Author Topic: healy walleye? (Read 7931 times)

BIG WEST · « **on:** Dec 10, 2009, 10:17 PM »

just heard from a buddy that game and fish stocked 50 walleye in healy. does anyone know if theres any truth behind this? i guess it would be a great way to get those perch under control. i'm heading out saturday morning to get my new ice auger running. if anyone heard about those walleye let me know may have to broaden my horizons on my fishing techniques. thanks guys big west

eve21 · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 10:21 PM »

If that is true, hopefully people will release all of them to stay in there and, take care of the perch, as well as turn that into a great little walleye pond. If they are decent size, they could really take off with the conditions that lake has.

BIG WEST · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 10:26 PM »

i agree with you eve21. hope my buddy was right and it wasnt just fish stories. also think if a walleye is caught it should be released although seeing one come out of healy would be exciting even if you had to release it

IcenEyes · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 10:47 PM »

Quote

hopefully people will release all of them to stay in there and, take care of the perch, as well as turn that into a great little walleye pond

Great Idea. I live in Buffalo and that is what i have heard. They tried a few years ago to get Tiger Muskies but the deal fell through. If the Local sportsman take care of Healy it could be a better fishery that it ever was. Walleye, Bass, Trout and Perch all in one place.
Just because the Limit is 50 Perch doesn't mean that you need to keep 50. I miss the day of 13-15" Perch.

unemployed · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 11:02 PM »

The reason healy has so many small perch is becasue there are too many. If you want to help that fishery, keep 50 perch every time you go out there. Once you start catching bigger perch out of there, then start limiting what you keep. I caught 2 largemouth and a pound and a half jumbo perch out of there last winter so there are a few good fish in there. A call to the local game and fish fisheries guy would clear up this walleye mystery.

IcenEyes · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 11:44 PM »

Unemployed, I Understand the fact of keeping my 50 Tiny Perch. My friends and i are trying to fix that same problem on a small private pond.
I mean back when you could catch all you wanted that were 12-14". I don't know how many people i saw leaving the Ice with there bucket of big perch that were out there every day. There were days that i counted over 100 people standing on the Ice and over 50 Trucks parked on the shore, who were mostly from out of town. I'm just trying to say that it needs managed better. Maybe a slot limit?

IcenEyes

eve21 · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 12:12 AM »

Muddy Guard can be managed for trophy trout and Keyhole can be managed for bigger Northerns, why can't they decide to help manage our other species as well with slot limits? Lake Oahe in SD was the dead sea after all of their bait went over the Dam in the late 90's and to remedy this, they have a slot limit with a one over rule. Oahe is now considered one of the greatest walleye fisheries in the nation. Things can be managed, it just takes a little work. I wish our Game and Fish would be willing to look at these options in more of our waters across the state.

Perchcrazy · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 01:05 AM »

It is true, hopefully they will start chowing on the perch.

IcenEyes · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 01:13 AM »

Quote

Things can be managed, it just takes a little work. I wish our Game and Fish would be willing to look at these options in more of our waters across the state.

Well Said

wyoutdoors · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 01:36 AM »

Start a petition to limit perch to an 'X' amount daily limit. And isn't there a "possesion" limit as well??? (Meaning what you have froze in your freezer, not that anyone goes by a possesion limit)

IcenEyes · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 03:35 AM »

The Possesion is still double the limit. 100. It all comes down to respect and sportsmanship. Once the Eyes start getting a hold on the Perch numbers I think that a limit of 20 would be fine.
We have a Warden :callcops:that I think will keep good tabs on the area.

Maybe they could make it a Ice Shanty Only Pond

pokefan1 · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 08:46 AM »

Well I can say that some were put in there but the number was more like 30 the first time... and I am unsure if the G&F put some more in later this fall. Although it will be tempting to keep the walleyes if they are caught this winter i would plead with all Ice Shanty members to release those fish back to see if they can establish themselves.

There are plenty of other fishermen, not sportsmen, who don't give a darn about the future of Healy, only that they caught a walleye and those peolpe will not release those fish! If the walleyes can get established in Healy like they are in Desmet we will have some decent places to fish for years to come.

