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Walleye
fingerlings
are available around the last week of June or the
first week of July and should be ordered early in
the year. In April, eggs
are collected from broodstock. Genetics are outstanding
as many of the large females weigh over 15 lbs. Eggs
are removed and fertilized, then placed in hatching
jars for incubation. Newly
hatched fry are placed in plankton enriched rearing
ponds. Eight weeks later they have
grown to 2" - 3". Fish are delivered
or picked up, (small orders can be picked up.) Fish
are placed in plastic bags with oxygen at this time.
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The young walleye must be moved out of the rearing
ponds within a week or two, otherwise they will be lost through cannibalism,
(fingerling density in the rearing ponds is extremely high). A few
walleye are left in and fed minnows. These fish will be available
in September/October at 4" - 8". Reserving these fish before the
end of June is strongly recommended but not always necessary. |

Seining one of the many rearing ponds. |
Almost any pond or lake will be suitable for walleye as long as it's not
subject to winterkill. Winterkill usually only happens in very shallow weedy water
bodies. As weeds die under ice, they consume oxygen and a layer of snow prevents
sunlight from penetrating and creating new oxygen. So when oxygen crashes the fish
die off. If the pond or lake is devoid of all fish life, it may be subject to
winterkill. Although some minnow species can live through very low oxygen levels.
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Hand counting a customer order. |
Newly stocked walleye will be looking for small minnows,
crustaceans and plankton to eat. If minnows are stocked into a pond they will
provide an excellent source of food, (mud minnows spawn 4 to 5 times a year) for the young
walleye. |
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Growth depends on a lake or pond's fertility but typically 6" the
first fall and 12" by the second fall. Walleye live for about 15 years and may
establish themselves well and naturally reproduce. |

Exceptional growth of minnow fed
fall fingerlings. |
Price depends on size and quantity, please
phone (613) 396-5490
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