Walleye on the Fly

        Canadian & American surveys of the upper Columbia, above Lake Roosevelt, indicate that up to 70% of the native fish species spawned within the system are eaten by walleye before reaching maturity. Short of pulling down the dams & allowing the river to flush, there is no plan other than suppression for reducing their numbers. Biologists think if the 70% depredation rate can be decreased by about 7%, native trout may remain sustainable. Toward that goal, Washington & Oregon have suspended catch limits on walleye, as well as other introduced, non-native species – channel catfish, bass, & northern pike.   

Always has to be some dufus who wants those fish like he caught back home in Alabama or Wisconsin. Walleye were illegally bucketed into the upper Columbia in the 1950’s, & from there have fenestrated downstream to inhabit the entire river. Below Chief Joseph Dam, where there are still salmon, walleye munch salmon smolts.

It’s not a good situation.

Walleye are good, filleted & fried, but they are not good fighters. A big one is good for a short, bulldogging fight, but that’s it.

In fall, during the October caddis hatch, walleye move onto those areas which traditionally concentrate trout, to feed on the big fall caddis. For a few evenings in September walleye were thick on one of my favorite trouting locations, & quick to take the swung October caddis imitation – so I did what anybody would do.

Skillet biology.

Filleting those sacks of walleye was a task nearing commercial proportions, but was worth it. Invitations were sent out, beer was brought in. The friends from up & down the river had a great time at the fish fry.

(Some of us had too good a time.)

And in the end, everybody agreed that skillet biology was a pretty good way to counter the harmful affects of bucket biology.

We do our best.