

[JohnN]

Tanner,

I sure wish you'd start releasing walleyes over 18" or so. There aren't enough of them to go around.

John__Nesse

[Tanner Wildes]

John,
Don't tell me how to run my guide trips, the one day that we did, is not going to kill the chippewa flowage walleye fishery. next year it is an 18" size limit, is there difference from what I did and next years regulation otu there besides one fish bag limit??? If you have a problem with the one day that we did, please call me and we can further discuss it (715) 462-4247.

Tanner Wildes

[deantre]

well said Tanner, excellent report by the way, very detailed and helpful, I owe you a brewsky or two for reports of that caliber.

[JohnN]

Tanner,

If everyone had that same attitude - that one day of meat hunting won't kill the flowage - it would get killed real quick. How is it any different than the guy who "only" keeps one big musky? You don't think that makes a difference?

If you really want to talk with me my number is 651-253-4818. If you want to talk in person, I have a place on Moore's Bay and will probably see you out there. I usually fish out of a black/gray Tuffy 17' deep v with a merc on the back.

I do appreciate reading your reports, but I also believe strongly in C&R. I wish they'd put a slot limit on the Chip. Thanks.

John

[Tanner Wildes]

John,
thank you for your phone number I will be calling you so we can further discuss this. But I do agree with you, I feel a slot limit would do great out there. Every lake they have put it on has a fantastic walleye population, look at grindstone, there are a ton of walleye out there. but there isn't. I am like you a big advocate of catch and release, I feel the fish we are keeping are ok to keep, especially since a majority of the fish we are catching on the flowage are all that size, we are not keeping 8-10 pounders or anything, but there is a huge population of 18-22 inchers on the flowage right now, so the 6 walleye that we kept that day, are also the only walleye I have kept out of the flowage in my boat this year, will not kill the chippewa flowage walleye population.

I will be calling you soon.

thank you,
Tanner Wildes

[Nick Kanauz]

John...Some info you may not know about walleye. According to Mike Dombeck PHD in fisheries biology and animal ecology, a mature 17", 5 year old female walleye will lay an average of 50,000 eggs on a good year in clean water. They are outnumbered 7 to 1 by males. Of the 50,000 eggs, less than 500 will survive the first year. Larger females say over 23" will lay over 600,000 eggs on a good year, or a 6,000 survival rate for the first year. Even if they only lay 300,000 eggs, that is still a 3,000 survival rate for the first year. Most young of the year will attain 7" in that year, 13" in 3 years, and then 17" in five years. Walleye are top of the chain feeders, and once to that 7" size, large minnows and yellow perch become the bulk of their diet. This said, let's check out how many females we cleaned last week during our trip to the Flowage. Three of us "kept" 19 fish all of them 16 to 22". All of them were males! We turn back ALL walleye under 16 and over 22" because we like to see the young continue to mature, and the larger fish to continue their breeding. Besides, anything bigger doesn't taste that good anyway. Walleye live an average of 20 years and that would mean each female over 23" averaging a spawn of 300,000 eggs per year from 5 on would produce about 45,000 viable first year young! So...does keeping your daily limit hurt the fishery...not according to the DNR, which sets the limit based on spearing take in the ceded area and the holding potential of the lake. My advice to you is to continue to use your beliefs as you see fit, relay your thoughts to others in a positive way, but, let the guides take care of their clients...who by the way...are paying between 200-300 bucks of their hard earned money to learn the waters with the guide, as well as, take a few fish "legally" home for dinner. As for myself and most other fisherman, I will continue to take my daily limit in the size category above if I'm lucky enough. Oh...one final remark...we did release quite a few fish in the "eating" range because we were satisfied with the amount we already had. Practicing CPR is a choice. I take that choice seriously, and release all the fish I don't need back to the waters to fight another day, and ALL my Musky go back regardless of size...with pictures, a carbon mount now costs the same as the real thing. I catch a 10# walleye...it will go on my wall...but it will be a carbon replica from my pictures! Tanner...you are a great guide. I am happy to have been out with you for our trips...we will be going out again. Thanks for always trying to teach us new tricks and some of your special secrets to improve our odds of catching fish...you have gone that extra mile to get us chances at a "hook up"! John...I respect your thoughts, just don't necessarily agree with this one.

[Regulator]

How do you identify males from females without killing them Tanner? Obviously pre-spawn and for a short time post-spawn you see males spraying the milt, but in the middle of the summer how do you identify a male vs. female walleye when you catch one.

Just curious,

Troy