Balsam, Updated with report

Has anyone fished Balsam yet this year? How’s the fishing? Specifically any success with pike

We are heading up on Saturday, rented a boat from Rosedale

My friend and I were out in his boat on Balsam on May 13th for 14 hours. Started late afternoon until early morning. It's not really relevant now, being over a month ago. I did post it but the water was cold then, probably won't be much help. Good luck this weekend. Hope you do as well as when you were there, a few years ago.

From my experience, you will catch pike for sure on Balsam. They are everywhere. The only concern is the boat traffic. You need to drive to the other side of long point.

Great day! Decent action all day, nothing to write home about but enough to keep us happy. 3/4oz five of diamonds and blue fox strobe spoons worked the best.

Most noteworthy catch was a 53cm walleye. So not expecting this so we weren’t familiar with the regs and decided it was safest to let it go.

Regs were bit confusing as well for walleye on Balsam. Our interpretation is that the slot size is between 35-37cm, is this correct?

Tight lines!

Balsam walleye...Limit is 3S-1C...And you can't keep any between 37cm-55cm. That 53cm walleye you caught would be released, to be caught again someday. Glad you had a great day.

I assume that’s a typo as a 2 cm slot wouldn’t make any sense?

CRAPPYMAN, where you getting these numbers. I don't fish that area so I really don't know but I looked up FMZ 17 and I get 35 to 50cm, if FMZ 18 would be 40 to 50, so maybe I don't know where balsam lake is.

OK now I see those numbers sorry didn't read the exceptions

I assume that’s a typo as a 2 cm slot wouldn’t make any sense?

Not a typo, we were just as confused by that

FMZ 17 Zone-wide regs for walleye says: must be between 35-50 cm

Exceptions section for Walleye on Balsam says: none between 37-55 cm

Assumed they overlap, creating a 2cm slot size, again we're not sure if that's correct

There is not an overlap. Balsam is an exception, I have always found it strange why Balsam is different.
Zone 17 default for Walleye is a true "slot" where the fish must be between 35-50 cm.
Balsam is an exception with a "reverse slot" where fish must be under 37 cm or over 55cm.
Not sure why Balsam is different.

MC

That is bizarre. Thank you for clarifying.

If anyone knows whats the reasoning for this "reverse slot", please share

The regulations can be a bit confusing sometimes. Many anglers don't read the entire specifics, for the zone they fish. It is never a bad idea to ask questions. This Fishing Forum is the perfect place to ask questions and get answers.....Balsam Lake is part of a study that has been going on since 2010. The slot size is different than the rest of zone 17 to do a comparison on how the slot sizes are working. This slot size works great for me as I would rather keep 1 or 2 bigger walleye on Balsam, compared to 4 medium size walleye, anywhere else in zone 17. This way only 1 or 2 fish are harvested instead of 4. Conservation and releasing more fish creates a larger fish population, by more fish spawning. More fish spawning in the spring, increases the chances of a healthy sustainable fishery.

I assume that’s a typo as a 2 cm slot wouldn’t make any sense?

Not a typo, we were just as confused by that

FMZ 17 Zone-wide regs for walleye says: must be between 35-50 cm

Exceptions section for Walleye on Balsam says: none between 37-55 cm

Assumed they overlap, creating a 2cm slot size, again we're not sure if that's correct

It’s pretty straight forward. Best you don’t fish for Walleye on Balsam.

Thanks