My last fish of 2011?

keithdog · 11-25-11, 06:46 PM

This may very well be the last fish I catch this year. Todays temps were in the low 50's and so I thought I would drive out to the lake and make a few casts from shore. There is a pier I like to fish from when the water is cold located in the north west part of the lake. I'm not sure how much this walleye weighed but it measured very close to 30 inches. I unfortunately left my scale home. Anyone in here have any idea what a thick bodied 30 inch walleye should weigh? Anyways, it's the largest walleye I've ever caught. She hit a 5 inch Excaliber jerk bait, black back shad pattern. I was tempted to take her home for the fryer but I released her back into the lake. First off, there are not a lot of walleye in this lake and a nice walleye like this I felt should be put back. Secondly, I have this thing that I always do. Kind of a spiritual thing I guess. I always release the last fish of the year regardless of species or how large it is. My way of saying thanks for the gifts God has given us to enjoy in the great outdoors.

woody · 11-25-11, 07:12 PM

That's a great looking walleye, Keith. Congrats

I'm not sure on the weight though.

-Mark

nofearengineer · 11-25-11, 07:30 PM

Keith, that is a magnificent walleye.

That walleye looks to be pretty healthy, and the girth to probably be around 15 inches. I would think it weighs 8 or 9 pounds.

Man...have you eaten walleye before? It's so hard to see a critter like that without tartar sauce.

I would have kept her, and then made myself go fishing again. LOL

rrw4258 · 11-25-11, 07:40 PM

Wow, very nice Walleye, Keith. A healthy 30 incher in Lake Erie goes right around 10-11 pounds. I am guessing that yours is not quite as fat as ours here on the Lake, but it looks a true 8 or 9 pounds. A real great catch, a trophy for sure!

Ryan

bamabassman · 11-25-11, 07:59 PM

awesum keith. i guessed 8 pounds too folks. probably more though. hopefully i can get one at dale?

bluebasser86 · 11-25-11, 08:22 PM

Very nice walleye! I'd agree with the 8-9 pound range on weight. Got to love those Erratic shad! Caught my PB bass for the year on one.

nofearengineer · 11-25-11, 09:14 PM

Bama, at Dale Hollow, 5-6 pounders are fairly common.

bassinbob · 11-25-11, 09:43 PM

Beautiful fish Keith. Very fat and healthy looking 10lber. Did you know they eat bass? Just kidding

bamabassman · 11-25-11, 09:50 PM

good bryce. kory sent me a crankbait that SHOULD work great. WISH ME LUCK KORY!!

keithdog · 11-25-11, 10:10 PM

This is the lure I caught it on. An Excaliber minnow. I've caught several nice bass on this bait when the water is very cold. Right after ice out I caught 3 large bass from the same pier using this bait and lost a bass I estimated at 9 pounds just as I was reaching down to lip her. If I ever loose this lure I'm gonna cry, haha

bamabassman · 11-25-11, 10:27 PM

well keith oyu better not bring it to dale hollow. it might get "lost", hahahaha!!!

joedog · 11-26-11, 12:15 AM

Very nice Wally. Not a bad way to closeout the season!

Bassboss · 11-26-11, 12:21 AM

Awesome walleye keith! Glad you where able to get out. If the weather here stays nice (40* apparently is "nice" now, lmao) for a while, I might have to make a little trip somewhere.

11-25-11, 06:46 PM	#1
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	My last fish of 2011? This may very well be the last fish I catch this year. Todays temps were in the low 50's and so I thought I would drive out to the lake and make a few casts from shore. There is a pier I like to fish from when the water is cold located in the north west part of the lake. I'm not sure how much this walleye weighed but it measured very close to 30 inches. I unfortunately left my scale home. Anyone in here have any idea what a thick bodied 30 inch walleye should weigh? Anyways, it's the largest walleye I've ever caught. She hit a 5 inch Excaliber jerk bait, black back shad pattern. I was tempted to take her home for the fryer but I released her back into the lake. First off, there are not a lot of walleye in this lake and a nice walleye like this I felt should be put back. Secondly, I have this thing that I always do. Kind of a spiritual thing I guess. I always release the last fish of the year regardless of species or how large it is. My way of saying thanks for the gifts God has given us to enjoy in the great outdoors. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Just one more cast, and then some! Last edited by keithdog; 11-25-11 at 10:15 PM.

11-25-11, 07:30 PM	#3
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Keith, that is a magnificent walleye. That walleye looks to be pretty healthy, and the girth to probably be around 15 inches. I would think it weighs 8 or 9 pounds. Man...have you eaten walleye before? It's so hard to see a critter like that without tartar sauce. I would have kept her, and then made myself go fishing again. LOL __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

11-25-11, 07:40 PM	#4
rrw4258 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bellevue, Ohio Posts: 2,338	Wow, very nice Walleye, Keith. A healthy 30 incher in Lake Erie goes right around 10-11 pounds. I am guessing that yours is not quite as fat as ours here on the Lake, but it looks a true 8 or 9 pounds. A real great catch, a trophy for sure! Ryan __________________ Never Give Up!

11-25-11, 07:59 PM	#5
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	awesum keith. i guessed 8 pounds too folks. probably more though. hopefully i can get one at dale? __________________ so many lures, so little time.

11-25-11, 09:14 PM	#7
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Bama, at Dale Hollow, 5-6 pounders are fairly common. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

11-25-11, 07:12 PM	#2
woody BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jonesville, Indiana Posts: 3,597	That's a great looking walleye, Keith. Congrats I'm not sure on the weight though. -Mark

11-25-11, 08:22 PM	#6
bluebasser86 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Gardner, KS Posts: 605	Very nice walleye! I'd agree with the 8-9 pound range on weight. Got to love those Erratic shad! Caught my PB bass for the year on one.

11-25-11, 09:43 PM	#8
bassinbob BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pitts. Pa. Posts: 3,801	Beautiful fish Keith. Very fat and healthy looking 10lber. Did you know they eat bass? Just kidding __________________ you can have my fishin rod when ya take it from my cold dead hands

11-25-11, 09:50 PM	#9
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	good bryce. kory sent me a crankbait that SHOULD work great. WISH ME LUCK KORY!! __________________ so many lures, so little time.

11-25-11, 10:10 PM	#10
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	This is the lure I caught it on. An Excaliber minnow. I've caught several nice bass on this bait when the water is very cold. Right after ice out I caught 3 large bass from the same pier using this bait and lost a bass I estimated at 9 pounds just as I was reaching down to lip her. If I ever loose this lure I'm gonna cry, haha Attached Thumbnails __________________ Just one more cast, and then some!

11-25-11, 10:27 PM	#11
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	well keith oyu better not bring it to dale hollow. it might get "lost", hahahaha!!! __________________ so many lures, so little time.

11-26-11, 12:15 AM	#12
joedog BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: JANESVILLE,WI. 53545 Posts: 3,415	Very nice Wally. Not a bad way to closeout the season!

11-26-11, 12:21 AM	#13
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	Awesome walleye keith! Glad you where able to get out. If the weather here stays nice (40* apparently is "nice" now, lmao) for a while, I might have to make a little trip somewhere. __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

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