Letter to the Governor, Willard Bay inlet

[wormandbobber]

This argument is undoubtedly an emotionally based issue. Those who want the walleye protected in the inlet are worried that illegal fishing practices may hurt the walleye population and want the inlet closed to deter would-be snaggers. The question I have is what will fishing in the inlet do to the walleye population in Willard Bay. Interestingly, last year's gillnetting report from Willard Bay paints a different picture than what some are saying in this thread..."All signs are pointing towards a bright year for Willard anglers in 2013. Catches were up for wipers, walleye, and catfish. Walleye abundance has the potential to be as high as we've seen in the past decade, with plenty of fish 18 inches and larger. While the outlook on walleye is excellent for next year, anglers should enjoy it while they can because the long-term trend currently suggests the walleye population may have peaked for at least the next few years." If the "trend" appears to be heading downwards, the question I would have for Penne and other biologists is why? Does it have to do with the "poaching" of spawning walleye or are other conditions the cause? With that being said, it seems that the population can go nowhere but down...as the population is already higher than it has been in the past decade.
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