Trophy Walleye

[davemeyer]

I caught a 31"(maybe even longer) walleye on January 2nd, nice way to start the new year.
I thought for sure this fish was well over ten pounds, but my scale read 8.5 lbs.
Anyone else catch monster walleyes that are super long and end up not weighing much.
Its girth was just over 16", so it was a skinny fish but still it must be hallow to weigh that little.
I caught it in a lake near leech, don't want to tell.

[Ole1855]

My brother got one on Mille Lacs about 10 years ago, 31.5", 8.5#'s. There was no belly on it but it was on opening weekend so it may have been from just spawning.

Ole

[Rip_Some_Lip]

Wow, I am after a 30 incher, but not that one...lol. Nice fish though.That should be in the 11 pound range.

[Pig_sticka]

5 days ago I hooked into a metro lake 28.5" eye, and my friend who has caught alot of 26"+ walleyes said it was atleast 9 #'s
The thing was very very fat. Wish I would have kept him to mount but I decided to let the old creature go.
Anyone elses big walleyes smell like fish flakes for goldfish. I smelled my hands after and it smelled just like tetra flakes, weird stuff.

[beretta]

you could still get a reproduction..

[Dan Wood]

Here is the formula that should get you pretty close...

((G * G) * L) / 900

or (16*16*31)/900 = 8.8 LBS. (looks like your weight is pretty close)

Nice fish none the less, Congrats!

[davemeyer]

After taking a close look at the photo the widest part of the fish was right behind the gills, strange?
I was wondering if walleyes lost weight during the winter.
Also could I show photos on this forum?
And thanks for the replies.

[can it be luck?]

Walleye weight varys from each body of water as well as each individual fish. For the most, walleye in a particular body will run on "averages". Lac Suel and the English river has produced some really fat fish for me, while lake Erie has long skinnier fish. An average 30" walleye caught throughout the summer on Erie averages about 8 1/2 lbs...... None the less, you caught yourself a dandy fish!! Congratulations!

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http://groups.msn.com/canitbeluck

[Surface Tension]

davemeyer Nice fish. You can send me pics and I'll post them. [email protected]

[Iceman77]

I saw one walleye in Devils Lake caught that was 12#'s but only 27.5". The thing actually looked like it was too fat to even swim. Normally on that lake a 31" fish will run about 11#'s.

[RogersResort]

No mater how you look at it, you most definitely landed a trophy fish…

[leechlake]

About 15 years ago I caught a 31" and 30.5" one night. I kept the 31" and it ended up being under 8 pounds. It was Saturday night of opening weekend so it had some spawn issues that affected the weight. I was pretty bummed,(I used to display the photo but now I'm embarrassed I kept it, times change) I was thinking 10 plus. Now, that I'm educated all my big walleyes are over ten cause I throw em back and don't weigh them! That way they can be as big as I want when I tell the story!

[tdk]

A few years back my wife set the hook on a fish that I didn't think was very big, not much fight. When I saw it I was shocked. 29.5 inches 5lbs 8 oz on a digital scale. Huge head. no body. A fisheries specialist from Grand Rapids said it was more than likely an old female that had just spawned. He had gotten a 30 inch that was 6lbs. He took a scale from his fish and had it aged, 13 years old.

[Guest]

I have a 28.5" Eye from Traverse Lake that was a hair over 10#'s.

It looks like it swallowed a small football!

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Chells

[Guest]

Nice fish for sure! i hope you kissed it before releasing it lol.
Now that you have released your prize and have the photos you should apply for the Master Angler program.
Congrats!

http://www.minnesotafishinghalloffame.com/Master_Angler_Program/Applications/applications.html

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en kala
(I fish)

[hardwaterwalker]

Hey nice fish I caught one out of lake washington that the biolgist said was 16 years old anly had a few teeth left it is 26 inches long and was 10lbs 8 oz. This was in the middle of feb. --football fish--.Just depends on the age and what they are feeding on in my opion

[Fish-n-Freak]

Nice fish -- Fat or not, you landed a dandy!

Two reasons for the thin fish;
1) Genetics (Garnett Syndrom -- long and lean)
2) Old Age (The fish slows down and doesn't feed as well or as often)

I caught (released) a 44" Pike this fall that was very old and had no girth to it at all, might have weighed 15 pounds. Same lake produced a Muskie for me a week earlier that was 51.5" with a 27" girth! The lake has plenty of food,and all the other Pike and Muskies have great girth to them, I would just say my Pike was well past it's prime. Would have loved to catch that Pike a couple years ago.

No matter the weight, you caught a nice fish!
Way to go.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Very nice fish!
The lake you caught it in either does not have a good forage base or else the Old Timer was on his way out!
Cliff

[onthewall eyes]

I've got 5 eyes in the last two years that have been 27+ but I just can't hit that 10 pound plus mark. All five have been on local lakes around St.Cloud. Like most I'd like to hit that 10+ b4 it hangs on the wall.

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searchin skys for eyes

[CrappieMagnet]

Has anyone heard the tale about a very large and heavy DEAD eye' that rolled up on a Crystal Bay(Lake Minnetonka) shoreline 25 years ago? It supposedly weighed a little over 20 lbs.Considering that our state record is what?!

Fact or Fiction?

[SCCO9803]

17 lbs 8oz. Seagull River (Cook County 1979) MN DNR HSOforum

[jlm]

There was also an eye caught in the Red River that was over 20 lbs. I think it was closer to 25 pounds if I remember correct. Only catch is that it was netted. Pictures were in the paper (Grand Forks Herald). My girlfriend caught a 28.5 incher which weighed 9.4 pounds. Pretty good on 6 pound test! I have not let her back in the boat since that time LOL!

[Surface Tension]

Very nice fish. By the looks I'd say old fish on its way out.

[DCON]

I caught one on MilleLacs a few years ago that was 28 3/4" and weighed 11 3. And she did stink like a big old carp. I have caught several fish over 9# that did also stink bad. I'm looking for one over 30" and just cant seem to do it, but im not complaining. I think this weekend is the one to do it, im feeling lucky

[kenandheather1121]

I caught an eye in Albert Lea that was 28.5 inches long and weighed 8 1/2 lbs. It sure didn't fight much. Kindof disappointing. My husband thinks he going to get one bigger but I will have to cut his line. ha ha.
Good Luck and be safe.