What on earth (water) happened???????

[duckiller2]

Is it just me (I know it was not just me) or is this not the worst year for catching eyes through the ice EVER. I am wondering if something happened or if we are in the middle of issues that we just do not fully understand yet. I will be interested in what the catch looks like this spring. Caught 18 keepers this year granted I fish less but that is because I wasn't catching anything. last year 2012-100 fish 2011-177 fish and 2010-245 so gives? Any thoughts? Could it be low water levels just had fish holding somewhere else because what had been 25 ft of water is now 22-23 ft. Lack of bait and food have them out deeper? It it stays like this ther will be all kinds of equipment for sale.

[raywriter]

Here is an observation: While watching a camera in water from 8 to 12 feet deep throughout the season I have consistently seen dozens of small perch - all of which are good forage for walleyes and pike. In fact, almost every time I have fished in the shallow shack I have seen nice walleyes and pike cruising through (also an occasional trout or salmon). I have to believe they are feeding on this small forage. I have tried to entice these bigger fish with small suckers and big shiners with just limited results. These fish seem to be very well-fed and maybe that's why we have seen a light bite all season. Also, the lower level of the bay has helped concentrate the forage fish in a smaller area. With super-abundant natural forage, the walleyes are hitting fishermen's presentations less. Just speculating.

[chrisgofish]

It is not just you, this has been by far the worst year for catching (and seeing/graphing) fish. Like you, i gave up mid-season for eyes and switched to whities, i couldn't take it anymore, at least i caught some whities. What makes me nervous is the number of fish on camera i was seeing. There were several days this year when i saw 0, or only a couple fish on cam. 5-6 years ago, i could count on seeing at least 20-30 fish per night at least looking (not to say i caught em all) at my bait. i caught 2 (yes 2) legal eyes all year, although they came in at 27 1/4" and 27 1/2", so those 2 fish softened the blow a bit.
i would love to have an idea what's happened, i hear lots of exuses, low water, lots of forage, indian netting, overharvest .......... but who knows.
my 2 cents worth is that there just plain is not near as many fish in the bay, whether it be they are down south, or the population is just lower (illegal netting took many more fish than we know of). Also, i have to throw this out there, ive heard many reports of fish caught per season by fisherman, such as several hundred x years ago, to very few this year, and it has been on the decline for most people, including myself. several hundred fish for many people is alot of fish, and one problem i have with us yoopers is we dont manage waters very good as fisherman, that is, how many inland lakes do you hear get fished out by people taking fish after fish trip after trip. We plain ol' harvest to much and then complain when its not there. Sorry im rambling a little off topic, and not saying thats the case here, ive heard the biologists say there is plenty of natural reproduction to support whats taken in the bay, but as a fisheries technician, i will take those words with a grain of salt.
I am hoping for a vast imporvement in the fishing next winter.

[duckiller2]

All real good thoughts Guys thanks for taking the time to respond Keep it coming just looking and talking about how or why it has been beyond slow out there.

[uglystik]

Not so long ago i talked to an older gentleman who told me about all the fish he used to catch from a wooden rowboat towing a handline with a orange flatfish. Personally i have never been that lucky,however i do remember catching limits off of breezy point in hs using a beat up yellow mirro with a 3 hp johnson, using very basic stuff . I still love that se wind. Some fish are still here, but it is no mystery that the numbers are in fact down by allot, this is compounded by the fact that the resident population seems to get smarter each and every year. There are infact allot of things to blame,the common ones being gill nets, cormorants, greedy sports fisherman, invasive species,choose your poison. As sportsman/sportspeople all we can do is be stewards to the environment and the bay we all love. Walleye are vulnerable, spawning time is upon us keep an eye out for foul play and report it to the authorities. those are my thoughts