Agree or disagree?

PF1

doublehaul · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 09:27 AM »

Put pike in there too. You will see a decline in overall perch numbers and an increase in length and girth of perch. Research Nelson Reservoir in Northeastern MT. There are more big perch in that body of water than anywhere in the whole state of MT. They have perch, walleye, carp, catfish, and......wait for it.......Huge PIKE!!!! I've seen fish over 20 lbs taken through the ice.

anywho....that's great that the g&F are taking proactive measures to manage this body of water. I wish they would make a mandatory catch and release period of lets say the next 6 years. We would then see a major change in the fishery. Baby steps though right?

eve21 · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 12:45 PM »

With that being a smaller pond that see's a lot of action, and will probably see more with this news, how cool would it be for the Game and Fish to make that a Trophy walleye fishery much like the upper Muddy Guard is for trout where you can only keep one over a certain size and would allow to go in and catch a number of big fish each day for CPR? As cool as it is to hear they are doing good things, I wonder how quickly a lake of that size would become "fished out" once it really gets good?

BIG WEST · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 07:22 PM »

Quote from: pokefan1 on Dec 11, 2009, 08:46 AM

Well I can say that some were put in there but the number was more like 30 the first time... and I am unsure if the G&F put some more in later this fall. Although it will be tempting to keep the walleyes if they are caught this winter i would plead with all Ice Shanty members to release those fish back to see if they can establish themselves.

There are plenty of other fishermen, not sportsmen, who don't give a darn about the future of Healy, only that they caught a walleye and those peolpe will not release those fish! If the walleyes can get established in Healy like they are in Desmet we will have some decent places to fish for years to come.

Agree or disagree?

PF1

hey pokefan1 i 100% agree. i think all of us ice fishing guys need to do everything possible to make sure the walleye are released. good chance there i a ok percentage of people that belong to ice shanty. thats a start. i moved to wyoming 3 years ago and fished healy for the first time. i can remember catching decent sized perch and on every trip a least one good sized trout. now as we all know this is no longer the case. so keeping true to releasing the walleye and letting healy would be a win win for all of us. hey pokefan1 let me know what ya think. good luck fishing and be safe. big west

pokefan1 · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 08:03 PM »

I agree 100%.. it seems the G&F is doing everything they can to try and get a more stable walleye population in Healy. The problem is they don't own the land and the ranch could shut down the fishing on a 30 day notice.. The G&F is hesitant to dump a lot of money (walleye) into the lake and then have the landowner shut down the fishing. Its a tough spot for all involved.

We as sportsmen can do a few things to help out and that is always follow all the rules while at the lake, i.e. stay on posted roads! Also pack out more then what you pack in, someone is always willing to leave their fair share of garbage behind. If you know ranchers in Wyoming there is nothing that will make them more mad then garbage all over.

As for me I will photograph, if my camera will work, any walleye caught and return it to the water. In a few years there should be a sustainable population in there and then I will take some home for the diner table.

We really need to work on the G&F about letting us use live bait in Desmet to harvest those walleyes. They are there forever and growing in size and numbers. PF1

minnowguy · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 11:00 PM »

Go to their meetings that they have every year in your area and voice your opinions. Sometimes they will listen to what we say.

mulebarnmax · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 12, 2009, 06:10 AM »

I agree with most everything you guys have said. One thing I think our G&F lacks is the ability to rapidly adapt to changing conditions. Rule changes come very slow. I wish they had the power to put in temporary closings, slots, decreased limits and other regs in a timely manner.

unemployed · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 12, 2009, 01:27 PM »

Quote from: IcenEyes on Dec 10, 2009, 11:44 PM

Unemployed, I Understand the fact of keeping my 50 Tiny Perch. My friends and i are trying to fix that same problem on a small private pond.
I mean back when you could catch all you wanted that were 12-14". I don't know how many people i saw leaving the Ice with there bucket of big perch that were out there every day. There were days that i counted over 100 people standing on the Ice and over 50 Trucks parked on the shore, who were mostly from out of town. I'm just trying to say that it needs managed better. Maybe a slot limit?

