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04-18-2004, 07:21 PM
OUTDOORS: Survey says ... C.J. walleye to be plentiful
By BRIAN PLASTERS, News-Sun Sports Writer
The timing was almost perfect for the Ohio Division of Wildlife biologists who trap-netted 1,379 walleye in eight days last month at C.J. Brown Reservoir at Buck Creek State Park.
Beginning in 1985, walleye have been netted every year but 1991 at C.J. Brown to milk eggs from spawning females. The eggs are fertilized at the lake and sent to a fish hatchery. After the eggs hatch, walleye fingerlings (4- to-6 inches) are stocked in lakes across the state.
It usually takes the better part of two weeks for the ODOW to complete its survey. This year it started March 24 and was finished on March 31.
The ODOW quota isn’t set at the number of fish caught, but eggs collected. This year, the ODOW collected approximately 5.7 million eggs (39.4 quarts). Of the 1,379 netted walleye, 237 were female.
"We might have just timed it better in the past for (females)," ODOW District 5 fish biologist Debbie Walters said.
The survey is conducted because walleye can’t breed on their own at C.J. Brown. They require a flat, rocky bottom to successfully span, but C.J. Brown has a muddy bottom.
The walleye do not suffer in the process and are immediately released after being measured and females milked. Walleye trying to spawn swim into the trap-nets, which are placed in shallow water. The nets are checked every morning.
Walters said the eggs collected at C.J. Brown this year will be used to produce saugeyes — a hybrid of sauger and walleye that cannot reproduce.
Instead, the lake will be stocked from the eggs collected at the Maumee River (the state also conducts walleye netting at the Maumee River, Berlin Lake and Mosquito Lake).
"It doesn’t hurt to add different genetics to the system. If you look back in history, the walleye that were originally stocked into C.J. were Lake Erie related," Walters said.
The ODOW continues to pump large numbers of walleye into the reservoir, and in 2003, 443,000 walleye fingerlings were stocked. Walters said the recommended stock number is 210,000, but they don’t turn down extras produced by the state.
"The past few years they’ve had excess fish. We always agree that we will take any surplus production they may have," Walters said.
The fingerlings will be stocked in late May or early June. Walters said walleye eggs collected at the Maumee River are just starting to hatch now.
Walters said it takes three growing seasons for a walleye to reach 15-inches at C.J. Brown. The past few years have seen the walleye catch increase at the reservoir, and Walters said she expects the walleye fishing to be "really good" this year.
Not as many large walleyes were pulled in this year by the biologists, but "that doesn’t mean they’re not there, that just means we didn’t catch them," Walters said.
The largest fish caught this year was a 28-inch female that weight approximately 8 pounds.
Although fewer enormous walleye were hauled in, 66 percent of the fish netted were larger than the 15-inch keeper limit imposed at C.J. Brown.
Reach Brian Plasters at bplasters@coxohio.com
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© 2004 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - The Springfield News Sun
http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/sports/newsfd/auto/feed/sports/2004/04/17/1082259415.05522.9310.1375.html
By BRIAN PLASTERS, News-Sun Sports Writer
The timing was almost perfect for the Ohio Division of Wildlife biologists who trap-netted 1,379 walleye in eight days last month at C.J. Brown Reservoir at Buck Creek State Park.
Beginning in 1985, walleye have been netted every year but 1991 at C.J. Brown to milk eggs from spawning females. The eggs are fertilized at the lake and sent to a fish hatchery. After the eggs hatch, walleye fingerlings (4- to-6 inches) are stocked in lakes across the state.
It usually takes the better part of two weeks for the ODOW to complete its survey. This year it started March 24 and was finished on March 31.
The ODOW quota isn’t set at the number of fish caught, but eggs collected. This year, the ODOW collected approximately 5.7 million eggs (39.4 quarts). Of the 1,379 netted walleye, 237 were female.
"We might have just timed it better in the past for (females)," ODOW District 5 fish biologist Debbie Walters said.
The survey is conducted because walleye can’t breed on their own at C.J. Brown. They require a flat, rocky bottom to successfully span, but C.J. Brown has a muddy bottom.
The walleye do not suffer in the process and are immediately released after being measured and females milked. Walleye trying to spawn swim into the trap-nets, which are placed in shallow water. The nets are checked every morning.
Walters said the eggs collected at C.J. Brown this year will be used to produce saugeyes — a hybrid of sauger and walleye that cannot reproduce.
Instead, the lake will be stocked from the eggs collected at the Maumee River (the state also conducts walleye netting at the Maumee River, Berlin Lake and Mosquito Lake).
"It doesn’t hurt to add different genetics to the system. If you look back in history, the walleye that were originally stocked into C.J. were Lake Erie related," Walters said.
The ODOW continues to pump large numbers of walleye into the reservoir, and in 2003, 443,000 walleye fingerlings were stocked. Walters said the recommended stock number is 210,000, but they don’t turn down extras produced by the state.
"The past few years they’ve had excess fish. We always agree that we will take any surplus production they may have," Walters said.
The fingerlings will be stocked in late May or early June. Walters said walleye eggs collected at the Maumee River are just starting to hatch now.
Walters said it takes three growing seasons for a walleye to reach 15-inches at C.J. Brown. The past few years have seen the walleye catch increase at the reservoir, and Walters said she expects the walleye fishing to be "really good" this year.
Not as many large walleyes were pulled in this year by the biologists, but "that doesn’t mean they’re not there, that just means we didn’t catch them," Walters said.
The largest fish caught this year was a 28-inch female that weight approximately 8 pounds.
Although fewer enormous walleye were hauled in, 66 percent of the fish netted were larger than the 15-inch keeper limit imposed at C.J. Brown.
Reach Brian Plasters at bplasters@coxohio.com
Email this page to a friend
© 2004 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - The Springfield News Sun
http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/sports/newsfd/auto/feed/sports/2004/04/17/1082259415.05522.9310.1375.html