where have all the fish gone ?

[needham]

It looks like there has been a lot of fishing going on this past several month and not much catching. where are all those walleyes ? i don't believe its just there not hungry. has the nets cut the numbers down this much. I cant justify the 6 hour one way drive to come to the Bay to go home skunked. and the money i would have spent is impacting the UP economy. I have been fishing the bay for over 15 years. I may not fish there anymore due to the lack of fish.
I love it up there but cant justify the 12 hour round trip drive and catch nothing. I am also thinking of canceling my spring week long trip to the Bay also.
what is being done to get the walleye numbers back ?

[The Bait Shop Guy]

There is no shortage of fish in the bay. Hungry fish that are willing to bite - that's another story. Things vary from day to day and who you talk to, but for the most part, everyone at least MARKS fish every trip. Dropping a camera will verify that most of them are walleyes.

If the bite was only bad here on LBDN, then I'd say the nets were the sole reason for it. We talk to people from all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and lower Michigan, and everyone says their fishing has been slower than normal, too.

How has the fishing been in you're neck of the woods?

[The Bait Shop Guy]

A perfect example http://www.outdoors911.com/reports/showthread.php?t=14244

[CrankYanker]

Nothing! Wouldn't want those 10 fish left to catch a VHS virus!! hahahaha
You know the Indians offered to plant more walleye for us to catch but the DNR said no......(becuase of the virus!) Wouldn't want to have to many fish around here anyway...Might actually draw people in to fish... As far as the drive... Don't blame you for not wanting to make it... Maybe MN? They know what the term slot limit means over there and guess what? Works very well for them.. And they have tribal netting also, but doesn't make it a bad fishery. Thinking of takin a trip to ND or MN myself...

[WalligatorGetter]

I don’t get out fishing very much anymore. For example, I haven’t been out in over a week now. However, when I have been able to go out, the fishing hasn’t been too bad (At least not by my standards). I mark fish constantly every time I go out, and usually catch at least a few (sometimes 10 or 12). The biggest thing that has been hurting my catch this year is the fishing pressure. I do most of my fishing north of Gladstone, and, thanks to the lack of ice this year, most of the fishing pressure is confined to that little area.
As I said, the fishing hasn’t been that bad, but you might still want to think twice about making the drive up here. Honestly, it hasn’t been an enjoyable ice-fishing season for me. Normally, I am a structure fisherman, but this year I can’t fish any of my normal spots. I set my GPS to take me to a spot, and all I see as I pull up is a big mound of shacks sitting on it. Now, I pretty much just go to wherever there is nobody else. And, as a result, I don’t catch half as many fish as I would otherwise. I am ashamed to admit it, but I think my total keeper count since ice up is only 22 keeper walleyes.

[needham]

I believe the netters has had a great impact on the future walleye population. and the lower number of catches now.
I have noticed over the last 3 years I have caught less fish. I mentioned it before the netters was caught.
I hope there will be some planting influx over the next few years. I would donate to the cause. Walleye fishing is my passion and it is relaxing.
Little bay is a great place, I will be there fishing this spring but catching will a plus.