Cecil/Bill/Pottsy/and others:
"Food for thought", in talking with MNR in Ontario for my lake (now 16+ acres) I was told walleye should do fine and reproduce well if;
1. Create some riprap shoreline on the east side of the lake for the prevailing wind action (big wave action with 850' width) creating eddies etc. on the rock to attract the walleye to spawn among the shoreline rocks.
2. That the stock fish are orginally lake walleye that spawn in the lake as "the Bay of Quinte" where all/most the brood stock comes from for Eastern Ontario (Pottsy's area). If you use river spawn walleye your chances for successful reproduction may be reduced as the walleye that travel up the Thames River to spawn from "Lake St. Claire" near Detroit.
Keep up the great info as I will stock 500 walleye fingerling next spring 2"-3" from Pottsy's area into my lake for growout and hopefully spawn reproduction. I will keep you guys informed. I guess I better get some minnows in the lake (Bill/others-any ideas for a good northern minnows that will spawn prolifically in my 10-15% weed cover) as I have a tremendous amount of perch already with recently introduced native bluegill that spawned very well this past year. I introduced some SMB this spring as a start to a predator fish base and they spawned very well and grew like crazy with the bluegill/rock bass/perch forage base. I also added approx. 20 adult LMB as I caught them elsewhere for spawning next year. I will buy approx 200 8-10" LMB next April as well to get that predator going as well. Only time will tell if the SMB/LMB and walleye will survive as predators and the perch/pumpkinseed/rock bass and bluegill can keep up or need to be thinned or both? I will look forward to your comments with this tricky Fish/pond management program. This winter I will be adding the structure to the lake for the LMB, SMB and bluegill (dense and loose structure) in the designated areas for optimum benefit per each species of fish (eg rock structure for SMB in semi deep area between the deeper areas and the shallows). Sorry for the run on but I am getting excited with this project and future results. I'm hoping with your input we as a group can benefit from this experience and I will share the growth, success and setbacks along the way as we move forward to a lake with these successful species living amongest their destinated areas of water depth and structures in my old gravel pit full of sand,gravel and clear water. Thanks
Rowly
