Walleye in Echo

Utah Fishing Reports & Discussion Utah Fishing General
41

**I used to fish Powell a lot. These days, not so much. But I am in regular contact with quite a few of the Wasatch Front anglers who make frequent trips to Powell. Since I supply a lot of lures to them and get followup reports I feel qualified to make a couple of observations.

First, not many anglers go to Powell with only one species on their minds. Many go just for the chance to have a multi-species experience. And often the trip ends up being saved or at least enhanced by whatever species happens to be the most active and available at the time.

Second, no matter what species Powell anglers go after…besides walleyes…they usually devote at least part of every trip to pursuing walleyes. With the large numbers and relative ease of catching, compared with most northern Utah waters, they simply count on being able to bring back a good quantity of walleye fillets. But because the 'eyes are not the glamor species that stripers are they don’t get all the fanfare.

Third, in spite of your feelings that NOBODY goes after walleyes in Powell, there are several northern Utah anglers I know who really do target them on every trip. Stripers, smallies, crappies and other species are the “incidentals”…or “bycatch”.

While your circle of angling acquaintances may not have a high opinion of Powell walleyes…or walleyes in other waters…I assure you there are a goodly number of Utah anglers who prize walleyes above all other species.

And to make the universal statement that they are poor fighters is unfair. Granted, when hooked on heavy trolling tackle and winched into the net, they do not put up the same fight as a wiper. But catch them on specialized light spinning tackle…which is best for casting assorted jigs and small cranks for walleye…and you will get a fair battle from them. The walleyes I catch from the waters I fish usually hit hard and fight well…even taking line against the drag.

Most walleye waters in northern Utah have fairly low populations…much lower than the famed Midwest walleye ponds…and lower than Powell. Even where they are abundant it still takes skill to find and catch them. In waters with low populations they almost become like the reputation of Muskies…the fish of a thousand casts…or more.

Walleyes have a following up here with a lot of masochists…guys who are bound and determined to catch their first ever. Sadly, the first (and sometimes only) walleye some anglers catch is caught “on accident”…on bait or lures being fished for other species.

I think I am safe in believing that if our local walleye ponds had the populations and management of the waters in other parts of the country that we would have a lot more anglers who chased walleyes and sneered at SNITS. Better eating for sure.
**

42

Yep, Powell is a pretty great place and thousands do flock there annually. It’s a little far for the most populated area of the state to run down to after supper or on a Sunday afternoon. I would say thousands of people flock to Jordanelle on an average summer weekend. So, as I mentioned earlier, accessibility has a lot to do with it as does water quality. (Utah Lake/Willard)

As far as targeting Walleye in Powell, they are exactly what I target on the occasion that I make it that far away from home to fish. I target them exclusively. That is not to say that while hopping a jig down a rockpile or dragging a spinner rig across the lip of a flat that if I see birds dive bombing or a boil a half mile away that I don’t reel up and start fishing for stripers. I’m a fisher and therefore I fish. Same if I pul up to a raft of tumble weed and can see gills or crappie under it. You bet I cast for them. I’m a fisher, I fish.

I think one reason that many target the stripers is that they are easy, exciting and plentiful. When we fish for stripers I tell my son, “we’re stopping at 100”. I’ve never caught 100 walleye on a Powell trip. We’ve caught 100 stripers from the dock after supper.
So, don’t worry, if Walleye were the kind of fish that schooled by the hundreds and worked their way across a bay slapping the surface, jumping, eating everything in their path, walleye would be much more popular.
Like the Jacks in Florida, useless except for the fight, but because they come down the beach in a massive school of jumping eating everything in sight school, they are popular. Heck, SNIT’s would be popular if they fed the way stripers or wipers do. We’re fishers, we fish, we like to catch fish, we like to fight them with our rods and reels.

Walleyes? We like to eat. As I have said before, “the walleye’s run is from when it hits until you put the boat in neutral” but there is no freshwater fish I would rather eat.

