Post by Greenedog on Feb 11, 2012 10:54:02 GMT -5
INDIANA DNR WALLEYE UPDATES
We're hoping to get on Monroe and Patoka this year and try to figure out the walleye. For anyone who might be interested in what went on with the walleye program last year in Indiana, here's the latest from the DNR on Patoka Lake and others:
Patoka: The first walleye stocking since 1978 occurred in 2008. In 2008 and 2009, there were 5.3 and 8.4 million walleye fry stocked. A total of 20 walleye were sampled that ranged in length from 5.3 to 11.6 inches. All were assumed to be age 0. The catch rate was 10.0/electrofishing hour, while in 2008 it was 18.0/hour. Catches in 2009 would probably have been higher if the lake had not been high and turbid. The stocking can be considered a success as it met the 7.0/electrofishing hour success criteria.
In 2010, a total of 13 walleye were collected. They ranged in length from 6.1 to 14.4 in. Eleven of the walleye collected were age 0. The age 0 electrofishing catch rate was 6.2/hr. The catch rate in 2009 was 10.0/electrofishing h. The catch rate most likely declined due to the reduced number of fry stocked. In 2010, 3.7 million fry were stocked compared to 8.4 million in 2009. The stocking can be considered successful, even though it did not quite reach the 7.0/electrofishing hr success criteria due to the reduced expectations with only 3.4 million stocked compared to a normal stocking rate of 8.8 million.
This year (2011), during the fall evaluation of the walleye stocking at Patoka Lake we collected 7.0 young of the year/hour and 6.0 age-1 walleye/hour.
Lake of the Woods: Evaluating a drop in the stocking rate from 100/acre to 50/acre for fingerlings. The walleye population looked great, as we collected 4.8 fish/hr 18.0 inches and larger.
Lake Maxinkuckee: Evaluating the walleye stocking and our findings indicate we are in need of a change. Therefore, more intensive walleye work is scheduled for next field season.
Fall walleye shocking at Sylvan and Winona lakes: After 8 years of stocking fall fingerlings at 20/acre, we dropped the rate to 15/acre for a 3-year period from 2009 through 2011. Next year and beyond, we’ll drop the rate, most likely for good, to 10/acre. Eventually – we’re talking many years - we may finally know whether there is a connection between fall fingerling stocking rate and adult density.
Monroe: We collected 62 walleye 6.5 to 27.3 inches. YOY catch was 2/hr. PSD15 was 53 and RSD25 was 3. There were 42 WAE fingerlings/acre stocked in 2011. The normal stocking rate is 50/acre.
Cagles Mill: IDNR did not do fall sampling on Cataract this year. They did their usual walleye fry stocking in the lake.
We're hoping to get on Monroe and Patoka this year and try to figure out the walleye. For anyone who might be interested in what went on with the walleye program last year in Indiana, here's the latest from the DNR on Patoka Lake and others:
Patoka: The first walleye stocking since 1978 occurred in 2008. In 2008 and 2009, there were 5.3 and 8.4 million walleye fry stocked. A total of 20 walleye were sampled that ranged in length from 5.3 to 11.6 inches. All were assumed to be age 0. The catch rate was 10.0/electrofishing hour, while in 2008 it was 18.0/hour. Catches in 2009 would probably have been higher if the lake had not been high and turbid. The stocking can be considered a success as it met the 7.0/electrofishing hour success criteria.
In 2010, a total of 13 walleye were collected. They ranged in length from 6.1 to 14.4 in. Eleven of the walleye collected were age 0. The age 0 electrofishing catch rate was 6.2/hr. The catch rate in 2009 was 10.0/electrofishing h. The catch rate most likely declined due to the reduced number of fry stocked. In 2010, 3.7 million fry were stocked compared to 8.4 million in 2009. The stocking can be considered successful, even though it did not quite reach the 7.0/electrofishing hr success criteria due to the reduced expectations with only 3.4 million stocked compared to a normal stocking rate of 8.8 million.
This year (2011), during the fall evaluation of the walleye stocking at Patoka Lake we collected 7.0 young of the year/hour and 6.0 age-1 walleye/hour.
Lake of the Woods: Evaluating a drop in the stocking rate from 100/acre to 50/acre for fingerlings. The walleye population looked great, as we collected 4.8 fish/hr 18.0 inches and larger.
Lake Maxinkuckee: Evaluating the walleye stocking and our findings indicate we are in need of a change. Therefore, more intensive walleye work is scheduled for next field season.
Fall walleye shocking at Sylvan and Winona lakes: After 8 years of stocking fall fingerlings at 20/acre, we dropped the rate to 15/acre for a 3-year period from 2009 through 2011. Next year and beyond, we’ll drop the rate, most likely for good, to 10/acre. Eventually – we’re talking many years - we may finally know whether there is a connection between fall fingerling stocking rate and adult density.
Monroe: We collected 62 walleye 6.5 to 27.3 inches. YOY catch was 2/hr. PSD15 was 53 and RSD25 was 3. There were 42 WAE fingerlings/acre stocked in 2011. The normal stocking rate is 50/acre.
Cagles Mill: IDNR did not do fall sampling on Cataract this year. They did their usual walleye fry stocking in the lake.