Fall Walleye Index Netting…….

…….or F.W.I.N for you fisheries biologists out there. This is a method of sampling to determine health of a fishery. Back 7 or 8 years ago the MNR did one on Eagle and this week they are doing a second one. Three crews are doing netting samples from all areas of Eagle Lake……one crew happens to be going out of VBL. Today, because of motor trouble on their boat, I had to help out with using my boat to pick up the three nets set in Vermilion Bay.

As you can see it is not always walleye that find these nets! This muskie (maybe 38 inches) was just tangled around some of it’s teeth and was released. They are trying to avoid setting nets where muskie might be found, but on Eagle Lake that is pretty tough to guarantee.

One of the tubs with the fish still in the net. Primarily walleye (of all sizes), a few pike, maybe 8 whitefish and a bunch of perch in total for the three nets I saw. Interesting to note that the best walleye catch came out of about 12 feet of water……..the deeper nets seemed to have many smaller walleye in them. I will keep you posted on anything interesting that comes of this…….

7 thoughts on “Fall Walleye Index Netting…….”

  1. NewMexicam
    Reply

    Hi,
    If anyone is interested in how this survey is conducted and what information is gathered it can be found. I punched in fwin in my search engine and found the results of the 2008 survey. There is lots of info. 2008 didn't, of course, have numbers from Eagle but the next report will.

    Bill

  2. Professor
    Reply

    Hi Gord…Do the nets stay in the water overnight? If so, this may account for getting the best walleye in those 12 foot depths. These fish often make migrations from deeper water to shallower water as daylight turns to darkness.

  4. Gord
    Reply

    Howdy….

    Bill, the last FWIN on Eagle was 7 or 8 years ago, so the 2008 results you were looking at must be from elsewhere…unless they published them with that date.

    Professor Joe……..yes, the nets stay in for 24 hours. I would agree, that catching them shallow may be a night vs. day thing.

    Andy……I'm not surprised to see whitefish in the nets. There is plenty of water deep enough to support whitefish in VBay. Remember that whitefish are netted on the East end of Eagle on a regular basis…..that's where I get them for the fish-fry. I was surprised to see the bulk of them caught out of the net set in the shallowest water.

  5. Perchmaster
    Reply

    Will be interesting to see these results from the survey.
    Gord keep us posted on any unusals that might pop up during this netting survey.
    Now as you guy's remember back earlier in the year how Gord was bragging about this secret walleye hole, well I think we know how he does it now….

  6. charles W. Weiss
    Reply

    Netting Fish , How Civilized
    This is a great document of the neat stuff going on at the Lodge.
    The Whitefish are my favourite. I think they swim all around during the season and the cool water temps and plankton keep them rising and falling like a yo-yo. I'm certain large predators like the walleye, pike and muskie enjoy following them and nibbling on the slower swimmers.
    Gord,glad, to see your volunteering.

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On behalf of the Boyes Group, I would like to pass on our sincere thanks for hosting the Muskie Madness Week and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at VBL and had a great time!! This was our 7th year on Eagle Lake and we have stayed at a few other lodges but VBL takes the cake hands down! You can definitely count us in for next year. I’m happy to see you post some of my pics, they turned out well. Thanks again Gord for a wonderful week of fishing and your stellar hospitality, you run a first class operation, we look forward to seeing you next year!

Trevor Benner

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