43

I can’t speak for the walleye in Rockport issue as it really doesn’t affect me immediately because I have no interest in fishing echo (right now anyway [:)])
but after reading your post I totally get your frustration. How hard can it be to just put some fish in a lake and call it good? Easy peasy, everybody’s happy.

44

fun replies. This is getting better.

Tubedude – the comments by yourself and others about walleye fight is rather funny. Seriously.

We troll a lot at Powell. We use the same rods / reels and line (6lb test) that we use to troll at any other trout lake in the state. We are not using green-sticks and winches to crank our fish in. When a striper hits, it’s a fight. We lose numerous fish because we do have to fight them. When a walleye hits you know immediately that it is not a striper. They do not fight well. Period. If you have to use a string of cooked spaghetti in order to get a good fight from a fish, there is something wrong!!

Populations. Low populations? Midwest ponds have *higher *populations?? I don’t believe that for a second! The whole reason for this discussion is because the history of walleye in Utah reservoirs – over-population leading to boom/bust cycles! We don’t have problems with low population numbers in our reservoirs. We have the opposite. Which is why the concern with Echo. Echo, as well as other reservoirs in Utah, have no system in place to control the walleye population!

This is the concern. How do you manage walleye populations?

One way is to lower water levels below where walleye spawn. Is this a feasible solution? In our water crunch state, the answer is no.

Another way is to promote and encourage harvest of walleye. Powell is a good example. No limits on walleye. Prizes for catching walleye. Weekly reports that include tips for catching walleye (Wayne’s Words).

Everyone talks a lot about having a fishery close to home. Wouldn’t that be great! But how many close to home fisheries do you need to have, and to what consequence to the fisheries? We have Utah Lake. We have Willard. We have Deer Creek. Why do we also need Echo? Rockport? Jordanelle? We also have a good history on record of what walleye fisheries turn into here in Utah – why do we want to continue to repeat history with mediocrity? Boom, bust. Over, and over, and over.

Anglers have short memories. That can be good and bad. It will be interesting to look back in 10 years and see what kind of comments people are making concerning Echo. Time will tell.

45

**There are several obvious differences between most of the midwest walleye waters and those in Utah. In our state we have muddy bowls…dammed up to be raised and lowered for the benefit of agriculture. The walleye lakes elsewhere are largely natural lakes, with eons of weed growth and multiple year-round food sources. Plus, both walleye and forage species are stocked and monitored by state fisheries departments. Management.

The result is that yes INDEED there are greater walleye populations than in any of our lakes…with the possible exception of Powell. I have fished lakes in Minnesota and elsewhere. And it was often possible to easily catch large numbers of good sized walleyes all day long. On most of our “good” walleye waters in the north, a single walleye in a day of hard fishing is enough to make many anglers happy. Two or more is a barn-burner day.

Fighting qualities? A subjective thing. And also subject to water depth, temperature and other factors. My personal opinion…to which I am entitled…is that most walleye will outfight most cutthroat trout. But that is not saying much. Catching them while trolling is much different than making finesse presentations on light tackle…and feeling them hit rather than just seeing the rod bend over in the trolling holder. We walliephiles live for the brutal CHOMP that signals a walleye “inquiry”.

I long ago gave up the hope for any kind of walleye “management” program in Utah. You can’t manage the unmanageable. With rising and falling water levels, fluctuations or outright failure of food resources and relatively low overall populations of walleyes it is tough. I have learned to appreciate and enjoy the occasional brief windows of opportunity when fish numbers are up and they are actively accepting lures. But, at best it is a peak and valley situation…with far more valleys than peaks these days.
**

46

**There are several obvious differences between most of the midwest walleye waters and those in Utah. In our state we have muddy bowls…dammed up to be raised and lowered for the benefit of agriculture. The walleye lakes elsewhere are largely natural lakes, with eons of weed growth and multiple year-round food sources. Plus, both walleye and forage species are stocked and monitored by state fisheries departments. Management. **
**

**Yes!! Exactly! That’s the whole point! In the midwest, walleye evolved in those habitats. Natural systems are in place that to support those natural systems!

