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53 Posts
Out from ~5pm to ~11pm last two nights (shore). Sub 18 eyes are prolific, I stopped counting Fri evening after a dozen once I realized what I was into and began to really expedite the CnR, get them back in as quickly and gently as possible, and get my line back to the bottom. Seems clear this is a #s game.
This is a great problem to have, as an angler this is phenomenal fishing right now. But after ~6 dozen total eyes on back to back evenings I've not had a single fish hit the 18 mark. Fri they primarily were hefty 16s and maybe ~10 of them at 17+ (but short). Last night they were primarily 15s and 16s (some hefty) with maybe just 5 even touching 17. Last eye of the night hit 17 1/2 .. thought for SURE upon netting this one was 18+ but nope. Every time one's on and it feels like a better fish ... turns out it's just heavier. A lot in like the ~16.5 range (give or take a half inch) certainly seem to be eating well.
I'm pretty stunned. I know from the survey summary that "...approximately 3 to 7 out of every 100 fish is of legal size..." but I can't believe I haven't hit one at 18. Literally my last eye over 18 was 30. Where's the middle ground? Could I be experiencing variance? Have folks already efficiently plucked out most of coveted 18-22" population?
Someone reassure me there's some quality eating legal fish in there. I'm catching them on a spectrum of presentations .. jigs, jerks, rattles (all at varying speeds/cadences) .. so I'm not sure it's a lure issue though I don't count that possibility out. Jigs are either 3 or 4", jerks are 4", and rattles are either 1/4 or 1/2 oz. Profile seems right for the size fish I'm seeking.
In terms of quality (18-22") is it getting late in the walleye game, or is it just now getting good? I'm temping water all over the lake at MINIMUM high 50s, most of the lake coming in >60° (low-mid 60s).
This is a great problem to have, as an angler this is phenomenal fishing right now. But after ~6 dozen total eyes on back to back evenings I've not had a single fish hit the 18 mark. Fri they primarily were hefty 16s and maybe ~10 of them at 17+ (but short). Last night they were primarily 15s and 16s (some hefty) with maybe just 5 even touching 17. Last eye of the night hit 17 1/2 .. thought for SURE upon netting this one was 18+ but nope. Every time one's on and it feels like a better fish ... turns out it's just heavier. A lot in like the ~16.5 range (give or take a half inch) certainly seem to be eating well.
I'm pretty stunned. I know from the survey summary that "...approximately 3 to 7 out of every 100 fish is of legal size..." but I can't believe I haven't hit one at 18. Literally my last eye over 18 was 30. Where's the middle ground? Could I be experiencing variance? Have folks already efficiently plucked out most of coveted 18-22" population?
Someone reassure me there's some quality eating legal fish in there. I'm catching them on a spectrum of presentations .. jigs, jerks, rattles (all at varying speeds/cadences) .. so I'm not sure it's a lure issue though I don't count that possibility out. Jigs are either 3 or 4", jerks are 4", and rattles are either 1/4 or 1/2 oz. Profile seems right for the size fish I'm seeking.
In terms of quality (18-22") is it getting late in the walleye game, or is it just now getting good? I'm temping water all over the lake at MINIMUM high 50s, most of the lake coming in >60° (low-mid 60s).