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…….