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Landed My First Big Walleye Last Night - Fri, Apr 28th

2K views 32 replies 21 participants last post by  slayerfish 
#1 · (Edited)
Just after midnight, Pueblo - the only place I fish. Had been working a lot of spots since dusk. First cast in this area, about 75% into my jerkbait retrieve, on the pause - felt a "dull pressure" (like a log or something) ... she engulfed the entire 4" jerkbait not 15ft from shore.

As I was pivoting the net from the water to the shore I caught my first glimpse of her size against the bright moonlight - it was pretty awing.



The size and width of her head was especially surprising to me. When you see pics of folks holding big walleye you typically always see just the side profile. No one ever tells you how wide and broad the head and "shoulders" area is!

I was alone but luckily there were some guys down the bank who came running down and helped me with the hook-out and photo op.





She was 30" on the money!

Unfortunately I didn't have a scale so no weight :mad:. I located several Walleye Length-to-Weight Formulas online (a couple linked below for reference) and, while there are a lot of variables, they seem to be pretty well in agreement that a 30" Walleye is going to be at least 10 lbs, typically 11 something.

I'm actually not sure, I feel like 10 lbs might be at the top end of the range here. I'm thinking more like 8 or 9 lbs. Guess I'll never know. Knew I should have pulled the trigger on that digital scale I was looking at on Amazon not two weeks ago!

Walleye Length-to-Weight Conversion Charts:

http://www.in-fisherman.com/biology/walleye-length-to-weight-conversion-chart/

http://aimfishing.com/sites/default/files/aim_rules_lwchart.pdf

Didn't even know until I looked all this up that, if I had been able to measure her girth at least, a more accurate weight could be assessed.



I know this isn't the biggest Walleye ever caught, a lot of folks here have caught plenty bigger and/or multiples of this size. But for me this is pretty special and I literally don't know if I'll ever be fortunate enough to catch an eye of this size again.

Anyway, also just wanted to thank you guys on the forum who respond to my (probably annoying at times) threads. While obviously no secrets exist anywhere to "guarantee" catch fish (big or otherwise) I am thankful for some of the general information here.

I was able to stay motivated and I've been working really hard since February beating the bank from East to West, walking the rip rap at the dam in the dark... taking temperatures of the water everywhere I go and logging all my collected data onto a spreadsheet I created (a fishing journal). Always trying to understand my tackle and fish behavior better and be as prepared as possible.

Fishing is such a special treat we get to enjoy - and sometimes cherish. I can only hope to be fortunate enough to catch an eye of this size again in my life.

And Yep! ... She still swims:

 
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#12 ·
Yeah she will be at least 11 lbs in the fall. Nice job! That is the first legitimate 30” I have seen this spring there. You see a lot of silly stiff arm bs but that one is legit. Big shoulders and she will fill out nicely this summer with our forage base!
 
#15 ·
Way to go on every level! This is exactly what this site is for, learning and improving while getting after it!! I know I speak for a bunch of us when I say it's been cool seeing your progression over the last couple of months. All of us walleye guys have had the same questions, frustrations, revelations at some point and you played them out very well. 30" is magnificent, a true beauty and well deserved. I know I would not be where I'm at fishing wise without help from the guys on this site, probably the same ones IM'ing you. WIN, WIN, WIN, it's great!
 
#18 ·
Thanks so much for the positive feedback. Really means a lot. I have to admit that I was a little surprised at the reactions to this fish. I did suspect (and kind of feared) this was probably a once in a lifetime fish prior to this thread ... now I'm sure of it. Going forward, I'll have to reconcile every eye I catch with this one somehow. I find myself kind of wishing I would have caught her later in my "fishing career" if you will.

The irony of that night is, before landing her, the longest fish I pulled was 17 3/4 (within a mess of ~17s). I went home that night with no meat somehow!

I did submit her for the "master angler" certificate - It'll be cool to have something tangible to sort of commemorate that once in a lifetime experience.

Way to go on every level! This is exactly what this site is for, learning and improving while getting after it!! I know I speak for a bunch of us when I say it's been cool seeing your progression over the last couple of months. All of us walleye guys have had the same questions, frustrations, revelations at some point and you played them out very well. 30" is magnificent, a true beauty and well deserved. I know I would not be where I'm at fishing wise without help from the guys on this site, probably the same ones IM'ing you. WIN, WIN, WIN, it's great!
Yea I like the bolded part man. I've started a lot of threads over the last couple months. It's been a little challenging trying to figure out kind of where and how to fit in .. looking around and seeing a lot of high-4 and 5-figure post counts, join dates 10+ yrs ago, and actual fishing experience likely exceeding that. There's history here I can obviously never be a part of.

But, I mean, I've got to start somewhere, right? Turning back the clock isn't an option and I'm the kind of person who is pretty determined. That's why I'm thankful for all the folks willing to respond to the threads of guys like me who are essentially at the start of their fishing journey - even annoying, analytical guys like me ;)
 
#19 ·
If you have thick skin and can put up with the occasional BS, you'll have no problem fitting in. Time on the water is everything in the walleye game. If you get the chance to hook up with a boat guy that's "been around" a while you can shorten the learning curve significantly. Hit up walleyeseeker or itsabigone by PM... maybe he will give you a ride in his new boat!
 
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