In an aggressive effort to improve walleye fishing in Leech Lake, the Department of Natural Resources will stock up to 23 million walleye fry in the lake this spring.
The stocking, part of an intensive management approach that includes cormorant control, special fishing regulations, and habitat protection, aims to improve a fishery that has relatively few small- and medium-sized walleye and a dwindling population of large-sized breeding walleye.
"Because Leech Lake walleye fishing isn't what it should be, we are committed to making it everything it can be," said Ron Payer, DNR fisheries chief. "Our goal is to develop several new strong year classes of walleye so that when these fish have grown to catchable size, the lake will once again be among the state's premier angling destinations."
Payer said the combination of strong natural reproduction in 2005 as well as experimental fry stocking in 2005 appears to have brought about the largest year class of walleye in many years. The 2005 walleye year class, plus the upcoming stocking, are the underpinnings of what the DNR and local citizens hope will spark the turnaround of a lake whose management has been complicated by thousands of fish-eating cormorants.
"Typically, large walleye lakes take care of themselves because of abundant habitat and female walleye deposit more than enough eggs to produce healthy year classes," said Payer. "But what's been happening at Leech hasn't been typical and therefore we are taking unprecedented steps in the name of the local community, its economy and the health of the fishery." Payer noted the lake's westerns bays continue to produce small walleye and good walleye fishing.
ADVERTISEMENT
Specifically, the DNR will stock 20 million fry from the Boy River spawning run this spring. If available, an additional 3 million fry will be stocked after all priority needs are met from the Boy River spawning run.
All fry will be marked with oxytetracyclene, a chemical that allows biologists to determine whether the fish were raised in a DNR hatchery or naturally produced in a lake or river. Stocking in 2007 will be contingent upon the abundance of 2006-year class.
If DNR surveys indicate a good year class, no stocking will occur in 2007.
Conversely, if the 2006-year class is poor, the DNR will stock another 20 million fry, plus an additional 3 million fry if available.
"Leech Lake is important to us," said Payer, who noted about 9 percent of the state's total walleye fry production will be diverted to the lake. "Moreover, the DNR has made a commitment to move an additional staff position to the Walker fisheries office, fund pioneering rusty crayfish research and fund on-going cormorant control efforts."
