Pymatuning Lake Walleye Survey Shows Promise for Walleye Population

ANDOVER, OH - An initiative to improve walleye fishing in Pymatuning Lake appears promising based on a recent electrofishing survey conducted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.  Electrofishing is an effective tool in surveying fish populations. Biologists temporarily stun fish with a mild current in efforts to better sample fish populations.

Last spring, these agencies teamed up to stock 586,000 one-inch walleye fingerlings in addition to four million ¼-inch walleye fry.  A September electrofishing survey used to sample these fish four months after stocking, revealed the most six to nine-inch walleye since the year 2000.  The rate at which stocked walleye were collected allows biologists to expect that these fish will make a solid contribution to the fishery by 2011 when they reach the 15-inch size legal for harvest. 

Pymatuning Lake has historically produced one of the best walleye fisheries in the region through an annual fry stocking program.  However, poor survival of fry stocked during 2001 through 2007 encouraged experimental stocking of fingerling walleye.  Changes in the biology of the lake may have created a situation that does not favor fry survival.  When this happens, stocking the larger fingerlings may help a walleye population get back on track. 

Last spring, fry and fingerlings were marked prior to stocking to help fisheries biologists determine the contributions from each size group to the total number of fish captured in the September surveys.   Deciphering these marks should reveal the degree to which stocking larger fish helped generate the most promising batch of stocked walleye since 2000.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission plan to continue experimental fingerling stockings, fry stockings, and annual surveys to evaluate the two stocking strategies.  The September 2008 walleye electrofishing survey results provide room for initial optimism about improvements that may be in the offing for the prized walleye fishery.