2020 Walleye Slot Size?, NO CHANGE FROM 2019

[beanstir]

Any educated guesses for next years walleye slot size? I am hoping to have a change in slot size to 16" to 18". I would rather give up on keeping bigger spawning size fish and harvest a couple good eating size fish. For the few times we are in the area it would be nice to be able to have a fish fry while visiting Nippissing.

No change in slot size from 2019

[KUBOTA]

Good idea...lets hope it happens.

[FishBio]

Since there has been no public consultation or a posting on the EBR website (proposing a change from the current 46cm minimum size limit), I think it is safe to say that there will be no change in 2020.

[ldub]

As long as the indigenous are happy, and tourism dollars keep rolling in, there is no need for change IMHO.

[FishBio]

The Lake Nipissing Management Plan sets out the course of action for when a change will be considered. Once the Walleye population reaches its management target (around 410,000kg of Walleye 35cm or greater in length) it will be classified as recovered and changes can be entertained.

[ldub]

Money Talks

[beanstir]

all righty then. Boy I must be off the mark again. Still can't figure out why the goverment is encouraging us to kill the spawning fish instead of the pre-spawn fish which are better eating. Unless the plan is for us to not be able to catch fish at least 18.1". Might be better to keep and eat some of these small male walleyes than kill a fish that is in the slot size that probably will be a spawning female. What length would female walleyes be when they are first mature enough to spawn?

[ldub]

The current regs have nothing to do with fish stocks. Although they do smell

[FishBio]

Female Walleye in Lake Lake Nipissing get 1 to 3 spawning opportunities (depending on their growth rate) before they reach the 46cm minimum size limit and are available to anglers to harvest.

The idea behind the current regulation was to take advantage of the recent good spawning years to quickly rebuild the population while still allowing some harvest. So the hook and line fishery went from anglers keeping over 90% of the Walleye they caught to now keeping 10% of the fish they catch. By releasing those fish, the population increases.

[ldub]

Correct.

[ldub]

....and they land in a net convienently.

[beanstir]

Lake Nipissing Fisheries Management Plan
https://docs.ontario.ca/documents/4387/lake...val-2014-09.pdf

Comparison of Previous Regulation to the Current Regulation for Walleye

Previous Regulation
Season: Open Jan 1- March 15, 3rd Sat. in
May to Oct. 15
Catch Limits:
Sport – 2
Conservation – 1
Size Limit: none between 40-60 cm

Current Regulation
Season: Open Jan 1- March 15, 3rd Sat. in
May to Oct. 15
Catch Limits:
Sport – 2
Conservation – 1
Size Limit: none less than 46 cm

The intent of the new regulation is to:
1. Increase recruitment of juvenile walleye into the spawning stock to ensure at least
one reproductive event per fish per lifetime
2. Increase the abundance of spawning females (>400mm, age 4.2)
3. Increase the abundance and biomass of walleye in the lake and remove from
stressed population status

So, I take from this the idea, is to let more juvenile fish reach maturity to spawn therefore this would mean more spawing fish, more fry, more everything.

Why are the regulations making us harvest fish over 46cm which are probably spawning females? Or should we as fishermen not harvest any legal size fish at all so as to help with this recovery.

[FishBio]

There is a trade-off between allowing anglers to harvest some Walleye while increasing the abundance of spawning-sized fish. The thought was to find a regulation which has a high probability of accomplishing both objectives in 10 years or less. So the 46cm minimum size limit was put in place spring opener 2015 which means we have s few more years to go.

[beanstir]

FishBio
"The idea behind the current regulation was to take advantage of the recent good spawning years to quickly rebuild the population while still allowing some harvest. So the hook and line fishery went from anglers keeping over 90% of the Walleye they caught to now keeping 10% of the fish they catch. By releasing those fish, the population increases."

So, the previous regulation was a limit of 2 fish. If I kept 90% of fish caught that would mean that I only caught 3 fish. Now if I caught the same 3 fish and now am able to keep 10% of the 3 fish caught then that would mean I now would be able to keep 1 only fish for every 3 to 4 days of fishing. I do not think the 10% figure is right. 5% or a little less would be more accurate. I think 1 out of 20 is over 46cm or maybe 1 out of 25 caught is a keeper.
How long was the previous regulations of a sports limit of 2 in effect for? Seems to me something does not at up. Would the people who made the regulations for walleye be counting on the average fisherman to not be able to catch a walleye over 46cm? How did the fishery get this way with a limit of 2 fish?

[FishBio]

I don't have my computer with me this Thanksgiving weekend so I am recalling the regulation history from memory (so be kind if I get some of it wrong)....
Prior to the open water season in 1999, anglers were allowed 6 Walleye with no size limit.
Open water season 1999, creek limit reduced to 4 Walleye with a protected 40-to-60cm size limit, and only 1 fish could be above 60cm.
From 1999 to 2004 there was no winter size limit (until a hooking mortality study could be completed to determine if winter caught fish survived after release), and a 4 fish creek limit.
Winter 2005 the protected 40-to-60cm slot limit was added.
So from 2005 to 2012, winter and open water rules were the same (4 fish limit with a 40-to-60cm protected slot size limit, and only 1 Walleye could be above 60cm).
Advisory group recommends a creel limit reduction from 4 to 2 but keeps the 40-to-60cm protected slot size limit (with only 1 fish above 60cm) for the start of the 2013 winter season.