In Utah, those natural systems had cutthroat trout evolve and develop! How many lakes in Utah have ever had a problem with cutthroat trout over population?? Why not? Because those species evolved in those systems! This is exactly why we have problems with walleye here in Utah.
**

****On most of our “good” walleye waters in the north, a single walleye in a day of hard fishing is enough to make many anglers happy. Two or more is a barn-burner day. **
**[b]

**[/b][#000000]Which is exactly why the majority of Utah anglers don’t give much of a hoot about walleye fishing. Sure, we all love to eat them – but catching them is different. When a barn-burner day is two walleye, why would the average Utah angler desire this??

**
[/#0000ff] ******Fighting qualities? A subjective thing…
…Catching them while trolling is much different than making finesse presentations on light tackle…and feeling them hit rather than just seeing the rod bend over in the trolling holder. We walliephiles live for the brutal CHOMP that signals a walleye “inquiry”.
**[b][#0000ff][b]

**[/b][/b][#000000]Bottom bouncing at Powell was interesting. We caught a lot of walleye this summer. What was interesting to me was when you’d hook a catfish. You knew immediately that you did not have a walleye on. Same with the smallmouth bass that we caught. I actually started hoping for more catfish!

[/#0000ff]**
[/#0000ff][#0000ff] ******I long ago gave up the hope for any kind of walleye “management” program in Utah. You can’t manage the unmanageable. With rising and falling water levels, fluctuations or outright failure of food resources … it is tough. I have learned to appreciate and enjoy the occasional brief windows of opportunity when fish numbers are up and they are actively accepting lures. But, at best it is a peak and valley situation…with far more valleys than peaks these days.
[/#0000ff]

It’s not a “management” failure. It’s also not a “these days” issue. It’s always been a problem, and not due to mis-management. You are exactly correct: you cannot manage the unmanageable. You cannot control water fluctuations. Without control of the water, you have no control over those species that rely on natural reproduction to sustain the population. You either end up with no successful spawn, or too much. There is no in-between. Again, you are correct that at best it is a peak and valley with far more valley. This is exactly why the DWR has done what they can to stave off illegal walleye introductions – because they know that in the majority of our lakes walleye will not be a good fit.

Pat – you have a good following. People like to listen to you – why can’t you get people to understand this and follow along? You get it.

It will be very interesting to see if the DWR can turn Echo into a success using the sterile walleye. If the process of creating sterile walleye can be perfected to a point to eliminate the risk of introducing self-sustaining populations, then I think we have numerous cases where sterile walleye could be a success. But until then, walleye are far too risky with those peaks and valleys to chance our fisheries to.

I’m curious, because i really don’t know the answer: How many lakes in northern Utah (north of I70?) have walleye?

47

You just want to argue, I like to fish walleye so HANDLE it.[:P]

48

You love Lake Powell so much then fish it, you should be glad it’s not getting much pressure.

49

“I’m curious, because i really don’t know the answer: How many lakes in northern Utah (north of I70?) have walleye?”

**Here is a list…from personal knowledge…of waters that produce more than the occasional rare walleye: Bear River, Willard, Deer Creek, Utah Lake, Yuba and the Sevier River below. There have been freak reports of walleyes from Jordanelle, Holmes Creek, Bountiful Pond, etc. And now we can add Echo and maybe more to the list of illegal intros. Then there are the eastern Utah waters of Steinaker, Red Fleet and the Green River.

**[#000000]“Pat – you have a good following. People like to listen to you – why can’t you get people to understand this and follow along? You get it.” **

I have been fishing for Utah walleyes since their early days in Utah Lake in the 1960s…and later in Deer Creek, Yuba and in Willard. Still later I got well acquainted with them in Starvation. I have arguably caught about as many walleyes as any other Utah Angler in Utah Waters…deliberately targeting them. But, just as with women, I dare not be so bold as to claim I completely understand them. Similarly, I am happy when things are going well but savvy enough to keep my mouth shut and suffer when they are not. I know when there are forces beyond my ability to change.

