advertisement

Wisconsin makes another big walleye investment

Without turning to high-priced market research studies, much can be attained from simply observing the retail side of the fishing business - especially as it pertains to travel.

Many other colleagues and I conclude that many anglers leave close-to-home options behind in search of prime walleye water so they can catch fish and bring some home for the freezer.

Many of those angling destinations are reached by driving into Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.

Wisconsin and Minnesota Tourism honchos know the pattern, and the acquired data eventually translates into big dollars.

With that known, you have to hand it to Wisconsin DNR officials and all those other concerned citizens who treasure their moments on the water.

Walleye fishermen expect good fishing wherever they launch their boats. When they wind up disappointed, they abandon destinations for greener pastures.

Because Wisconsin DNR bosses know there is money to be made, $11.5 million as been allocated for hatchery improvements to upgrade walleye fishing in our neighboring state.

As part of that hatchery project, the Wisconsin DNR is targeting Geneva Lake (just over the border) to be stocked with 108,200 extended-growth walleye fingerlings, ranging from 6-9 inches. This is supposed to happen in 2015.

Believe it or not, Geneva Lake used to be a super-prime walleye hot spot that often surprised anglers with 10-pound fish.

Over the years the lake developed into a smallmouth and largemouth bass jackpot. Some of the larger walleyes were still hanging around the deeper structure, and some anglers managed to catch a few big one while night fishing.

I have soapboxed similar issues for decades, with my pleading directed to Illinois state lawmakers, imploring them to recognize that pots of gold await the fiscal brains here, asking the powers to recognize fishing and hunting as lucrative cash cows.

Instead, our northerly neighbors saw the light at the end of their fiscal tunnel. And of course the Wisconsin DNR bosses realized their efforts couldn't come to fruition without the help of various walleye clubs like the Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Walleyes Unlimited and Walleyes for Tomorrow.

The larger fingerlings I spoke about when planted in Geneva Lake will have a far greater chance of escaping the jaws and appetites of the ravenous predators and adult species now plumbing depths of that body of water.

Wisconsin DNR scientists note the survival rate of the extended-growth plantings could be close to 12 percent for the third year. That in itself is a remarkable figure because we would realize a 1 percent growth rate under normal circumstances.

I still contend there will be a return of the giant walleyes to the Fox Chain. For a number of years we had reported catches of fish ranging from 5-8 pounds from Lake Marie and Channel Lake. The monsters I knew about came from Pistakee Lake and were often not revealed to anyone outside a very close-knit group of walleye devotees.

• Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, catch his radio show 7-9 a.m. Sundays on WGCO 1590-AM (live-streamed at www.1590WCGO.com) and get more content at www.mikejacksonoutdoors.com.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.