By VDGIF
The walleye is a popular game fish in many areas of the country, but one that is often overlooked in Virginia. DGIF’s aquatics staff uses state of the art techniques to collect, grow, and stock walleye. Here’s how we do it.
Every year, DGIF collects adult walleye to use as brood stock. Brood stock are those fish that are captured, brought into a hatchery, spawned, and then returned to the water. The offspring of these fish support DGIF’s walleye stocking program, which releases walleye fingerlings into water bodies throughout the state. The DGIF walleye-stocking program also augments natural reproduction to make sure that anglers in Virginia enjoy abundant populations of this exciting and tasty game fish.
This year, walleye brood stock collection began on February 27th in the Staunton River near Brookneal. Further collections were then made out of the Pigg River, South Holston Reservoir, Little Creek Reservoir and the New River. As of March 16th, approximately 300 walleye had been collected, the largest being an 11-lb, female out of the New River. Brood stock collection is almost complete, but will continue for another week or two.
At the hatcheries, brood stock walleye are held in large, circular tanks and are treated with a hormone that causes individuals to release eggs and milt. Eggs and milt are mixed together and are then placed into MacDonald jars. These jars ensure that just enough water is moving through the eggs to keep them from clumping, as well as to keep the eggs oxygenated. Shortly thereafter, the eggs hatch and the newly hatched fry are placed in aquariums, where they are kept for three days. Next, walleye fry are placed into rearing ponds, where they will grow for approximately thirty days, become fingerlings, and then are released into the rivers, lakes, and reservoirs of Virginia. Right now, walleye fry are almost ready to be released into the rearing ponds at the Vic Thomas, King and Queen, and Buller Fish Cultural Stations.
After these fingerlings are stocked, they will grow for three years before reaching legal size, which varies depending on the body of water. Walleye can grow well beyond legal size – Virginia hosts some of the largest walleye available anywhere in the country, with individual fish regularly exceeding 10 lbs. Many of these trophy fish were born at one of our hatcheries, and this year’s crop, which will be stocked in May, is likely to produce many more memorable fish.