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Sullivan Lake This 461-acre impoundment is located in Sullivan County east of Sullivan, Indiana. There is a small fee charged for access and outboard motors are permitted. A relatively large population of hybrid walleye developed at Sullivan following 12 consecutive years of stocking fingerlings. A 1988 creel survey documented the harvest of 1,562 hybrid walleye at Sullivan Lake (3.3 per acre) that averaged 15˝ inches in length. Starting in 1995, Sullivan Lake was stocked with walleye instead of hybrids to see if walleye could provide the same high quality fishing that the hybrids provided. After fours years of stocking walleye fingerlings, a creel survey was conducted to evaluate the fishery. Only 257 walleye were harvested in 1998 compared to 1,562 hybrid walleye in 1988. Not only were fewer fish harvested, they averaged two inches smaller than the hybrids did in 1988. In an effort to turn the fishery around, biologists went back to stocking hybrid walleye starting in 1999. About 39,000 fingerlings have been stocked each of the last four years (1999-2002). In 2002, the 14 inch minimum size limit was put in place to protect small hybrids from harvest. A creel survey is planned for 2003 to evaluate the Sullivan Lake hybrid walleye fishery. Pretty Lake This small natural lake (184 acres) has been stocked with walleye fingerlings 10 consecutive years at 100/acre. One hundred fifty walleye ranging from 10˝ - 25 inches in length were harvested during a mid-April through September creel survey in 1996. An additional 28 walleye were caught and released. The 14 inch size limit was only in place for about one month of the survey. Average length of harvested walleye was 16.9 inches. Harvest was highest in June and July. Eleven percent of the anglers were fishing specifically for walleye and another 8% fished for walleye in combination with another species. Take State Road 3 about three miles north of South Milford , then go East on CR 500 S to reach Pretty Lake. The public access site is located on the southwest side of the lake. There is no charge to launch boats but there is a 10 mph speed limit on Pretty Lake.Huntingburg Lake Huntingburg Lake, is a188 acre impoundment located about two miles west of the town of Huntingburg on State Road 264. The lake has been stocked with hybrid walleye (saugeye) fingerlings 14 of the past 15 years at 50 or more per acre. During a seven month creel survey in 1997, anglers harvested 51 saugeye that averaged 18.5 inches in length. They caught and released 691. The largest saugeye taken from Huntingburg weighed over 8 pounds. Five percent of the anglers interviewed during the creel survey fished for saugeye. Lake-of-the-Woods Lake-of-the-Woods, located southwest of Bremen in Marshall County, is a 416 acre natural lake. A state-owned public access site is located on the southwest shore. There is no fee to launch boats and outboard motors are permitted. A creel survey was conducted April through September, 2001 to evaluate the walleye fishery. The lake had been stocked with 1˝ inch long walleye fingerlings nine consecutive years, 1993-2001. Walleye ranked third in the anglers’ catches behind white bass and crappie. Walleye comprised 19% of the total fish harvest. 358 walleye were harvested and 1,703 were caught and released. Highest harvest occurred in April but April, May and June were good months for catch and release fishing. 35% of the anglers interviewed were fishing for walleye and 94% supported the 14 inch size limit. Eagle Creek Reservoir, Prairie Creek Reservoir and Summit Lake Walleye fisheries at these three impoundments are in the "developing"stage. Eagle Creek has been stocked six consecutive years, mostly with fry; Summit Lake four years mostly with 1˝ inch long fingerlings and Prairie Creek two years with fingerlings. Based on fall young-of-the-year, and fish community survey catches, fishable walleye populations are developing at each of these waters. Eagle Creek is a 1,350 acre water supply impoundment northwest of Indianapolis, Prairie Creek is a 1,252 acre water supply for the city of Muncie and Summit Lake is a 600 acre impoundment in Summit Lake State Park north of New Castle. Tailwater Fishing Outstanding walleye fishing has developed below the dams at Monroe, Cagle’s Mill, Salamonie and Mississinewa Reservoirs; and Freeman Lake. Large concentrations of walleye occur at the tailwaters from March into May, depending on seasonal water temperatures and flows. Most of the fish are 15-20 inches long but some up to 29 inches long have been observed. The tailwaters provide anglers who don’t have a boat a good opportunity to catch walleye. Some of the largest walleye caught in Indiana each year come from tailwaters. Mississinewa and Salamonie Tailwaters Anglers caught 4,270 walleye at the Mississinewa tailwater in April and May 1997. They ranged in length from 14-25 inches. Average length was 15.2 inches. At the Salamonie tailwater, the catch consisted of 782 walleye ranging in length from 12˝-28 inches. These fish averaged 17.3 inches. 86% of the anglers interviewed supported the 14 inch size limit. River Walleye Indiana’s fishery biologists believe there are few potential walleye lakes remaining in the state. Most lakes thought to be capable of providing walleye fishing have already been stocked and evaluated. Although walleye fishing in natural lakes and impoundments may be improved in the future through changes in fishing regulations and stocking strategies, rivers may represent the best opportunities to significantly increase walleye fishing in the Hoosier state. Stocking has produced good walleye fishing in two impoundments on the St. Joseph River. The impoundment above the Elkhart Dam has been stocked with 1˝ inch long fingerlings eight consecutive years (1995-2002). In 1996, during the early years of the fishery, anglers harvested 89 walleye averaging 15.7 inches in length from the impoundment. An additional 129 walleye were caught and released. May was the best month to catch walleye in the impoundment. Fishing was also good in the tailwater below Elkhart Dam where 148 walleye were harvested and 575 were caught and released. 