Walleye are invasives

[HUNTIN4SIX]

Did the OP not know these species have been in the Columbia for probably 60+years?
Suddenly an issue?  Most salmonids (out migrating smolts) travel in deeper part of the water column and warm water fish will be shallower.  Most smolts travel in large schools and are in a hurry to get to salt as they start to smolt.  The last thing to blame is this wonderful fishery of bass and walleye we’ve had for years.  Anyone ever heard of the studies done on bird predation on the lower Columbia?  Pretty much the islands down there have a layer of coded wire tags from birds crapping them out....millions of them.  Like I said WDFW has significantly reduced hatchery production.  Wdfw won’t tell you that because some in charge are caving to special interest groups that want a utopia of only wild stock salmon.

Well, let's not get it twisted.  Walleye and smallmouth absolutely eat smolts, and are classic ambush predators.  They go where the food is, and don't worry about where they are "supposed" to be in a 100' vertical water column (big hint there for people who are having a hard time finding walleye in "classic" walleye habitat).  The outgoing scenario you describe only applies to free-flowing rivers - large impoundments like those on the Columbia change the calculus significantly.  These non-native predators are definitely a factor.  Saying they aren't part of the problem isn't going to help have an honest discussion about the realities of the situation.

The real questions, as I see them, are
1. Would removing them be effective?
2. Is there a better way to ensure a bigger salmon return (the ultimate goal, right?) than tearing down another thriving fishery?

I loved walleye fishing.  I've done it my whole fishing life, and tournament fished as well.  I traveled to Minnesota and Manitoba just to ice fish for them.  But if I could trade the Columbia River walleye fishery away for a consistent 1 million king return to the Columbia I'd do it in a heartbeat.  The problem is, in trading it away now, there's absolutely no way we get the king salmon back as a result.  We just lose a great recreational opportunity on a world-class walleye fishery.

I don't think that the juice is worth the squeeze there.

I think you'd be surprised how much of the same page we are on.....I bring up these arguments for sake of conversation, that most don't know.  I have studied. worked with and caught salmonids my whole life probably like you.  You are little more hardcore than me   I grew up fishing salmon in the glory year of the 70's and 80's.  Fished all over the coast, strait and heck even the hood canal when it have fish.  My family migrated to bass fishing tournaments in the 80's.  For years I have put countless hours on every Columbia river pool fishing bass tournaments and meat fishing for walleye.  I even found myself throwing baits mimicking smolts so I understand bass and walleye eat them.  Had the opportunity to fish every inland lake on the coast with smolts running through it too.  I am passionate about this subject....like you, I lived it. Unfortunately I was a casualty of the mandate.  I even recently testified against the recent stupid bill that was going to take half of my farm ground in stevens county for salmon and steelhead recovery.  Nothing like getting kicked in the nutz by the state twice.....
The decline of salmon has so many complex issues....I don't have it all figured out.
But what i do have figured out, is working for WDFW I sure learned a lot about the inside and their policies...trust me.  I also figured out hatcheries are very good.  We can, in some regards, propagate our way out of this decline....But never legislate our way out.  I will bring up hatchery production till I'm blue in the face.  So many other factors are sadly out of our control.

[Skillet]

Did the OP not know these species have been in the Columbia for probably 60+years?
Suddenly an issue?  Most salmonids (out migrating smolts) travel in deeper part of the water column and warm water fish will be shallower.  Most smolts travel in large schools and are in a hurry to get to salt as they start to smolt.  The last thing to blame is this wonderful fishery of bass and walleye we’ve had for years.  Anyone ever heard of the studies done on bird predation on the lower Columbia?  Pretty much the islands down there have a layer of coded wire tags from birds crapping them out....millions of them.  Like I said WDFW has significantly reduced hatchery production.  Wdfw won’t tell you that because some in charge are caving to special interest groups that want a utopia of only wild stock salmon.

