42 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2018
F
or years, Game and Parks
biologists have stocked walleye
fingerlings in popular lakes and
reservoirs across the state. Results have
been mixed, with some waters yielding
major benefits and others seeing
poor survival. Southeastern Nebraska
reservoirs fall into the latter category,
where there has been limited success
in building robust walleye populations,
especially in waters with established
largemouth bass populations.
But a new way of raising walleyes
for stocking is changing that, said Jim
Gleim, Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission's assistant division
administrator for fish production. This
new method has resulted in greater
survival rates for stocked walleye, and
better walleye catch rates for anglers.
The process is time-intensive and
involves feeding young walleye a
lot of minnows – about 3.5 pounds
of minnows for every pound of
walleye raised, Gleim estimated. It
took hatchery staff years to perfect
the process, which they began
experimenting with back in the 1990s,
and then revived and finessed in 2013.
This is how the process works:
How to Raise Big Walleye
By Cara Pesek
A walleye is caught on a crankbait from Lake McConaughy in Keith County.
New program offers improved survival rates, catch rates for walleye.
PHOTO
BY
ERIC
FOWLER
