Walleye outlook MN lakes

[Lee Borgersen]

     Walleye outlook for popular northern Minnesota lakes

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Here's a quick look at walleye populations on some of Northeastern Minnesota's major walleye lakes:

                                                     

Lake Winnibigoshish, Deer River

Dave Weitzel, Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor, Grand Rapids

Perennially a strong walleye lake, Winnie currently is riding a strong 2013 year class of walleyes, Weitzel said.

"They're 15 to 16 inches or larger," Weitzel said. "They seem to be growing fast, probably because they have a lot to eat. There are a lot of small perch in the lake."

The 2012 year class, however, was weak, Weitzel said.

Adult zebra mussels were discovered in Winnie last summer. With the presence of zebra mussels, the lake is becoming clearer, he said.

"Water clarity doesn't impact fish numbers," Weitzel said, "but the classic middle-of-the-day bite hasn't been particularly good. The morning and evening bites seem to be better."

Northern pike fishing remains good, with plenty of fish in the 22- to 26-inch range and some fish over 30 inches, he said. Next door, Cut Foot Sioux and Little Cut Foot Sioux have good crappie populations.

There are no regulation changes this year. Winnie has a protected walleye slot limit of 18 to 23 inches, with one over 23 inches allowed in a six-fish limit.

Lake Vermilion, Tower and Cook

Matt Hennen, DNR large-lake specialist, Tower

Lake Vermilion anglers will see a more liberal slot limit this year. The previous slot limit of 18 to 26 inches (four-fish limit) will change effective with the opener to a 20- to 26-inch protected slot with a four-fish limit and one over 26 inches allowed.

"Lake Vermilion's fishery is healthy," Hennen said. "Last year's (assessment) netting showed numbers were good and size was above average. The catch rate of 13- to 20-inch fish was slightly above the historical median, so the fish should be available."

The slot limit was relaxed in part to appease anglers on the west end of the lake, where walleyes tend to be larger and anglers had more difficulty catching fish outside the slot limit to eat.

"The new slot limit is designed to allow additional harvest opportunity while maintaining safe-harvest levels and adequate spawning stock," Hennen said.

The 2013 and 2014 walleye year classes are considered "moderate" in size, Hennen said, and the 2015 and 2016 year classes are moderate to strong, he said.

"The future looks good," Hennen said.

The lake holds good numbers of muskies over 50 inches long, and the smallmouth bass population numbers continue to increase, Hennen said.



Rainy Lake, International Falls
Ben Vondra, DNR large-lake specialist, International Falls

This sprawling Canadian-border lake continues to be a popular walleye destination, especially after fish move from the shallows to mid-lake reefs.

"We've been seeing really good walleye production the last several years," Vondra said. "We have the protected slot, and there are plenty of those bigger fish to catch and release."

The slot on Rainy was changed last year. It had been 17 to 28 inches and was changed to an 18- to 26-inch slot with a four-fish limit and one over 26 inches allowed.

The 2006 and 2007 year classes were good, Vondra said, as well as those from 2010 to 2012, especially the 2011 class.

"We've heard from a lot of anglers in the last couple years that they're catching a lot of small fish, especially those 2011 fish," Vondra said. "With another year of growth there will be plenty of those in harvestable sizes — 14 and 15 inches.

"And Rainy, in the last several years, is a place you can run into some big walleyes if you're looking for trophies. Twenty-sevens and 28s are not uncommon for anglers to bump into."

Big pike are present, including some over 40 inches, plus a good smallmouth bass population and, in Black Bay, good-size crappies.

Nearby Lake Kabetogama's last big year class was 2006. "Then there was a gap of no strong year classes," Vondra said. "We were beginning to get a little concerned. Now the 2012 year class is showing up in above-average numbers. Last fall, we saw pretty high numbers of 15- to 17-inch walleyes from that 2012 year class."

Leech Lake, Walker

Doug Schultz, DNR area fisheries supervisor, Walker

"We're really in good shape," Schultz said. "Our year classes have been a bit above average pretty consistently."

After the walleye population had reached lows in the early 2000s, the DNR stocked Leech Lake with walleye fry — 7.5 to 22.5 million per year — from 2005 to 2014. The population rebounded, and fishing has been good in recent years.

"We've been in good shape since 2008," Schultz said. "Last year the bite was red-hot from May into June. Then we had the mayfly hatch in June, and the perch were getting to the right size (for walleyes to eat) by July 1. From mid-June through July, the bite was tough."

Walleyes of all sizes are found in assessment netting. The prominent sizes currently are fish from about 14 to 17 inches long, Schultz said.

Perch populations remain at an all-time low, he said.

"We suspect that's largely because of our walleye management (lots of stocking) over the last 10 years," Schultz said.

The walleye limit on Leech remains the same: All walleyes from 20 to 26 inches must be immediately released. Possession limit is four, with only one over 26 inches allowed.

Saganaga Lake, Grand Marais

Matt Weberg, DNR assistant area fisheries supervisor, Grand Marais

Saganaga, on the Canadian border 60 miles northwest of Grand Marais, has long been considered one of Minnesota's premier walleye lakes. Concerns about a decreasing number of big walleyes prompted the DNR to modify regulations in 2015, Weberg said. A minimum size limit of 17 inches was put in place along with a three-fish bag limit, of which only one can be longer than 20 inches.

Biologists are hoping that moderately strong year classes in 2011 and 2012 will boost the population, Weberg said. Those fish should be about 17 inches long now. Fisheries biologists will survey Saganaga again this summer to get a better idea about the size and age distribution of walleyes, Weberg said.

Sag has more than walleyes, though.

"The lake trout population seems to be doing well," Weberg said. "The smallmouth bass population is really strong, with nice, quality-sized fish, and the lake has always had a reputation for producing large pike as well."

And there's a new kid on the block in Sag and neighboring Seagull Lake — black crappies.

"It's possibly a little concerning," Weberg said. "There's a theory that walleye and black crappie don't do that well together."

Crappies were first sampled in Sag in 2014 and in Seagull in 2015, Weberg said.