Should I keep the big walleye I catch?
Biology gives an unusually clear answer for this species: eat the medium ones, release the big ones. Walleye fecundity scales steeply with size — a 70 cm (27.5 in) female carries several times the eggs of a 45 cm (18 in) fish, with decades of proven spawning behind her — and because big females are old (potentially 20+ years in Canada), a harvested giant is not replaced next season but next generation. Slot limits across Canada and the northern US encode exactly this: keep fish in the eating slot, release fish over it. The table logic happens to agree — a 40–50 cm (16–20 in) walleye is better eating than a big old female anyway, and lower in accumulated mercury. Photograph the giant, support her in the water until she kicks, and let the lake keep its engine.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about What this means for fishing
- What is the best time of day to fish for walleye?
- How do I fish a jig and minnow for walleye?
- How does a crawler harness work, and when should I pull one?
- How do I troll crankbaits for walleye?
- Is casting shallow at night for walleye really a thing?
- What is a basic ice-fishing setup for walleye?
- How do I plan a walleye year at my latitude?
- How do I hold, unhook and release a walleye properly?
- What are the best lures for walleye, and when does each category shine?
- Do walleye hit topwater lures?
- Do hair jigs, spinners and spoons have a place in walleye fishing?
- Do bass lures — spinnerbaits, Texas rigs, big swimbaits — catch walleye?
- Can you catch walleye on a fly rod?
Same topic, other species
- How many crappie should I keep, and what size? — Crappie
- How do I fight a largemouth hooked near heavy cover? — Largemouth Bass
- When should I book a trophy muskie trip, by region? — Muskellunge (Muskie)
- What does the perch year look like at my latitude? — Yellow Perch
- When is the trophy window at my latitude? — Northern Pike
- Do smallmouth bite at night? — Smallmouth Bass
- What does a year of trout fishing look like at northern latitudes? — Trout (Rainbow · Brook · Lake)