IcenEyes

I'm with you when perch poulations are healthy people need to limit their take, especially on a small body of water like healy. But if you limit too much you are right back inthe same boat. The fact is such an easily accessable small lake like healy will always be very difficult to manage. The game and fish does not have the flexability to micro manage every small body of water out there. Does anyone know if there are sauger down drainage from healy? If so, I highly doubt they put any walleye in there. I doubt the EPA would allow it. I am pretty sure that is why they tried with tiger muskie. Northerns might be another story. No harm in hoping though.

BIG WEST · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 12, 2009, 02:29 PM »

im not sure about the sauger down stream of healy. curious to why they couldnt put walleye in healy if that was the case. i heard they put 50 walleye in but that hasent been proven. i guess it just sounds like a good idea to get the perch under control. let me know more on what you think. thanks big west

unemployed · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 12, 2009, 06:42 PM »

THe arguement against walleyes, if there is sauger lower in the drainage, would be them escaping Healy and beginning to compete with the sauger and cross breeding. Walleyes will generally degrade a sauger populations. Or there could be some endangered minnow they are worried about, a species of sucker fish, who knows.

IcenEyes · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 12, 2009, 07:48 PM »

Unemployed, The last time i talked to one of the Biologists here in town they told me that Clear Creek does still have a Pure Sauger spawning downstream. That is exactly why they went after the Tigers. The story that I got about the Tigers is that they had them bought but they didn't pass the screening for disease, so they wouldn't let them cross the State Line. As far as Walleye in Healy I'm not positive that that has ever happened. I have also heard rumor that they are putting the Eye's that they gill net out of Desmet in Healy. (That would be COOL) I will stop in the G&F Office on Monday and try to figure this out and Report back.

Wyohomeboy · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 14, 2009, 11:59 AM »

I just got off the phone with a fisheries biologist at the G&F here in Sheridan. They are indeed putting a few walleyes in Healy from Desmet - when they get them still alive in their nets. He indicated it was a slow process, and that they did also try to get some muskies to put in there, but were unsuccessful in that venture.

rodrunner · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 14, 2009, 08:32 PM »

Well i really hoped that the word would be kept quiet for at least a year... Guess not. Hopefully those who do hook into one will let em go. The potential is there to have a great walleye pond. So please pass on to anyone who mentions Walleye and Healy in the same sentence, the importance of catch and release...I'll be keepn my fingers crossed

Perchcrazy · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 16, 2009, 06:35 AM »

Quote from: rodrunner on Dec 14, 2009, 08:32 PM

Well i really hoped that the word would be kept quiet for at least a year... Guess not. Hopefully those who do hook into one will let em go. The potential is there to have a great walleye pond. So please pass on to anyone who mentions Walleye and Healy in the same sentence, the importance of catch and release...I'll be keepn my fingers crossed

Totally agree

bull perch · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 16, 2009, 10:44 PM »

walleyes in healy whould be the best thing to happen to Johnson county, I think that the the g@f should get more involved with upping walleye numbers in desmet and healy. I fished healy today and caught some nice cutthroats and kep a bucket of pearch.

minnowguy · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 16, 2009, 11:15 PM »

Welcome to the shanty bull perch, how big do the perch average in healy now.

rodrunner · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 17, 2009, 11:24 AM »

Glad to see some trout being caught too..Did i mention turn any walleye caught from healy back down the hole..We will all reap the benefits later..

Post some pics of those trout

minnowguy · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 17, 2009, 02:00 PM »

Maybe someone should ask the landowner over there if we can post a sign that says please release all walleye.

wyoutdoors · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 17, 2009, 02:35 PM »

Quote from: minnowguy on Dec 17, 2009, 02:00 PM

Maybe someone should ask the landowner over there if we can post a sign that says please release all walleye.

Probably not a bad overall idea, but I believe something like this should also include WY G&F people. Possibly arrange a get together with ice fisherman, Wyoming Walleye people, landowner and the G&F Dept for management purposes. If all were on board it might be enforceable, if it's just a couple IS guys nailing up a "pretty please" I doubt many would abide by it. JMHO

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Author Topic: healy walleye? (Read 7931 times)