G & F Walleye stocking Sakakawea

dschaible · May 31, 2018

Stock year - number of stocked fish surviving to adulthood based on 1% fry survival (based on some Minnesota lakes that are probably less harsh of an environment then sak) and 10% fingerling survival rate

2017 - 116822 (76,822 assuming 0% fry survival)
2016 - 153685 (133,685 assuming 0% fry survival)
2015 - 179110
2014 - 248595
2013 - 427822
2012 - 402633
2011 - 249085
2010 - 400095

Sakakwea stocking efforts appear to be on a 5 year down trend.

Fry stocking started in 2016 with 2,000,000 and 4,000,000 in 2017. If the fry experiment doesn't work on Sakakawea we would be down another 20,000 adult surviving fish in 2016 and 40,000 adult surviving fish in 2017

How many years will it take to know if the fry survived? is the fry experiment worth slowing down our system? Does the G&F think there are too many walleye in the system?

Thoughts?

KDM · May 31, 2018

Divide the number of fry put into Sak by the number of surface acres in Sak and you will see how insignificant those stocking numbers are. If you divide the number of fry by the number of acre ft of water Sak has the insignificance gets even worse. In order to tease stocking success out of natural reproduction the sample size and data base would have to be COSMIC in my opinion. There are just too many variables in a system like Sak for such a small number of fry to even be noticed, let alone be sizable enough to have an impact. It's all feel good eyewash as far as I'm concerned. Sorry, but that's just how I see it.

pluckem · May 31, 2018

Should call G&F directly and get your answers.

From past calls with them I am guessing they will tell you they determine each springs stocking numbers based on the previous springs spawning conditions (natural spawning #'s) and then from fall net surveys to see how many yearlings show up in the nets.

If they believe some natural spawning occurred and the fall net surveys back that up they might not see a need to stock more the next spring...

I know last summer they had a surplus of walleye fry at the hatchery and they decided to dump some in some lakes they have never managed for walleye before just too see what happens. So I wouldnt think it was a lack of resource dollars.... if they wanted more walleyes for Sak they had them and it was sure a shorter drive to Sak then these others waters they put them in...

shorthairsrus · May 31, 2018

Dschab -- re-ADD your numbers up ---- prior to 2015 and prior ---- those were 4million fingerlings stocked not fry

--- they started stocking fry in the latter years

I have to disagree with KDM - imo i believe the aggressive stocking that went on in the past 6 7 years riod is the reason that sakakwea is the going to be if not already is the #1 walleye destination. Powers got spot on this time.

When you look at the acres of the lake -- think fishable waters and also think about spawning on a res system. It needs stocking. Look at the history of the lake.

Go Sak!!!

- - - Updated - - -

MN does Fry stocking -- we all know how well that goes.

- - - Updated - - -

D --- stockings were at 4million fingerlings --- PER Year

dschaible · May 31, 2018

4 million fingerlings correct, my numbers are assuming only 10% of fingerlings survive or 400,000. 10% survival may not be the correct percentage to put on fingerling survival. I seen anywhere between 10% and 35%, im assuming the harshness of the lake would put us on the lower end of survival.

pluckem · May 31, 2018

dschaible said:
im assuming the harshness of the lake would put us on the lower end of survival.

What makes you think Sak is "Harsher" than other in the sample size those numbers came from. Past number of years the smelt have had record population numbers. Predators have been given easy meals. Water has been high given lots of flooded grass/vegetation and shallow water habitat that not only provides great habitat for baitfish (minnows/perch/bass/etc) it also gives lots of places for any fry, walleyes included to hideout, eat, and survive that first year.

The current health of the walleye fishery in the lake right now should point in the other direction if anything.

dean nelson · May 31, 2018

So they stocked 1.8 million fingerlings in 2015 versus 1.2 million last year but with an additional 4 million fry. The fry number is a little bit laughable simply because you could theoretically produced that many fry from having only 10 walleyes successfully reproduce. With walleyes producing up to 400,000 eggs a piece there is little question natural reproduction will absolutely dwarf anything they stock especially in years like this where there's rising water into flooded grass.

