Biologist Todd Caspers updates the Devils Lake walleye population
Category: News Release
Apr 11th, 2019 by Keith Worrall 724
Modified Apr 11th, 2019 at 4:39 PM
In 2009, there was good coulee fishing and a really good natural reproduction in North Dakota. N.D. Game and Fish Department photo
West Fargo
A couple of weeks ago, I highlighted a status report featured on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s weekly webcast, “Outdoors Online”, relating to the Missouri River- Lake Oahe walleye fishery. This week, I will summarize the webcast’s recent Devils Lake walleye population update featuring biologist Todd Caspers.
Todd Caspers: “The overall walleye numbers are pretty close to average, just a little bit above average. In terms of size distribution, right now most of the size groups of walleyes are right around their long-term averages, except for 15- to 20-inch size group, which is the ones anglers really like to keep. Those are a little bit below average, and the reason for that is that from 2013 to 2015, we had lower reproduction each of those three years, which is not typical on Devils Lake.
“The good news moving forward is that from 2016 to 2018 we had pretty good walleye reproduction, and coupled with stocking efforts in 2016 and 2017, we should again see more ‘keeper’ size walleye for anglers in the next couple of years.
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