The Backcountry Press
The country's premier daily HUNTING, FISHING & OUTDOOR news in the USA and around the globe.  Read whats happening in your neck of the woods & beyond. 

The Backcountry Outdoor News reports the latest hunting and, fishing news along with fishing derbies and tournaments
          from:




HUNTING NEWS CATEGORIES
©  2010 Backcountry Press Outdoor News - All Rights Reserved                                                                                                                                           Website Design by: 


Connect With Us



Disclaimer:  The views expressed on this site are that of the authors and not necessarily that of TBC Press
North America Sportshows
ODNR has Great News for Lake Erie Walleye & Perch Anglers



Submitted by:  TBC Press
Posted on: 09/22/20
News # 13909
“This year’s hatch combined with the exceptional 2015, 2018, and 2019 year-classes ensures an abundance of young walleye will complement the older and larger fish that make up the current Lake Erie walleye population, which is projected to hit a historic high in 2021,” said Travis Hartman, the Division of Wildlife’s Lake Erie fisheries program administrator.

The 2019 hatch also impressed with 47 walleye per hectare. This was the highest catch of 1-year-old walleye ever observed in Ohio’s 2020 August western basin trawl survey, nearly double the previous high from 2015. Walleye from the 1-year-old 2019 class currently range from 7-12 inches and most will hit the harvestable size of 15 inches in 2021.

The August survey found the 2020 yellow perch hatch index to be very good at 536 per hectare. This is well above Ohio’s west basin prior 20-year average of 326 per hectare and ranks sixth in the 34-year survey. This above-average yellow perch hatch will help bolster the population in 2022, along with the strong 2014 and 2018 hatches that are supporting recently improved yellow perch angling success in the western basin.

During the upcoming months, Ohio’s results will be combined with Ontario’s to characterize the basin-wide abundance of young-of-year walleye and yellow perch. This information allows biologists to calculate an initial projection of how many young fish will enter the catchable population two years later, which is one component to determine safe harvest levels in the future.

For more information on the Division of Wildlife’s Lake Erie research and management programs and to find fishing reports, maps, and more fishing resources, visit wildohio.gov. Download the HuntFish OH mobile app for fishing information on the go.

####

Publishers Notes: OUT OF STATE HUNTERS, FISHERMEN & OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS; Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, there could be limitations for OUT of STATE hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts to include a 14-day quarantine requirement or negative COVID-19 testing alternative. Please check with the State's Department of Natural Resources BEFORE you travel or apply for the 2020 Fall Hunts.

As OUR COUNTRY REOPENS AGAIN (from the COVID-19 pandemic) and continue to enjoy outdoor activities, ALL outdoor enthusiasts (man, woman, child) should follow the guidelines set by nps.gov. These guidelines include; social distancing, the Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.

Preliminary results from surveys in the western basin of Lake Erie indicate more great news for Ohio anglers, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The 2020 walleye and yellow perch hatches are both above average and continue an exceptional era of fish production in the western basin of Lake Erie. 

“Each August, Ohio contributes to lake-wide efforts to survey the hatches of walleye and yellow perch,” said Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “Our fisheries biologists survey nearly 40 locations between Toledo and Huron. The information collected is compared to the results from previous years to gauge the success of the walleye and yellow perch hatches.”