Riggen&Jiggen · May 31, 2018

The fry stocking is way less expensive for the G&F. They are experimenting to see how it works out especially on waters that are having good natural reproduction. That way if it fails there will not be a dramatic effect on the lake. In the last 10 years I would say that Sak has had above average natural reproduction so no big amounts of fingerling stocking have been needed. However when the lake is low or the water level is receding in the spring especially for a few years in a row then Sak does rely on fingerling stocking. In the late 80s, early 90s and mid 2000s Sak went through low water years and the fishery only survived on stocking.

dschaible · May 31, 2018

my thoughts on Sak being harsher based on wind, shallow water temperature changes, water fluctuation, also my 1% fry survival is based on also assuming a more controlled lake in minnesota, Sak is a wild beast and survival should be less than 1%. Fingerling survival is probably greater than 10%, what that number should be i dunno.

The health of the current system is based on past very aggressive stocking efforts by the G&F. The last 3 years stocking average has decreased by 64.5% compared to the 5 year average before (the good stocking years), the 64.5% is not including the fry which are more than likely going to die.

They stocked 768,224 fingerlings in Sak in 2017, half as many as 2016 and down around 81% from the good 4,000,000 stocking days.

Captain Ahab · May 31, 2018

All I know is Sak will be kicking limits out like confetti at a New Years party for a while. She's healthy right now. The system might as well kick out another state record while it's at it.

MSA · May 31, 2018

High water in the rubarb again!!! Good lawwwd there gonna be alota big fish in that lake!....and baitfish. Gonna be scrapin walleyes off our hulls n windshields if this keeps up.

pluckem · May 31, 2018

dschaible said:
The health of the current system is based on past very aggressive stocking efforts by the G&F. The last 3 years stocking average has decreased by 64.5% compared to the 5 year average before (the good stocking years), the 64.5% is not including the fry which are more than likely going to die.

They stocked 768,224 fingerlings in Sak in 2017, half as many as 2016 and down around 81% from the good 4,000,000 stocking days.

Stocking walleyes does not make a system "healthy".

You also seem to miss the point I and others have made with natural reproduction. What does the game and fish say about the success of natural reproduction the past 3 years?

If they come back and say the last 3 years had very little to no natural reproduction. Then maybe you have a legitimate concern over declining stocking efforts. You have to look at the entire picture.

dschaible · May 31, 2018

I will give Sakakwea more credit for natural reproduction, would also be nice to find some more data on that topic, probably a question for the G&F.

"walleye numbers were relatively good due to natural reproduction and stocking efforts." Oct 11, 2016

"I attended the ND Game and Fish Advisory Board meeting last week and they said there was great natural reproduction last year and walleye numbers are among the highest on record!" Sunday, April 15, 2018

eyexer · May 31, 2018

The fishing will be insane this year

JayKay · Jun 1, 2018

eyexer said:
The fishing will be insane this year

Already has been, in the Mo River... muy bien..

KDM · Jun 1, 2018

JayKay said:
Already has been, in the Mo River... muy bien..

Pics or it didn't happen. (Grin)

H82bogey · Jun 1, 2018

I do think Sak will be incredible this year.

I don't want to start the debate of what a person should keep and shouldn't, but at new town last weekend there were lots of 26" plus fish being cleaned. I have no info on what this lake can sustain and maybe a good question for the G & F. Through all the conversation and data I've seen on keeping females vs releasing them, I just say to each their own. Don't want to argue about it at this point, but it does make me wonder with the massive amount of people fishing Sak week in and week out, what does keeping all those big mamas do to the long term health of the system? Would be nice to have a conversation with a biologist familiar with the lake to hear more facts.

KDM · Jun 1, 2018

Talking to an old timer that has fished Sak for 20 or more years would give you a better perspective IMO. Biologists want to keep their jobs, so they tend to produce information that leans towards them having to do more work on a subject. Ole' Grey Beard Fat Guy just wants to catch fish. Take their memories of what years they caught fish, how many, how big, and then start to compare it to water levels, reproductive success, and food availability and you will be begin to be able to see what factors are important to having lots of fish and lots of big fish. I can remember back in the mid to late 80's of catching dumb numbers of 5+ lb walleyes, then there were the mid 90's when catching fish was a bit harder, and now in the 2010's it's back to being a bonanza. There are reasons for that, but I prefer guys do their own research. It will usually make more sense to you.

eyexer · Jun 1, 2018

If you want to know about sakakawea and what it can sustain talk to Clayton Folden. He should be on the G&F payroll

Timbuk-2 · Jun 1, 2018

"I don't want to start the debate of what a person should keep and shouldn't, but at new town last weekend there were lots of 26" plus fish being cleaned. I have no info on what this lake can sustain and maybe a good question for the G & F. "

Maybe we should discontinue all the tournaments in order to save those big females

G & F Walleye stocking Sakakawea

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