Walleyes?

I've noticed over on ifish that some folk have been doing well with walleye. I don't know anything about them (they don't have those south of the Mason/Dixon line).

I've read things like worm harness, jig heads, and blade jigs, but I don't have any experience with those (except jigheads). From what I've read its a slow trolling and back bouncing game. That sounds like kayak fishing to me.

Anybody have any experience they can share? Anyone want to go give it a shot and up their AOTY scores?

I'd love to do some walleye fishing with you Wali, but not sure if I'll have any time before you leave.

Brian

I've noticed over on ifish that some folk have been doing well with walleye.

Whereabouts?

Walleye fishing around Portland is primarily a Columbia River game, but they can be caught in the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel.  Most of the ifish reports I've seen recently have been near Camas, WA.  Farther East on the Columbia walleye fishing is pretty big (probably because the often don't get to fish salmon).

Brian

yep, Camas is what the post said.

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=207231

But you know, I'd swear I got one in the Tualatin. Truth is though, I would'nt know a Walleye from a Pike Minnow. It was a nice sized fish and gave me a REAL good pull.  Are Pike Minnow edible?

I've heard the area just outside the mouth of the Deschutes is a good walleye spot.

Did anyone else read Bill Monroe's column in the Oregonian today, on a salmon recovery panel recommending an end to harvest restrictions on non-native predatory fish in the Columbia?  Never made sense to me that we put a bounty on native pike minnow, but manage bass and walleye as a sport fishery.

Never made sense to me that we put a bounty on native pike minnow, but manage bass and walleye as a sport fishery.

Amen!

-Allen

There's a vast difference between edible and delectable.  I honestly don't know anyone who's tried them.  Pike minnow are closely related to other minnows, suckers, and carps (they are all members fo the order Cypriniformes).  My guess is that flavor and bony-ness would be similar.  There is an article in the most recent SST magazine about eating suckers.  I imagine pike minnows must be similar.

Brian

I've heard the area just outside the mouth of the Deschutes is a good walleye spot.

Did anyone else read Bill Monroe's column in the Oregonian today, on a salmon recovery panel recommending an end to harvest restrictions on non-native predatory fish in the Columbia?  Never made sense to me that we put a bounty on native pike minnow, but manage bass and walleye as a sport fishery.

Hmm... I seem to remember saying something like that before..

What I don't understand is why they'd have a bounty on a native fish while they (Fish and Game of both WA and OR) promote the non-native bass and walleye fisheries.  At least I assume they are promoting bass and walleye by treating these species as sportfish (size and take limits).  Maybe they're just planning ahead for a potential salmonless future.

Brian

Glad to hear this is being considered.

There's a vast difference between edible and delectable. 
Brian

I'd have thought the same of Carp until I had one fried whole in a little restaurant in the middle of noplace Germany. It was delicious.
 It made for a very social meal though, as I had to pick carefully around and among the bones (plenty of time to talk). It looked like a model for comparative anatomy when I was done. But it really was  good!

Where's that helmet!?!

Did anyone else read Bill Monroe's column in the Oregonian today, on a salmon recovery panel recommending an end to harvest restrictions on non-native predatory fish in the Columbia?  Never made sense to me that we put a bounty on native pike minnow, but manage bass and walleye as a sport fishery.

Yup!  My kids thought I was nuts cheering an NPR news story. 

This is likely a better fit on the politics board, but anyway... here is the snippet from the Oregonian yesterday:

Open season? Eric Barker of the Lewiston Tribune reports that scientists on the Independent Scientific Advisory Board are calling on Oregon, Washington and Idaho to eliminate size and bag limit restrictions on species such as bass and walleye to further protect migrating salmon and steelhead smolts.

"The scientific report says the combination of dam and reservoir systems on the Snake and Columbia rivers and the introduction of non-native species like smallmouth bass and walleye is delivering a one-two punch to battered salmon and steelhead populations," Barker wrote.

"The report, written by a panel of scientists from the Independent Scientific Advisory Board, suggests state fish and wildlife agencies do away with size and bag limit restrictions on species like bass and walleye.

"Native fish species such as northern pikeminnows and birds such as Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants eat far more salmon and steelhead. But Thomas Poe of White Salmon, Wash., the study's lead author, said the cumulative impact of predation from smallmouth bass, walleye and channel catfish could be significant.

"Add to that the millions of American shad, a non-native anadromous fish species that run up both rivers, and other non-native plants and invertebrates, and the effect approaches that seen from habitat alteration, Poe said. Shad don't feed on salmon and steelhead smolts. But they do compete with native fish for food like zooplankton.

"Poe admits it may be tough to convince anglers to take more bass and walleye. Bass are a popular game fish throughout the river system and the lower Columbia is a growing walleye fishery. Poe counts himself amongst those who enjoy fishing for both species."

Yeah, you guys have straight hijacked the thread.

Any of y'all have any tips for reducing the population via catching them?

But you know, I am going to have a problem with throwing a trophy bass or walleye up on the bank if they came out the Tualatin or other superfund site (is there any place that isn't) I suppose I could use them as crawfish or crab bait though.

Depends where the walleyes are at. If they are in the middle of the water column, I've had success slow trolling a spoon using a Dipsey Diver to get down to the depth the fish are at. If the fish are at the bottom, which is the case in the hot days of summer, bouncing a nightcrawler in a harness or with a spinner rig can be the ticket.
I would say the Columbia is the best chance to get them, below the Dalles or John Day dam is where I would go.