I have listened to lots of fellow Utah walleye fans hold forth on all the “right” things to do…and then watch them blank just like everybody else. And I have also had my share of walleye humble pie. If asked to pontificate on what I know…or don’t know…I readily admit that I know enough to catch my fair share…at times…but not enough to be able to guarantee that others can do the same by following my advice.

The main thing I have come to understand about Utah walleyes is that they do indeed share many of the traits of their relatives in other states…but that they have had to adapt a lot to make it in Utah. I have never been able to wrap my head around the way they survive in a shallow mud hole like Utah Lake, after fishing in some of the “traditional” waters in other states.

I do believe that walleye…such as sterile ones…can play a role in fisheries management. I can see how they might help cull the runts of the overpopulating species while providing another level of angler returns. I like walleyes.

**[/#0000FF]

50

You just want to argue, I like to fish walleye so HANDLE it.[:P]

Just not at lake powell…

Look, I get it that some people like them. I get it that some waters probably should be managed for walleye (I like, for example, that walleye have been included in the management plans at Red Fleet and Starvation). I even sort of get it that some of you can argue for how good they fight…even though my bottom bouncing experiences say they fight like wet socks, some of you like them. And, I will even concede that they are good eating and make good table fare.

But, they aren’t good for most of our Utah waters. And, many of us don’t like to fish for walleye so HANDLE it!

51

You just want to argue, I like to fish walleye so HANDLE it.[:p]

^^^^^

Exactly what the guy who stocked walleye in Echo said before dumping his bucket!

This is the mentality that hurts all Utah fisheries and limits Utah angler’s opportunities. This is not a “me” and “my” and “I” and “you” issue. It’s an issue that affects all of us across the state. Illegal introductions by anglers is not a “that’s what i want, so deal with it” solution.

but, alas, there are few of us that think this way. Most just want immediate results without thinking of long term consequences.

52

Most just want immediate results without thinking of long term consequences.

Unfortunately, you just described the majority of voters who dump on us what they think they want and we are about to “deal with it” and the unintended cascade of consequences in ever increasing ways.

That’s why I’m into preparedness for the harsh times to come.

53

Ok boys you’re getting your points across. Let’s keep it civil or I will handle it.

54

Since it has now been established that Echo has Walleye, have any of you guys on here gone up, targeted walleye and caught any?

What is the largest Walleye you have heard of being caught there?

Seems peculiar that 29 were found in gill nettings, obviously only a sampling of the total numbers that would have to be in there. How would anyone have access to that many walleye to stock an entire lake?

Could it be they are an age class that has already reproduced from prior introductions in past years??

55

Drove by Wednesday and the water is 100ft below the end of the ramp. A few vehicles on the gravel beach but couldn’t see even one boat on the water going or coming several hours later. Reservoir looked like shore access only, float tube or very small tin boat.
Looked at Lake levels several weeks ago and can’t see any filling effect taking place. Maybe someone can produce some water level data to confirm if it’s filling or draining. Shore fishing for Walleye is tough.

56

Ok boys you’re getting your points across. Let’s keep it civil or I will handle it.

Who’s not being civil? Did I miss something?

Seems peculiar that 29 were found in gill nettings, obviously only a sampling of the total numbers that would have to be in there. How would anyone have access to that many walleye to stock an entire lake?

It only takes two!

What we don’t know is how long ago the stockings took place. This could have happened 6 years ago for all we know. An angler could easily have caught a dozen walleye at another lake, put them in the livewell and transported them to Echo. 6 years later we have numerous adult fish showing up in gill nets.

When the DWR stocks fish in lakes sometimes it takes numerous years before anglers reap any benefit. Then, anglers suddenly start catching fish. What seems like an event that happened over night was actually years in the making.

57

The time frame, from the time of the plant to the discovery would be extremely interesting. Also how many actual adult or juvenile fish were planted. A single plant or multiple plants for single or multiple individuals.
If someone would provide these answers this post would grow rapidly and set a new record for Bigfish Tackle Posts.

58

For Eyes you need to fish Powell any time in the winter, 50 to 100 fish per day is not out, with 30 of 100 being Waleyes..