WALLEYE STOCKED AT PYMATUNING LAKE
Nearly 300,000 walleye fingerlings stocked in effort to improve opportunities for anglers
ANDOVER, OH - The ODNR Division of Wildlife, in concert with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), stocked 293,000 walleye fingerlings (measuring about one inch) in Pymatuning Lake on May 23, 2008.
The PFBC is also planning on stocking similar numbers of walleye fingerlings in this lake within the next few weeks. Both fisheries agencies have decided to focus on a fingerling stocking approach, rather than walleye fry (1/4”) stockings, since walleye fry survival has been extremely poor since 2001. “The hope is that whatever problems that the walleye fry have encountered in past years, such as food availability, predation (on the walleye fry), etcetera may be lessened by stocking larger fish,” said Phil Hillman, fish management supervisor for the Division of Wildlife.
The walleye fingerlings will be marked, which will enable biologists to determine their contribution later this fall when these walleye will be sampled during electrofishing surveys as six to nine-inch fish.
“Fingerling stockings will continue for a number of years while fisheries biologists from both state agencies gauge the results. Both agencies agreed that it might also be valuable for the PFBC to continue stocking four million walleye fry in Pymatuning Lake in the event that, at some point, the conditions for fry survival improve,” noted Hillman.
Questions or comments about the walleye stocking and other fishing-related matter may be directed to the Wildlife District Three office in Akron at (330) 644-2293.