Anglers can keep three walleyes per day and only one of those fish can be over 22 inches. When you catch a walleye in Iowa, there’s a good chance that fish got its start in one of Iowa’s walleye hatcheries.
What is the biggest walleye ever caught in Iowa?
Iowa’s largest walleye on record weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces. It was caught our of the Des Moines River back in September of 1986 by Gloria Eoriatti in Ankeny, Iowa.
Where is the best walleye fishing in Iowa?
Walleye fishing the wing dams on the Mississippi River can be great in the summer. Fish a 3-way rig on the upstream side of the wing dam. Riffles, shallow rocky areas in rivers and streams, are great spots to fish for walleyes in the spring (April) and fall (October).
Is a 27 inch walleye big?
And when is a walleye considered a trophy fish? While the walleye’s average size is between 15 and 20 inches and 1 and 3 pounds, they can reach maximum lengths of around 35 inches and weights of up to 25lb. A few specimens have even reached record weights of around 30lb.
How old would a 30 inch walleye be?
A 30 inch walleye averages 16 to 25 years old. Growth rates largely depend on habitat quality and forage abundance. After reaching maturity around year three, walleye grow between 0.5 and 1 inch per year.
How old is a 16 inch walleye?
Male walleye start to mature when they are 12 inches long, 3 years old, but it is not until they are 16 inches long, 5 years old, that all male walleye are sexually mature.
What state has the most walleye?
1. Minnesota. All other claimants can stand down. No state has more lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs stuffed with walleyes than Minnesota.
What is the best month to catch walleye?
Fishing success tends to be highest in May and June. That’s when walleye are most frequently in shallow or semi-shallow locations near shore, thereby making them easier to catch. Walleye move to deeper locations as water temperatures rise throughout summer.
What is the biggest fish in Iowa?
Paddlefish stand out from other Iowa fish with their long, paddle-like snouts, a shark-like body and no scales. But unlike a shark, mature paddlefish have no teeth. They swim with their mouths open to filter food out of the water.
Where is the walleye capital of the world?
Lake Erie: ‘Walleye capital of the world’ – Great Lakes Commission.
What size walleye tastes best?
The best eating size fish: walleye 15 – 18 inches, perch 9 – 12 inches and northern pike 22 – 28 inches. We encourage our guests to enjoy eating while they are here when the fish are at their very best freshness and taste. Shore lunches where fish and food are cooked over an open fire are especially delicious.
Is a 29 inch walleye a trophy?
I believe a walleye that’s 28–29 inches long is a true walleye trophy. My lifetime biggest walleye weighed 12-1/4-pounds. The biggest walleye that one of my clients ever has caught weighed 11 pounds.
Is a 28 inch walleye a trophy?
Some fishermen don’t use a weight scale and prefer to measure their walleyes by length, and the general conciseness is that a walleye of 30″ or more is a true trophy.
What state has the best walleye fishing?
Best U.S. Walleye Fishing Spots In 2022
- Lake Francis Case, South Dakota.
- Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota.
- Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee.
- Lake of the Woods, Minnesota.
- Saginaw Bay, Michigan.
- Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin.
What is the lifespan of a walleye?
The males reach maturity in two or three years, when they are 12 to 13.5 inches long; females mature in four to five years, at lengths of 15 to 17 inches (Fig. 2). On average, walleyes live to be about seven years old, but older specimens have been caught.
How deep do walleye hang out?
Walleye are generally caught between 10-40 Ft. A typical mid-sized lake in the Midwest would likely hold Walleye between the depths of 10-15 Ft. during the Spring, 15-25 Ft. transitioning to Summer, 25-40 Ft.
What is the best bait for walleye fishing?
Minnows. Minnows are the most popular bait option for walleye anglers, I have found consistent success with shiner and flathead minnows. When targeting bigger fish, shiners in the 4-6″ range are the mainstay, these will weed through some of the smaller fish and get you on 25″+ Walleye.
What is the longest walleye ever caught?
So let the record be known in the walleye world that the world record walleye of 25 pounds which measured 41 inches in length was caught by Mabry Harper in the great state of Tennessee in 1960 was a most well documented claim and there has never been any evidence to prove the contrary.
What is the largest walleye on record?
The new fish that took the place in the record books as the biggest of all time was a massive 22-pound, 11-ounce walleye caught by Al Nelson on Greers Ferry Lake in Arkansas in 1982. Nelson caught that huge fish while trolling a Bomber lure during a tournament.
How far do walleye travel in a day?
A walleye could poke along for a few hours and cover 3 or four miles. If a lake has shad and they go shallow the water could be upwards of 75 to 80 degrees(surface temps) This is why a walleye will move into the shallows to feed but seek deeper water to hold in during the heat of the day.
What is the best walleye fishery in the World?
The Bay of Quinte, just off Lake Ontario in eastern Ontario, is arguably the best walleye fishery in the world for consistently large fish — in any season, but especially after Labor Day. From early September until freeze-up in late December, the fishing just gets better and better.