63% of walleye harvest at the tailwater occurred in April. In 1999, walleye again ranked first in the anglers’ catches at the Elkhart Dam tailwater. 205 walleye weighing 280 pounds were harvested. These fish ranged from13˝-20 inches long and averaged 16 inches. The number of walleye caught and released totaled 1,122. 57% of the anglers interviewed were fishing for walleye. Over 80% of the anglers supported the 15 inch minimum length limit. The Twin Branch impoundment has been stocked five consecutive years, 1998-2002. A creel survey to measure walleye catches and attitudes about the walleye program has not been conducted at Twin Branch. However, large catches of young-of-the-year walleye during fall electrofishing, and reports from anglers, indicate the population is developing well. Neil Ledet, fisheries
biologist, measures a St. Joseph River walleye collected during early spring sampling Large Walleye Fingerling Research When it comes to stocking fish, bigger is usually better. However, production costs must be weighed against angling benefits. In 2001, Crooked Lake (Steuben Co.), Winona Lake (Kosciusko Co.) and Sylvan Lake (Noble Co.) were stocked with 6-8 inch long walleye. Stocking density was 20 per acre at Sylvan and Winona lakes and 10 per acre at Crooked. Plans are to stock these lakes three consecutive years to see if the large fingerlings provide fishing where small fingerlings failed. Fry are usually stocked at 2,000-3,000 per acre and the 1˝ inch long fingerlings at 100/acre. For comparative purposes, four fry can be produced for a penny and it cost a little over six cents to produce one 1˝ inch fingerling. Each 6-8 inch walleye cost $1.45. The large fingerlings required for this research have been purchased from a private hatchery as Indiana currently does not have the rearing ponds needed to grow walleye for the entire summer and still meet other fish production goals. Sampling will be conducted annually to evaluate each of the three experimental stockings. Prior to 2001, all walleye fishing provided by the DFW has been done with multiple-year stockings of fry or 1˝ inch long fingerlings. There have been some waters where biologists felt that fishable walleye populations would have developed if larger fingerlings had been stocked. This hypothesis is what led to the "large fingerling" walleye research. Sauger Introductions Biologists are also working to establish self sustaining sauger populations in the East and West Forks of the White River. Sauger are popular members of the perch family of fishes, along with walleye, yellow perch and many species of darters. They are native to some of Indiana’s larger rivers. The E.F. White River was stocked with sauger fingerlings six consecutive years, 1995- 2000. Following the devastating fish kill on the W.F. White River in 1999, the first of three planned sauger stockings was completed in June 2002. Some sampling has already been done and more is scheduled to evaluate these stockings. Again, the goal is to restore naturally reproducing sauger populations in two rivers. Walleye Size Limit The fisheries section proposed a 14-inch minimum length limit for walleye at three public meetings in March 1996. Anglers had been asking for a size limit and no one opposed the proposal. Justification for the size limit included: 1. Walleye have greater growth potential than was being realized at most stocked waters. 2. Walleye fishing in Indiana is hatchery Anglers responding to a statewide survey listed walleye #1 when asked, "Which species of fish do you want the Division of Fish and Wildlife to stock?" dependent. It is too costly to stock fish and have them harvested during their first and second summer when they have the capability to live longer and grow larger.3. Nearly 50% of the respondents to the 1994 Statewide Angler Survey supported or strongly supported a minimum length limit for walleye. Only 15% opposed a size limit and 17% were neutral. The proposed 14-inch minimum length limit for walleye went into effect in August 1996 and it applies to all waters except the St. Joseph River (St. Joseph & Elkhart Counties) and Ohio River. There is a 15-inch minimum length limit on walleye in Indiana’ s portion of the St .Joseph River to be consistent with Michigan’s 15 inch size limit. The St. Joseph River originates in Michigan, flows through parts of Indiana, and then returns to Michigan. One size limit throughout the course of the river makes it easier for anglers to understand and comply with. The walleye size limit has now been in place for six growing seasons and biologists are starting to compare population structure (numbers, sizes, weights and growth rates) before and after size limit implementation. Indiana’s daily bag limit is six for any combination of walleye, sauger or saugeye. There is no closed season for walleye, sauger or saugeye. Hatchery Production and Stocking Strategies Eggs for Indiana’s walleye program are taken from mature fish collected each April at Brookville Reservoir. The goal is 40 million "green" eggs. These eggs will provide about 22 million walleye fry, 1.2 million 1˝ inch walleye fingerlings and 40,000 hybrid walleye fingerlings. Walleye stocking densities at lakes are 2,000-3,000 fry/acre or 100 fingerlings/acre. Hybrid walleye and river walleye stocking densities are 50 fingerlings per acre. Hatchery Manager Dan
Jessup checks walleye eggs at Cikana State Fish Hatchery Due to concerns about fish genetics, walleye for stocking the St. Joseph River are obtained from Michigan as the St. Joseph River originates in Michigan, then flows south into Indiana before entering Michigan again.
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