walleye stripping w/pics

[jigglestick]

i had a post about the walleye stripping at cutfoot souix but i can't seem to find it.
anyway,
 
i will do it again, this time with pictures.

the Department of Natural Resources walleye stripping has been going on for years.
it is a necessary step in the stocking program. without restocking, some of our favorite lakes would not stand up to the pressure of sport angling. some lakes do not see natural reproduction, so restocking is the only means of maintaining a fishable population of any targeted fish species.




from highway 46, north of Deer River, MN you can see the posts sticking out of the water,used to anchor the floating docks, and trap enclosures used to contain the walleyes on their natural movement towards shallow water to spawn.
this is the time of year when they set the nets and docks, harvesting the eggs from the females.
they have four holding pens. one pen for the males, and the rest for the females.



the females are checked each day to see if the are "ripe", (ready to give up their eggs) or "green" ( not ready).
the ones that are ready and produce the eggs, are then released. the ones that are green, go into a day two holding pen and checked the next day.

this process is repeated for three days and if they do not produce their eggs in three days, they are released back into the lake as to keep the stress to a minimum.
they gather about 1,400 quarts of eggs, with about a 60% success to hatch ratio.

10% go back into the cutfoot, winnie system. the rest are distributed throughout the state, with a rare occasion to do a trade in a small amount with an outside resource for something we may be in need of here.

the makeup of the bottom shoreline structure in the north end of cutfoot, where the walleyes are headed to spawn, is muck bottom. the eggs would be laid,? get covered with this muck and suffocate, resulting in a very minimum of natural reproduction.
by re introducing the 10% they are doing more than the natural reproduction would.

visitors are welcome, and when they are in between strippings, you may approach the holding pens and get right up close and personal with the fish.


it is amazing to see some of the large females. i would say the biggest i saw today was in excess of ten pounds.

if you find yourself in the area, or do not mind a drive to see this. let me say it is worth the trip.

[Mayfly]

 :o

That is cool. Thanks Jiggle.

[Fawkinnae]

JIgglestick - nice photos!
Spectacular presentation. I can see you getting together with Martin Scorsese to exchange tips. Thanks.

[Spinach]

Yeah, great information Jiggle. Kind of cool to see how the process works.

[Woody]

Nice pics & info. Jiggle!? I was at a Walleye stripping site near Jenkins (Pine River), this past Saturday (4/15).? There weren't as many fish in the pens as in your pics, but it is also a smaller operation.? Still saw plenty of fat momma's though.? The guy there said they are almost done for the year already.?

[jigglestick]

thanks guys.
the staff up there were very informative and patient with me and my questions.
they even let the kids mix some eggs.
we used the trip as a field trip for them.

[BUCKHEAD]

dave
i check females every day also to see if their ready.