How many walleyes in your life?

[Walleye Express]

The wife asked me an odd question last night. Odd only because she takes little if any interest in my fishing, other then to wish me good luck when she can catch me before I leave for a charter or for a fun day out with friends. How many walleyes do you think you've caught in your life, she asked? I told her I really didn't know and only kept count one year during my Bay charter trips in 2001, 683 was the total. And even that did not include the personal trips I took that year on both the St.Claire whippen Night stalker stick baits, trolling the sag. at night, or simply jig fishing the Sag. and Titt. rivers. I remember a 75 fish trip on the titt one day and several over 50 a day fall/winter charter trips on the Titt back in 88/89. And then when I think about those unbelievable trips back in the late 50's/60's to Monoscong Bay, I told her I thought about 100,000 would be a fair (if not low) number. Heres a picture of one of our weekend trips back in 1959, when I was but 7 years old. So how many walleyes do you think you've sent to fryers heaven?

[Walleye Express]

I should probably clarify that I mentally included all fish caught on my charters or on/from my boat when with friends. Most if not all those trips are taken in places I pick/anchor or troll and/or on the rigs I suggest we use. Probably not fair (in essence) to include them as fish I've personally reeled in. I'd probably adjust my own number to about 30,000 in those 53 years I've been catching them.

[GLF]

I can count the number of walleyes I have caught on 2 hands. Before I fished with Frank(Priority1) last year, I could have counted them on 1.

I have caught somewheres around 10 walleyes.

Now if you wanted to count the other green fish(bass), I will need to get out the adding machine.

[Priority1]

I have never been asked that question before. I started seriously fishing them in the 80s, but never kept score. If I never boat another one, I'm satisfied with the great walleye fishing that I'm fortunate enough to have in my back yard. As far as reeling in the fish I'm more likely than not to pass the rod. My biggest thrills are when kids are onbaord. They can always reel in my share.

[Adam Bomb]

Ive never been asked that either, but its been an aweful lot. Started fishing them on the big water as a youngster(5 yrs old) in 1986 with my Dad and have been hooked ever since.

In recent years i have begun to compile a daily log of my trips with the days info including, weather-temp, wind and sunny/cludy/rain etc), water conditions-(temps, clarity, depth), presentation-(lead length, bait type, color, size etc) speed-(SOG), where w/breif description and a GPS coord, number of fish caught both legal and sublegal(also noting big fish), along with a notes section to breifly describe the days events or any other pertinent iformation. Although i have daily totals, ive never tallied them up at the end. Its more important to me for the where, when and what was succsessful or not succsessful during that particular time frame. After a couple years you can look back and see a pattern that holds true from year to year and gives you a general sense of where to look and when to look there. Ill often refer to it if we should hit some tough fishing for some reason.

[tltorrice]

I can't imagine how many walleyes I have caught in my life. But two years ago I had my best year with 101 boated out of Lake Erie.

[Walleye Express]

I can't imagine how many walleyes I have caught in my life. But two years ago I had my best year with 101 boated out of Lake Erie.

I'm going to bet that the guys living on or near Lake Erie are in a catching numbers class all their own. I remember a few of the old days in the late 70's early 80's. My mother ran the Phils Inn Motel for a few years in Port Clinton and we would spend a couple weeks a year over there. Counting down Erie Deries and Gold Nuggets out of the Coolie Canal (SP) area or out near the West Sister island was unbelievable. Nothing anywhere or at any time in my life compares to that (fish on every cast) fishery we experienced during those trips.

[tgafish]

Most of my life was spent in the metro detroit area but I would guess my number is no more than 100. Never took full advantage of the tremendous fishing in the area. Trying to rectify that in my later years:)

[Alessandro]

None, but I caught the cousin named zander twice, about ten in total.

They don´t live where I do, biggest was a 8 lbs, been with my mate when he caught a 12 lbs.

What´s the average size of your walleyes?