Smallest walleye to mount?

[gunflint]

This is a fun topic but also an important one. I discuss this with everyone that goes out in the boat with me before anyone wets a line. The time to decide about mounting a big fish is not when it's in the boat.

[hanson]

I'm still a couple inches away from my wall hanger. I set the bar at 30" (should be a 10 lb plus on the lakes I expect to catch it out of)

I do think the trophy depends on the lake you would be fishing also. My dad caught an 8.5 pounder out of Maple Lake in NW Minnesota for any of you familiar with that part of the state. During the summer, it is the #1 recreation lake in a 3-4 county area. He was out trolling live bait about 10pm- 2am and hit 2 real nice walleyes, almost unheard of out of that lake in the summer. The big one was kept, photographed, and filleted!! Not a day goes by that he doesn't kick himself for that. He still tells me it should have went on the wall or back into the lake.

In hindsite, I wish he would have put it on the wall but there is no doubt that one fish taught me alot. Since that fish, both have us have caught and released walleyes close to that fish in size but have basically agreed on it having to be over 30 inches to keep again.

[Tully]

I always told myself anything over 10 lbs. was going on my wall. 3 years ago my 8 year old got a 27-28" 8 1/2 lb and an hour later I got a 31 1/2" 11 lb 11 oz (see avatar). Both went back and swam away. One day there will be replicas of both and a plaque stating what a great day that was. I think the main reason I threw that big one back was I was partially in shock!

Tully

[friendlyfisher]

northlander, I checked my scale earlier this year and it was right on, but I have not checked it sence. I know I should do so.

THe fish came out of a small 500 acre lake west of the metro about 65 miles. The lake is not known for having walleyes in it. Every year they bit in the spring and fall and are not seen much throughout the summer.

We did not get a pic, it was about 11:00pm, we weighed it measured it and watched it swim slowly away. Wow what a sight to see a huge walleye swim back for another chance for someone else(hopfully me). Now that I mention it, that is the first time I have ever seen a 10#+ walleye. I thought it would have looked bigger than that in the water. Not that it looked small or anything, just not as big as I have always pictured. ff

[walleye_nut]

I have always had the 30in/10lbs as being my goal before I mounted it on the wall. That being said 2 yrs ago I was up on the Rainy river in late Oct (MEA Weekend)fishing for that monster of a walleye. As things go the first couple of days were terrible winds 30-40 mph out of the north and snowy it was hard enough to fish the river. On the last day there the windys dead down and we could hold the boat in the river. We were nailing the walleyes, alot of 20-26 inch fish, but nothing mountable. Then all of the sudden I caught my walleye 34 inches, 13lbs 4oz. Shes on the wall !!But the fun thing was right after I caught her I put another shiner on and it wasn't 5 minutes and I caught another huge walleye, 12lb 1 oz (nice photo and released) 2 walleye 25 lbs of fish in less then 15 minutes!!!If you have the chance to fish the Rainy in the fall it is a must for any walleye fisherman looking for a fish of a lifetime. If you go out to Wheelerspoint resort on the web you will see the the big Walldawgs we caught that day. The picture with the 5 happly anglers were my fishing crew minus 2 dads.