ND State record walleye

Ristorapper · Mar 7, 2016

IF only for a moment?

Last week there was a walleye weighed in at one of the local bait shops. It was recorded at 20 + pounds on the whopper certificate.

My coworker has these guys outside the bait shop wondering if he can open the USPS collection box to get a piece of mail out of it. He assists these guys with their dilemma.

What he found out was that they thought the weight of the walleye was incorrectly recorded on the certificate.

Sure enough he said; the certificate has the weight of the walleye at 20 pounds 8 ounces so they tell my coworker!!!!!

The guys ran into the bait shop to have it corrected to 12 pounds 8 ounces....

If only for a moment the state record was in question!!

Of course I know a game and fish employee would have had to witness this "new record" but it all turned out well for all involved, i guess!!

MSA · Mar 7, 2016

Clickbait!

- - - Updated - - -

Every state record walleye ever "recorded" in ND has been a scam. the first one was found dead, another potential record seemed to gain weight every time it was weighed until the official weight was done 2 or 3 days later while frozen and somehow was 2lbs heavier than when it was caught. I assume water was pumped into the gut before it was froze. Of all the big fish I've ever weighed, not a single one gained weight. an average fish will lose up to 10% of its body weight just sittin in the livewell for a few hours, so I'm just gonna go out on a limb and call shenanigans that a 13+lb walleye miraculously weighed 15+ 2 days later.

Bed Wetter · Mar 7, 2016

MSA said:
Clickbait!

- - - Updated - - -

Every state record walleye ever "recorded" in ND has been a scam. the first one was found dead, another potential record seemed to gain weight every time it was weighed until the official weight was done 2 or 3 days later while frozen and somehow was 2lbs heavier than when it was caught. I assume water was pumped into the gut before it was froze. Of all the big fish I've ever weighed, not a single one gained weight. an average fish will lose up to 10% of its body weight just sittin in the livewell for a few hours, so I'm just gonna go out on a limb and call shenanigans that a 13+lb walleye miraculously weighed 15+ 2 days later.

Are you questioning my record? Them's fightin' words...

Brian Renville · Mar 7, 2016

Was as that the one that lady caught at the race at night and apparently bought her license on her phone just before she caught it? I'm kinda surprised the red river hasn't tossed that floater by now.

MSA said:
Clickbait!

- - - Updated - - -

Every state record walleye ever "recorded" in ND has been a scam. the first one was found dead, another potential record seemed to gain weight every time it was weighed until the official weight was done 2 or 3 days later while frozen and somehow was 2lbs heavier than when it was caught. I assume water was pumped into the gut before it was froze. Of all the big fish I've ever weighed, not a single one gained weight. an average fish will lose up to 10% of its body weight just sittin in the livewell for a few hours, so I'm just gonna go out on a limb and call shenanigans that a 13+lb walleye miraculously weighed 15+ 2 days later.

BBQBluesMan · Mar 7, 2016

I am honestly surprised the record has not been broken. I once found a dead 10lb walleye on a very small lake in central North Dakota. Makes a guy wonder where the next record piggie will come from.

Enslow · Mar 7, 2016

MSA said:
Clickbait!

- - - Updated - - -

Every state record walleye ever "recorded" in ND has been a scam. the first one was found dead, another potential record seemed to gain weight every time it was weighed until the official weight was done 2 or 3 days later while frozen and somehow was 2lbs heavier than when it was caught. I assume water was pumped into the gut before it was froze. Of all the big fish I've ever weighed, not a single one gained weight. an average fish will lose up to 10% of its body weight just sittin in the livewell for a few hours, so I'm just gonna go out on a limb and call shenanigans that a 13+lb walleye miraculously weighed 15+ 2 days later.

10 percent loss? That seems very high. That would suggest a 10 lb walleye would weigh 9lbs after being stored in a livewell. Wayne zespy also told me he thinks they lose very little weight when frozen also. He weighs and measures every fish that he has mounted and that my friends is a lot of big fish.

- - - Updated - - -

BBQBluesMan said:
I am honestly surprised the record has not been broken. I once found a dead 10lb walleye on a very small lake in central North Dakota. Makes a guy wonder where the next record piggie will come from.

