how big does it have to be for you to mount an eye?

[jigginjim]

My brother-in-law got a 10 from green lake in spicer, last summer. His best ever talked with my uncle, his has fished this Green for 55 yrs and never caught that size from green. He has caught 32"s for LOTW. I caught 1, 10.2# and another 29" from Buffalo Lake the 10.2 is being mounted only cause rap was so far in the gut. I have released 2 over 32" from the Miss. River.

[BlueLundFishrman]

My first 30" will go on the wall, unless it weighs like 7#.

[waterwolff]

Shooting for a 34" have a 30 1/2 and a 32 1/2 both through the ice also pulled a fat 32" from the Rainy a few years back and a few 30" from Mille Lacs.

Mike

[walleyecaber]

Well for me its going to have to be better then 33" and 12.6lbs this is my biggest fish to date and was caught back in 1986 off of freddys float by lock 5A winona.I had one of my best big fish days ever on that day with 9 fish over 9lbs with the 33" being the biggest.Yes sorry i mounted the real deal back then was young and not as smart LOL but still looks great.I would say anything over 31 would be well worth getting mouted im still after my PB but i just may allready have it because i have caught many up to 32 since then.

[King Canada]

I got both of mine on [YouNeedAuthorization]...( wow why can't you even mention EEBai)a 28" and a 29" for $35 apiece...both are about 40 years old.

[LEECH21]

30" will deserve a replica for me. 27" is my personal best.

[ozzie]

I thought I for sure would mount my first walleye at 30"+ but when I was faced with this decision this year I just couldn't take such a big and beautiful fish out of the system...I was ice fishing on first ice all by myself no one on the lake and pulled in a fat 30" walleye....got a few pics and sent it down the hole.....I second guessed myself for a long time but came to the conclusion that I have a pic and memory and that is better than any displayed mount in my basement......but if I got a 32"+ I might have to rethink my thought.....I know for sure if I ever land that 16"+ crappie it will go on my wall!!

[gonorthanychance]

My personal best, last fall, 29" x 16", right over 9 pounds, she went right back in the water, but a replica has been ordered to go on the wall, the color of the fish was amazing, prior to this one I had been sitting on 8.5 pounds for about six years

gonorth

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/gonorthanychance/walleye090408.jpg

[goose89]

Gonorth,

What a unique and beautiful fish. Would you post a pic of the replica when you get it. Thanks for sharing the pic of the catch. I always think a nice pic tells more of a story than anything.

[rodmaker]

Awesome fish !!! Did come from the Ely area??

[gonorthanychance]

goose89: Will do, but it will probably be next summer before I get it. There must be a great demand for taxidermists, ordered it in December and was promised it back in 6 - 7 months.

rodmaker: About 50 miles northeast of Ely, just across the border, on Northeren Light Lake which flows into Sag. One friend had a 33.5", 13.5 pounder several years back, another had a 30.5", 10+ pounder a couple of years ago, all on the same lake. Also a great lake for smallmouth, northern, lakers, and whitefish. My 8 year old nephew got this 22"+ smallie on a top water back in June 2006

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/gonorthanychance/ethan.jpg

gonorth

[Casey Sunsdahl]

A FAT 32+ would get a replica

[Cfollow]

Caught a 29.25" this summer while row trolling for muskies and took a quick photo and let her go. That was my personal best and I never really considered keeping it for the wall. It came form a 1000 acre lake in WI that does not get stocked and considering that a 29.25" female is priceless to the fishery.

[rodmaker]

Nothing prettier than those Eyes near Ely. Awesome color. Beautiful Smallie. I have a 22" Smallie form Ely I caught 3 years ago. I'll probably get another replica. done this year.

I have a 16 1/2 " Crappie from Ely and a 20 1/2 " from Ely also. Replicas.

[SKIPPERS KID]

I think if you would enjoy it on your wall it is big enough. I would hope that you think it is big enough to put it on the wall and enjoy for the rest of your life.

[WestCentralGuru]

I caught a 32.5" walleye bout 8 years ago. Had that one mounted. I was only 19. Since then have caught and released a 27, 27.5, and 29. Dont plan on keeping another one over 20. Releasing such nice fish is my gift to another angler some other day.

[green_guy]

up on low ive caught 28 29.5 and 32. they are all still swimming still waiting and hoping for a bigger one.

[wolfman-k]

About 25 years ago, my friend his brother & I went fishing an Oct. full moon on Mille Lacs. My friend caught a 30"er shortly after we started trolling a drop-off. We were all amazed, and my friend said he wanted to wait until he caught a 12lb.er to get a mount done! We convinced him that he should get this one done, who knows if you are ever going to catch a bigger one? He's got that mount, still looking good, and he's still waiting for that bigger one. 30" & or 10# too, replica only.

[River Dan]

I've caught quite a bunch of eyes over 8+ pounds with the largest one 10.15, last open water season on the croix four over 8+ and all are still swimming after the photo opp, I doubt I'd ever get one mounted, get a buck mounted and all that thing does is collect dust, my .02

[jparrucci]

I have one eye caught on the Mississippi that was close to 30 inches, and well over the 10lb mark. It was caught in pool 2 which is catch and release, so she was let go to swim another day. I doubt I would have kept her though, as she was not the prettiest of fish. I am waiting for another 10lb or 30inch that looks good. My goal is one real fish on the wall, and then any other really big ones that surpass it to be replicas, unless I'm pushing state record territory. .

I had relatives get a couple of 16+ crappies get mounted last year, but the guy totally butchered them and was a waste of a fish. I hope to hit the same spot this spring and get a pair of them for the wall. Coming from a big lake with a good crappie population but hard to find/catch crappies, I dont feel bad about putting a pair of real slabs on the wall.

[Northlander]

If I ever mount another walleye it will have to be a big 33"er. Or a really fat 32 plus. Oh and I always do the replicas. I believe in letting the fish go for someone else or their kids to catch some day.

[rodmaker]

I know the feeling on getting back a poor skin mount on a fish. I got burned 8-10 years ago on a 28" Eye.

[7outof10]

i have one on my wall that is 29 1/2 and 9.25 from now on must be over 30 and over 10 pounds .........but if i did not have one on the wall ..........

[stretch]

i pulled up a 28 1/2" 12lb walleye this weekend threw the hole. i was going to release it but it was super fat and it was past my 10lb mark. i have caught many walleyes in the 26,27,28 inch range but this one was kinda special. it will be going on the wall.

[hunt&fish89]

i highly doubt ur 28.5 inch walleye weighed 12 lbs...prolly around 8-9lbs