WATSON -- There has been no hiding the fact that Lac qui Parle Lake has produced some of the region's best walleye action this autumn and late summer.
The flotilla of boats that seemed permanently on patrol around the Milan bridge in recent weeks revealed the whole story.
What is not so obvious is the work going on today to make it possible for similar walleye action next year as well.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been busy stocking walleye fingerlings in the lake this fall. It is adding some 55,000 young fingerlings to the lake, part of an on-going effort to supplement the lake's natural reproduction.
Along with the fingerlings now being added, the DNR also stocks walleye fry in Lac qui Parle Lake in two of every three years, according to Norm Haukos, fisheries supervisor with the DNR in Ortonville.
ADVERTISEMENT
Haukos said the stocking is needed. Natural reproduction in the lake has been down, particularly in the last two years. Net samples taken by the DNR show an absence of some year classes.
The last good year for natural walleye reproduction on Lac qui Parle occurred in 2001, when flood conditions existed in the spring. Haukos said that historically, the lake sees its best natural reproduction of walleye in high water years.
Fortunately for anglers, Lac qui Parle Lake generally offers a good forage base for young walleye and consequently stocking efforts usually do well. The stocking of fingerlings tends to produce the best results. In Lac qui Parle Lake, the mosquito-sized fry are especially vulnerable to being gobbled up by other, larger fish.
The fisheries supervisor is optimistic that the fry and fingerlings being added to the lake will make up for the limited natural reproduction occurring in recent years.
Thanks to the lake's fertility and food base, Haukos said fingerlings being added to the lake this autumn could grow to 14-inch to 15-inch size by the end of next summer. Many of the lake's anglers prefer walleyes of this size for eating; they often return the larger walleye that are important to reproduction.
The stocking program at Lac qui Parle is benefited by a DNR investment in more walleye rearing ponds in the area. The Ortonville fisheries office now has relatively convenient access to a good supply of fingerlings for stocking, according to Haukos. In previous years the fisheries office had to travel farther for a smaller supply of available fingerlings.
The DNR has not conducted a recent survey of fishing on the lake, but Haukos said it's been obvious that the lake has attracted lots of anglers. There is a good population of larger walleyes in the lake, and they are hungry and ready to take the bait. The lake's forage base this year is somewhat down, Haukos explained.
He added that anglers have indicated that they are pleased with the current regulations on the lake. From 1996-2003, an experimental restriction limited the taking of walleye to those 15 inches or larger. The regulation served to create a large population of walleye that were slightly smaller than 15 inches.
ADVERTISEMENT
The current regulation sets a four walleye limit on the lake, with one walleye over 20 inches allowed in possession.
