Kawarthas walleye in trouble

Have you guys noticed the walleye population decline in the kawarthas? This is a good read, https://savethewalleye.ca/ and here’s the reason https://jamieschmale.ca/walleye/LarrysReport.pdf

I have emailed the Trent Severn waterway system, as well as the other parties involved. I encourage EVERYONE to send out emails and put pressure on them to fix this problem.

So far I have gotten this reply back.

Dear Brandon,
Thank you for taking the time to write to my office. Sincerest of apologies for the delay in responding to your message.
Effective communication between constituents and their elected officials is crucial for a thriving democracy, and your engagement helps ensure that your voice is heard, and your needs are considered.
I have been trying for two terms to get the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNRF) and the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) to acknowledge that the walleye fishery and lake levels need improvement.
The two are closely tied.
At the federal level, I continue to pressure the TSW to direct spring water over the spawning beds on the north side of the Bobcaygeon River in March/April. Current operations use only two hydraulic gates on the far side of the river that divert water away from the historic spawning area.
It would seem manual logs aren’t as easy to operate as push-button gates! The TSW requires an expensive study spanning several years before they consider my request on behalf of the Save the Walleye committee. This red tape answer is compounded by an unwillingness to fund this study.
Kawartha Conservation has offered to take on these studies and try to secure funding.
Provincially, the MNRF shrugs its shoulders and says, “things aren’t that bad.” Not bad compared to what? The fishery has experienced a steady downhill trend for decades, something the MNRF is quick to pin on fishing pressure. But fishing pressure is lower than it’s been in decades, given how difficult it is now to catch one due to annual reproduction failure. And if the MNRF holds fast to pressure, why run an unenforced winter fishery? It’s a money grab that facilitates poaching. The MNRF’s final crutch statement is that they don’t control the water, pushing blame up the ladder.
Getting different levels of government, and their respective agencies, to cooperate has been difficult.
Save the Walleye proposed using Bobcaygeon and Lindsay as two pilot project areas for what I hope will be a system-wide change.
I will support this campaign and I’ll do what I can to pressure the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change for Canada (MOE) and the provincial Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to do the right thing.
The biggest problems: lack of winter water, ecologically harmful water levels and flows, and worn-out spawning areas. If we fix these things, we will better support the spawn, realize higher hatch rates, and see an increase in walleye recruitment over the next 5 years and beyond. It is my hope that future generations will know the fishery and our waterway as it once was—healthy and thriving.
I encourage you to call local agencies and add your voice. Thank you for your support!
Please accept my best wishes.
Again, thank you for writing.

Sincerely,
Jamie Schmale
Member of Parliament
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock

This is a great topic, similar to what metalbuckle posted last week. The more people that read these articles and learn and pass on the content the better. I do agree that the walleye has been in decline for a few decades now. And as mentioned in the other thread, I do not think the walleye will be able to get back to the numbers that there once was. But, I have seen some very promising signs in the past five years. My friends have seen these exact indicators as well throughout the Kawarthas in the last four to five years. In my own fishing adventures for example. The gross amount of juvenile walleye caught and released has grown every season since 2019 and 2020. As for 2021, 2022, and 2023 every year has been better than the previous. Not just the small walleye numbers have increased in catches. Many walleye in the slot to bring home to the family, as well as releasing many keepers that I thought were not ready to be taken, because the fish were not past the 16 inch mark on the tape measure. I try and only keep walleye between 16 and 19.7 inches for personal reasons. If I am fishing Balsam Lake I do keep some large walleye and do release many in numbers as well. The last few seasons Mother Nature has brought me many catches of monster walleye that I have been lucky enough to catch and take a picture of. Since joining the Fishing Forum back in 2020 I have enjoyed sharing some stories and pictures with the members. I have also enjoyed reading and seeing the pictures and stories posted from other members, that were out targeting walleye and the other species of fish in the Kawarthas . The point is, in my experiences out fishing the last half decade the walleye numbers are up from 5 to 20 years ago. Not just the walleye fishing has been better. I have caught more crappie, bass, pike, and muskie in the last 5 years to put a few more species into the conversation. Fishing will never be what it was a long time ago in this region, but I do think it will be stable for a while. It all depends on how we all respect the fishery. Just because we catch a bunch of fish, does not mean we need to take them all home. Respect the gifts that Mother Nature has given us. Handle the fish with care. Every fish that does not survive means that fish will never spawn and create more fish. Catch some fish, keep some fish, but we need to release more fish than we keep.

Sooooooooo we are blaming the dam dams now LMAO ok so maybe they are a problem but the heavy fishing pressure poaching and ice fishing isn't the problem. no not at all.

I only fish Rice and for the last five or more years, the cigar type baby Walleye are almost non existent. Have never seen it like this and been fishing Rice Lake for 50 plus years. The Walleye fishing has also been very poor the last couple years.

Two years ago the weed growth was the worst I have ever seen it. Weeds in the main channels, which is very odd.

Where does the money go we pay for our fishing licenses. Why is MNR not doing something to improve this.

How can Lake Erie continue to have exploding walleye populations and excellent spawning success, but Rice Lake is not?

Also - what happened to the larger perch population on Rice Lake. Used to have an excellent keeper perch population. Bluegills are also smaller than they once were.

Rice used to be an outstanding walleye lake.

Bass population is still healthy, but would rather catch Walleye and Perch.

Weed growth is good for walleye. It provides shade and places for walleye to hide as well as hunt for prey. There is also more oxygen in the weeds and the water temperature is a bit lower in the weeds. When the water gets warmer my favourite places to fish for walleye, is right where the drop offs are at the edge of a weed bed. During the day we fish along the weed line where the water depth is around 8 to 10 feet and then drops off to 12 to 15 feet. At night fishing inside the weed lines, anywhere from 2 to 8 feet. I do not know anything about Rice Lake but you might try fishing around and above the weeds. I try and stay just above the weeds ticking them with a crank bait, or plastics baits under a slip bobber. Your question on Lake Erie walleye....The walleye in Lake Erie grow much faster than in the Kawarthas, reaching spawning size about 2/3 of the time it takes in the Kawarthas. Lake Erie is loaded with walleye. More walleye, more spawning, more baby walleye to continue the cycle. Also, the fishing on Lake Erie brings in millions and millions of dollars to the local economies. They do a lot over there to protect the walleye fishery. I lived in Kingsville as a child, Lake Erie has always been a great walleye lake. A few ups and downs over the years, but Erie is a giant fish bowl full of many fish species. 60 to 80 million walleye for example, depending on who you ask. Not sure exactly why Rice Lake is not what it was in the past, but it may be from what the original post said. I hope you do have some luck this season. Stay safe.

Over fishing and poaching is what happened to Rice Lake especially in winter. Mostly certain groups of fishermen nuf said