If we can luck out and get enough precip in ND to restore the lakes again we will start seeing some freakishly big fish getting caught. A state record walleye would likely be a 20 year old plus fish. It takes very very special conditions to allow a fish to survive long enough to get to record size weights.

wildeyes · Mar 8, 2016

If the corps doesn't mess with the water for a few years and the smelt comes back we could see that fish. there is healthier fish in the river now and it was 5 years ago that close to the record was caught out of the tailrace. I'm thinking to that sak. with the amount of bait fish that lake has for the last few years the odds get better every year for that lake. There are so many lakes with a possible state record you cant name them all. Enslow is right we need water and food and a little luck. Walleyes live to around 25 years and that girl is probably swimming right now somewhere. Big baits catch big fish which most people don't use. I know there is a 14lb plus walleye with my name on it just waiting for me to find her. hellyea bring that S**t on.

H82bogey · Mar 8, 2016

I would almost guarantee there are state record fish in Sak for each different species that lake holds. That is such a big body of water, there could be multiple Eye's swimming around that are state records that will never get caught.

SDMF · Mar 8, 2016

I predict that if the new state record Walleye comes outta Sak it'll be accidentally caught by a Salmon fisherman suspended over deep water.

gonefshn · Mar 8, 2016

:;:deadhorse

MSA · Mar 8, 2016

With smelt packed in their guts like this we should see some records soon.

Enslow · Mar 8, 2016

MSA said:
With smelt packed in their guts like this we should see some records soon.

Damn now that is amazing and a great sign of things to come.

Account Deleted · Mar 8, 2016

Wow. Gluttonous aren't they?

Brian Renville · Mar 8, 2016

I haven't figured out what the largest factor against this is. Basically you're describing Ft. Peck. Peck is managed for fish reproduction on a changing water level basis. High years for spawning, low years for vegetation grown and cover for the high water years. On one hand the homeowners downstream of Sak would scream even more bloody murder is the Corps flat out told them river management isn't going to at least claim they are a/the priority. Couple that with the fact that would have two dams doing the same plan in a row on the river might result in even more freakout. On the other hand I think many of the fishing folks have gotten used to the 30 min spinner/crank limit most of the summer between New Town and Van Hook. It's basically stock like crazy, catch 16 inchers, repeat. I wonder if a lot of folks would welcome a shake up in routine on Sak for a better chance at that 16 pounder that a person knows is far greater up at Peck? Certainly doable I would think though, keep the dams on opposite schedules and it should all be good. After four years ago though I think the money is making the corps manage for that 500 year flood again.

wildeyes said:
If the corps doesn't mess with the water for a few years and the smelt comes back we could see that fish. there is healthier fish in the river now and it was 5 years ago that close to the record was caught out of the tailrace. I'm thinking to that sak. with the amount of bait fish that lake has for the last few years the odds get better every year for that lake. There are so many lakes with a possible state record you cant name them all. Enslow is right we need water and food and a little luck. Walleyes live to around 25 years and that girl is probably swimming right now somewhere. Big baits catch big fish which most people don't use. I know there is a 14lb plus walleye with my name on it just waiting for me to find her. hellyea bring that S**t on.

johnr · Mar 8, 2016

Imagine how many walleye fry are in the guts of a big old mushky, iffn a guys was to clean one of them tasty picklers.

Enslow · Mar 8, 2016

Brian Renville said:
I haven't figured out what the largest factor against this is. Basically you're describing Ft. Peck. Peck is managed for fish reproduction on a changing water level basis. High years for spawning, low years for vegetation grown and cover for the high water years. On one hand the homeowners downstream of Sak would scream even more bloody murder is the Corps flat out told them river management isn't going to at least claim they are a/the priority. Couple that with the fact that would have two dams doing the same plan in a row on the river might result in even more freakout. On the other hand I think many of the fishing folks have gotten used to the 30 min spinner/crank limit most of the summer between New Town and Van Hook. It's basically stock like crazy, catch 16 inchers, repeat. I wonder if a lot of folks would welcome a shake up in routine on Sak for a better chance at that 16 pounder that a person knows is far greater up at Peck? Certainly doable I would think though, keep the dams on opposite schedules and it should all be good. After four years ago though I think the money is making the corps manage for that 500 year flood again.

Ft peck has alot less pressure than sak thats is why it is better period.

camoman · Mar 8, 2016

The number of fish stocked into Sak is but a microscopic drop in an Olympic sized pool of the natural reproduction occurring there in good reproduction years.

ND State record walleye

Ristorapper

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