What size walleye to keep for eating.

[slurpie]

I will keep eyes from 14"-20". I think that's what most people keep also. Was on a lake last night and only caught 12" eyes last year we caught lots of 17"-18" fish and some bigger. The got hit hard so thinking a lot of the nice ones are gone. We'll we threw all the fish we caught last night back to small grow another year. Talked to a guy at the access that's been going out there for a week. He said bite is good But fish are smaller than year before told him all we got was 12" eyes his response was 6 of them make a meal also. Everyone has their own opinion but if you know they will get bigger why keep them? Part of the reason the lakes get so picked out is everyone keeps everything. Must be why we need set slot sizes on all lakes.

[gunner55]

For me it's usually 15"-17",sometimes a little bigger and/or smaller.Those are usually hooked a little deep & I'm worried they're not going to live.Been on the lake I fish the most long enough to get a meal or 2 of that size most of the time.I like to leave the smaller 1's so they at least have a chance to grow up & spawn once.Don't see a lot of the bigger(18+") so if they're not hurt C&R.

[Northlander]

I will keep 15-19" fish in the St. Louis river where the min size is 15". Elsewhere I like 14-19".

[harvey lee]

I would say the majority of the eyes I keep are 15 to 19. I will keep 14 if they r fat enough. Nothing over 20 for eating

[FISHINGURU]

I'm on par with these guys, I will keep up to a 22 incher if I ever need it to round off a meal. Once they start pushing up in the 2 1/2- 3lb range they are too thick and meaty for me.

Kind of matters what body of water your fishing also, not only for the regs but some water will throw out short, fat, stumpy eyes and some waters throw out long skinny eyes.

I know some guys will keep and eat some big ones, to each their own but I'm not down with it.

[dan z]

I'm a 14"-22" guy the smaller fish taste really good and there is nothing wrong with a 22" fish for the table either. Those 22" fish eat a ton so I keep them in hopes it gives the short ones more food to grow faster.

[live4chrome]

14-19. Most over 20 it seems are females

[holmsvc]

14 to 19 taste the best. I don't like keeping anything bigger unless its hooked deep.

[gwiff100]

lol they also spawn a ton... just remember that. Regs. say everyone is allowed 1 over 20" so im not on a soap box here, just didn't like the reasoning.

[fishwater]

I'm pretty happy eating 12-15" eyes when I can get them easily. We can't keep any under 15" on the St. Croix; I let enough go as-is, so all the tasty 12"ers I pickup elsewhere are fighting bad odds. I don't knife many over 18", never over 20" unless the kids are hungry. I like the breading to meat ratio of the little guys after all is said and done.

#saugerbreath

[solbes]

14-20" for me, and usually just enough for a meal. Occasionally go over or under if one of the kids catches it and wants to keep it. I kept a 12" fish that my nephew caught once. I will probably not do that again, as just 2 more years of growth would have made a perfect eater with probably 50% more meat.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I'll keep a 12-13" walleye before I'll keep one over 19". Just my personal choice. Walleyes in the 20's are for pictures.

[Down Deep]

I'm with the majority. Any walleye under 14 inches is a bit slim for me. I release any walleyes over 18 inches as a matter of personal policy. There is a lake in the Duluth area that has an over abundance of 11 and 12 inch walleyes. I take my grandkids out there and they have a great time pounding away at those small walleyes. Sometimes when they are along I'll keep some them and we do a shore lunch. In a couple of years they will be teenagers so I be moving their minimum keepable size up.