Well, let's not get it twisted.  Walleye and smallmouth absolutely eat smolts, and are classic ambush predators.  They go where the food is, and don't worry about where they are "supposed" to be in a 100' vertical water column (big hint there for people who are having a hard time finding walleye in "classic" walleye habitat).  The outgoing scenario you describe only applies to free-flowing rivers - large impoundments like those on the Columbia change the calculus significantly.  These non-native predators are definitely a factor.  Saying they aren't part of the problem isn't going to help have an honest discussion about the realities of the situation.

The real questions, as I see them, are
1. Would removing them be effective?
2. Is there a better way to ensure a bigger salmon return (the ultimate goal, right?) than tearing down another thriving fishery?

I loved walleye fishing.  I've done it my whole fishing life, and tournament fished as well.  I traveled to Minnesota and Manitoba just to ice fish for them.  But if I could trade the Columbia River walleye fishery away for a consistent 1 million king return to the Columbia I'd do it in a heartbeat.  The problem is, in trading it away now, there's absolutely no way we get the king salmon back as a result.  We just lose a great recreational opportunity on a world-class walleye fishery.

I don't think that the juice is worth the squeeze there.

I think you'd be surprised how much of the same page we are on.....I bring up these arguments for sake of conversation, that most don't know.  I have studied. worked with and caught salmonids my whole life probably like you.  You are little more hardcore than me   I grew up fishing salmon in the glory year of the 70's and 80's.  Fished all over the coast, strait and heck even the hood canal when it have fish.  My family migrated to bass fishing tournaments in the 80's.  For years I have put countless hours on every Columbia river pool fishing bass tournaments and meat fishing for walleye.  I even found myself throwing baits mimicking smolts so I understand bass and walleye eat them.  Had the opportunity to fish every inland lake on the coast with smolts running through it too.  I am passionate about this subject....like you, I lived it. Unfortunately I was a casualty of the mandate.  I even recently testified against the recent stupid bill that was going to take half of my farm ground in stevens county for salmon and steelhead recovery.  Nothing like getting kicked in the nutz by the state twice.....
The decline of salmon has so many complex issues....I don't have it all figured out.
But what i do have figured out, is working for WDFW I sure learned a lot about the inside and their policies...trust me.  I also figured out hatcheries are very good.  We can, in some regards, propagate our way out of this decline....But never legislate our way out.  I will bring up hatchery production till I'm blue in the face.  So many other factors are sadly out of our control.

  

[HUNTIN4SIX]

Did the OP not know these species have been in the Columbia for probably 60+years?
Suddenly an issue?  Most salmonids (out migrating smolts) travel in deeper part of the water column and warm water fish will be shallower.  Most smolts travel in large schools and are in a hurry to get to salt as they start to smolt.  The last thing to blame is this wonderful fishery of bass and walleye we’ve had for years.  Anyone ever heard of the studies done on bird predation on the lower Columbia?  Pretty much the islands down there have a layer of coded wire tags from birds crapping them out....millions of them.  Like I said WDFW has significantly reduced hatchery production.  Wdfw won’t tell you that because some in charge are caving to special interest groups that want a utopia of only wild stock salmon.

Well, let's not get it twisted.  Walleye and smallmouth absolutely eat smolts, and are classic ambush predators.  They go where the food is, and don't worry about where they are "supposed" to be in a 100' vertical water column (big hint there for people who are having a hard time finding walleye in "classic" walleye habitat).  The outgoing scenario you describe only applies to free-flowing rivers - large impoundments like those on the Columbia change the calculus significantly.  These non-native predators are definitely a factor.  Saying they aren't part of the problem isn't going to help have an honest discussion about the realities of the situation.

The real questions, as I see them, are
1. Would removing them be effective?
2. Is there a better way to ensure a bigger salmon return (the ultimate goal, right?) than tearing down another thriving fishery?

I loved walleye fishing.  I've done it my whole fishing life, and tournament fished as well.  I traveled to Minnesota and Manitoba just to ice fish for them.  But if I could trade the Columbia River walleye fishery away for a consistent 1 million king return to the Columbia I'd do it in a heartbeat.  The problem is, in trading it away now, there's absolutely no way we get the king salmon back as a result.  We just lose a great recreational opportunity on a world-class walleye fishery.

