Post By: Orion/CO Posted: 6/30/2012 9:46:10 PM Points: 39
This year has been one of the best for walleye that I have seen in the past 12 years. It used to be that 90% of the walleye you would catch were about 10-13", and it would be a struggle to find one big enough to keep. But in the past few years that seems to have completely turned around. Granted you don't catch near as many per day, but it does seem that 90% of the walleye I have caught this year are 15+ inches. In fact, in the past 3 times I have been out I have caught one 20+ inches each time. What is also strange is that even though the water has dropped a good 8 feet or so, the fish stil seem to be hanging out in the same area. What was once 16 FOW a few weeks ago is now only 8, but the fish are stil there (although not for long the way the water is dropping so fast). Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else was also seeing those same numbers this year. Pictured is a 21" walleye I caught this morning.
On another note, I have hardly caught any perch this year (compared to last year) and they are also very small this year. I have hardly caught any white bass, and they too seem to be small. And the trout have stopped biting.
Reply by: bobl Posted: 7/1/2012 7:58:40 AM Points: 50
Nice. Was out there yesterday and only managed 4 whiteys in the no wake area (N. side of lake). All 10-11 inches caught on a bobber and half a crawler. Lots of weeds back in that area but better n nothin I guess.
The DOW says that there is almost no natural reproduction for the walleye at Boyd, and they stock it with over a million fry each year. Walleye and perch are the only fish I target at Boyd, because in my opinion they are the best eating fish in this area.. Every trout, crappie, bass, and bluegill I catch goes right back in the water, regardless of size, so I release a LOT more fish than I keep.
Reply by: Ajax5240 Posted: 7/2/2012 12:29:12 AM Points: 475
Orion, your completely right... Boyd has little to no natural breeding.. Some people just can't resist posting an uneducated "you should have released that" comment... That fish would have been on my dinner table had I caught it... Hope it was tasty!!! Nice fish!
Reply by: Swigs Posted: 7/2/2012 8:25:00 AM Points: 810
Great read (minus the C&R) and observations by Orion. Boyd was stocked with 1.2 million fry and 40,000 fingerlings in the past 2 months. This is an annual event so an arguement for taking home some of the bigger fish is unfounded. This link may shine some additional information on the original post (click on Boyd):
All the walleye i have caught there this year have been keepers. As far as trout i never have had any trouble catching a few when i go. The perch i agree with though, if i had caught even one yet this year. Last year, and the years past, i couldn't put a small jig in the water with a worm or minnow on it, and not catch a perch. Just haven't tried hard enough for them i guess. Maybe those muskie they put in there are doing their job. They should be growing a few inches a month on the food supply they have going in that lake. Now the white bass im still catching as well. haven't gotten into a school that's chasing shad around yet this year, but casting a tandem, or triple rig set up around the edges of weeds seems to get some good results. I even caught a 16" white bass this year, it was pretty fun. This year was the first year i have ever caught a small mouth at boyd, and ive caught a few on that rock dam that has been build in the east side. Keep up the good work and keep the locations of the walleyes a secret so we can keep seeing the size and numbers. Have fun.
I've noticed the Walleye size being a tad bit larger also, and have stringers of walleye leaving Boyd Smaller than the legal limit also...not naming anyone...I've had pretty good luck with just about every species in Boyd this year, even Wiper...and they all went back in the lake but one Walleye I ate for dinner...And I've LOST more fish than I've caught most being Walleye I believe...I'll start another thread on this subject if anyone would like to comment:)...
Posted: 7/2/2012 8:25:00 AM 
