Star Journal

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Our Legals
    • Legal Ads
    • Statewide
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

logo

Star Journal

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Our Legals
    • Legal Ads
    • Statewide
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
Latest NewsOutdoors
Home›Latest News›Fall walleye stock

Fall walleye stock

By StarJournal
October 8, 2015
1363
0
Share:
The walleye is one of the most highly prized game fishes in Wisconsin. Photo by WDNR

Fall stocking well underway during third year of Wisconsin Walleye Initiative

Courtesy of WDNR

Fall walleye stocking is well underway as part of the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative, with some 355,000 of the 6 to 8 inch extended growth walleye now distributed primarily in northern lakes.

Dave Giehtbrock, fisheries culture section chief for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said plans are on track to distribute 760,000 fish this year, eclipsing last year’s stocking record of 720,000 extended growth walleye. To date, 68 of 128 state waters have received the large fingerlings, with the scheduled deliveries now progressing to lakes in southern Wisconsin.

“The stocking continues to go extremely well this year, with most of the fish measuring in at more than 7 inches,” Giehtbrock said. “These larger fish have an increased chance of survival and we are already seeing positive results from the previous two years of increased stocking. Depending on local conditions and forage availability, fish from the first year class of the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative should be approaching legal size limits in most waters in the next two years – a real win for Wisconsin anglers.”

An important part of the story in 2015 has been the growing contribution of private and tribal fish farms to the pool of fish available for stocking. During the first year of the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative, private and tribal fish farms contributed just under 22,000 fish. That number rose to nearly 213,000 fish in 2014 and should be even higher this year, Giehtbrock said.

In addition to fostering growth in the private aquaculture industry, the stocking also represents a win for the broader economy. Wisconsin remains one of the top three fishing destinations in the U.S. with resident and nonresident anglers generating an economic impact of nearly $2.3 billion per year, according to the American Sportfishing Association.

“Walleye remain a top objective for many recreational anglers and a large part of the tourism industry in the state is driven by anglers pursuing walleye,” said Justine Hasz, DNR fisheries bureau director. “The Wisconsin Walleye Initiative is part of our overall management strategy to help restore reproducing populations in lakes that formerly supported native populations and improve the numbers in lakes that need regular stocking to maintain good fisheries.”

While stocking the larger, extended growth fingerlings makes sense in some lakes, this year’s stocking schedule also calls for distribution of 1.4 million small fingerlings and 15.2 million fry. Giehtbrock said DNR’s fisheries biologists develop stocking plans for the different sized fish based on specific lake conditions; in some lakes the fry and smaller fingerlings perform very well and are more cost effective than the larger fish.

In 2013, Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature approved the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative with $8.2 million for state hatchery infrastructure improvements, $1.3 million additional funding for annual state hatchery operating costs, along with a one-time allotment of $2 million for private sector and tribal infrastructure improvements and $500,000 for the annual purchase of extended growth walleye from non-DNR hatcheries. Funding totaling $500,000 was approved earlier this year to continue the effort for 2015 and 2016.

During the first three years of the initiative through 2015, some 255 lakes will be stocked with more than 1.5 million extended growth walleye. Prior to 2013, the state produced about 40,000 extended growth fingerlings per year.

Previous Article

Oneida County Court Sentencings and Warrants – ...

Next Article

Library will close for in-service training

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • BusinessLatest News

    Warning to Internet users: Do not use Internet Explorer

    April 28, 2014
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsLaw & Order

    Court report online – May 20

    May 20, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsObits

    Obituary: Roy Whittingham

    February 27, 2014
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsLocal

    2014 Hodag Hops and Vines tickets on sale now

    April 3, 2014
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsLaw & OrderLocal

    Lincoln County week in review – Dec. 6

    December 10, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsNewsUncategorized

    Future of the fair forum a success, say fair officials

    November 21, 2014
    By StarJournal

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Star Journal is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

Timeline

  • May 19, 2022

    Obituary: Constance M. Bloom

  • May 19, 2022

    Teens with character

  • May 18, 2022

    Hodag boys track and field wins GNC title

  • May 17, 2022

    Nicolet College academic success honor awarded to jail inmate

  • May 13, 2022

    First Hodag Park improvements underway

Find us on Facebook

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe
Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×