I don't think that the juice is worth the squeeze there.

I think you'd be surprised how much of the same page we are on.....I bring up these arguments for sake of conversation, that most don't know.  I have studied. worked with and caught salmonids my whole life probably like you.  You are little more hardcore than me   I grew up fishing salmon in the glory year of the 70's and 80's.  Fished all over the coast, strait and heck even the hood canal when it have fish.  My family migrated to bass fishing tournaments in the 80's.  For years I have put countless hours on every Columbia river pool fishing bass tournaments and meat fishing for walleye.  I even found myself throwing baits mimicking smolts so I understand bass and walleye eat them.  Had the opportunity to fish every inland lake on the coast with smolts running through it too.  I am passionate about this subject....like you, I lived it. Unfortunately I was a casualty of the mandate.  I even recently testified against the recent stupid bill that was going to take half of my farm ground in stevens county for salmon and steelhead recovery.  Nothing like getting kicked in the nutz by the state twice.....
The decline of salmon has so many complex issues....I don't have it all figured out.
But what i do have figured out, is working for WDFW I sure learned a lot about the inside and their policies...trust me.  I also figured out hatcheries are very good.  We can, in some regards, propagate our way out of this decline....But never legislate our way out.  I will bring up hatchery production till I'm blue in the face.  So many other factors are sadly out of our control.

  

 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Another part of the Columbia river fisheries to add to the extensive equation is the Shad. Have no idea the good or bad they provide.  I do know from top walleye fisherman that the walleye bite does tend to slow way down after the shad smolts emerge and the walleye gorge themselves on them.

[Stein]

There is also the part where a few commissioners think that humans are an invasive species that should be prevented from preying on fish & game.

[bassquatch]

And I will take the healthy Walleye fishery that doesn't rely on millions of dollars in hatchery fish to stay healthy. To each their own!

Hatcheries are like a bandaid on a gunshot wound

and targeting warm water species and not the political and anti-lethal meatheads managing the wildlife in this State is a band-aid on a howitzer wound. Same ---- different year.

[metlhead]

Band aid on a Howitzer wound! Sir, I resemble that remark🤨

[MeepDog]

And I will take the healthy Walleye fishery that doesn't rely on millions of dollars in hatchery fish to stay healthy. To each their own!

Hatcheries are like a bandaid on a gunshot wound

and targeting warm water species and not the political and anti-lethal meatheads managing the wildlife in this State is a band-aid on a howitzer wound. Same ---- different year.

What's an anti-lethal meathead? Like an animal rights activist? Check out these hens I'm going to catch and release into some hot fry oil. Caught them last night

[NRA4LIFE]

Release to the grease!  That's my motto.

[metlhead]

Are walleye eggs any good to eat? Salmon eggs and scrambled eggs are a summer Sekiu staple.

[206]

Are walleye eggs any good to eat? Salmon eggs and scrambled eggs are a summer Sekiu staple.

I've make keta caviar when I get the ripe hen, which is labor intensive.  Can you splain the double egg scramble?

[MeepDog]

Are walleye eggs any good to eat? Salmon eggs and scrambled eggs are a summer Sekiu staple.

I think walleye eggs are great. Scrape them out of the skein and brine them. I mix them with flour and chicken eggs and fry it like a pancake. Just had them this morning with butter and syrup.

[metlhead]

Just toss em in to scrambled chicken eggs

[huntnnw]

Bass.. bed to breaded

[Skillet]

Are walleye eggs any good to eat? Salmon eggs and scrambled eggs are a summer Sekiu staple.

I think walleye eggs are great. Scrape them out of the skein and brine them. I mix them with flour and chicken eggs and fry it like a pancake. Just had them this morning with butter and syrup.

Looks tasty.  I've never eaten walleye eggs, but if I get the chance again I'm going to try it.