I don't think bass are the problem for the walleye. Everything from musky to bluegill like fry no matter what flavor it comes in from crappie fry to northerns. Being a flowage means there has always been a population of smallmouth do to the native stream population. As I see it as the flowage ages and more rock and gravel is exposed do to wave action etc. and the shallows get more and more weeds, both bass population should grow. Then if you take in to consideration the spearing and the heavy pressure on the walleyes.....Smallies will start filling in the niches with there own population. Not sure if its the same but walleye and smallmouth seem to do well in other bodies of water ie. Erie Lake of the Woods Mille Lacs.