I'd be all for paying for a walleye/sauger or call it the tooth stamp if it meant more stocking of walleye, esox, and sauger. Just dont know how they could enforce something like that. Probably a better idea to just to raise everyone's license $10 and put it toward that. Maybe sell coarse fish license(sheepshead, carp, kitties, redhorse, shad/mooneye etc) for cheap and a predator license(bass, walleye, pike, muskie, etc) for cheap, then a combo license would be double minus a few bucks. But again, not sure how you enforce that on anglers fishing at say the Allegheny or Ohio Rivers.
 
Only way PA F&G is going to improve walleye populations is throwing money at it.  I buy a trout stamp I use once or twice a year, until this year I paid for Erie and didn't really use it, this season I didn't get it knowing I can pay the $38 or whatever when/if my wife decides we are going to Erie this summer. 
 
 
 

NAY............ but thanks Roy. lol


I am nowhere near the years spent fishing Pymie as some who post on these boards.

I know only the information of which I have read regarding the days of old, when
catching the fish of gold, is said to have been much better.

I do find the info involving the "net catches" provided by Marco to be very interesting. That information in itself, says Walleye do exist and thrive in the waters of Pymie.

Also, I have spoken to several seasoned Walleye anglers who tell me thier catches remain constant with some very healthy fish.

Heck these guys even went to extra effort with trying to teach me thier methods. Bless thier hearts, such a waste of thier valuable time.

Perhaps, instead of calling for more money, be it through volunteers (bless thier hearts(and thank you)) or fee increases, a simple change in regulations should be tried for a few years.

Might a closed season in the Spring; a slot limit or; designated nursery waters, make a signigifant change?

Looch your read makes for some interesting thought.

Sauger, Walleye or, Saugeye.

The following was taken from a article written in the LAKE SCIENTIST.

"Throughout the 1960s and 70s, walleye were stocked with little success in turbid, structure-deficient reservoirs. In the late 70s, it was discovered that saugeye not only survive better than walleye in reservoir habitats, they also grow faster and are more easily caught by anglers. A phenomenon known as “hybrid vigor” can most likely explain the hybrid’s aggressive feeding"

For additional reading click the following link.

http://www.lakescientist....ke-facts/fish/saugeye/

well 40" is legal, catching a legal muskie is pretty rare and you are talking about a 9-10 year old fish. I wonder how big of a percentage make it to the 30-35 inch that seem to be most prevalent at least where I fish. In a natural setting pike yearlings eat muskie fry(and all the other predators they have to avoid, these fish run the gauntlet to make it even a few years) simply because they spawn earlier and I'm sure that's why muskie stocking programs are needed in NW PA waters that hold pike+muskie.
 
I really dont have a problem with giving them an extra $10 for a pymatuming stamp or my mythical statewide mythical tooth stamp  if I know they are gonna tackle the issue. I already buy a trout stamp for my wife and I that I dont use a and when we do we release 95% of them for some other kid to catch, 5-6 voluntary licenses for kids and grandkids so the little dudes have a license on their hat like grandpa, and I used to get Erie stamps I barely used. 2 year registrations on a couple kayaks and my jonboat. I dont mind it, especially if they would even put in 25% of the effort toward walleye that they do trout. We do go to Pymatuming a couple times a year but I usually dont get much serious me-only-no-kids fishing time
 
I'd be all for supporting private ventures too that want to tackle the issue in a smart way. I dont see it happening though for walleye. 
 
BTDT, thanks for article!

CAPTAIN HOOK
.......... Wonder why they are testing water flows on Pymy ?   

Herbicide applications?

Pesticide application to prevent Zeke Virus?

Locate currents and flowing water needed for Walleye to naturally spawn?

Kenegetemn
I guess crappies are more important than walleye..........

Yes Sir, given that a novice angler (me) can plop a bait, under a bobber, into the water and catch numerous fish like Crappie (except me(stupid fish)).

While Walleye are occasionally caught by chance, (I do get lucky(catching a fish)) they do require a bit more knowledge, time and, skill.

I remember catching Crappie many (many many) years ago and they were considered a nuisance fish. While I never targeted the fish, what was caught, never seemed to be larger than 6" at best.

Then in the mid 70s I was introduced to my first Crappie fillet cooked with a slice of onion, wrapped in foil and placed on a grill.

Fast forward 2017 and I still enjoy Crappie fillet be they cooked with onion in tin foil, deep fried with beer batter or fixed "poor man lobster" style.

Now I only need know when he's planning a fish fry with those buckets of fish, so I can weasle my way into dinner at Marcos.

Honestly, the PBFC in my opinion, would do far better stocking Crappie instead of those stupid trout.

Crappie can survive and reproduce in our area streams, rivers and compounds unlike trout that, requires special conditions and, die within weeks of stocking.

Give the trout anglers thier due, they pay for the privilege but impose limits, charge for a Crappie stamp and stock em where the average guy can catch em, with his family, and enjoy a "tasty fish" fry. If they (PBFC) build it; the anglers (me) will come.

Anyways, it's usually the "catching" of fish that normally draws the "masses" who will vacation and spend money.

Whether Walleye actually reproduce successfully in Pymatuning is irrevelant. What matters is Walleye still respond to spawning and just like with every other fish they become the most volunerable during pre-spawn and difficult at post spawn.

As for the PBFC, I have voiced my opinion on this subject in the past. As the saying goes; "to many chefs (biologist) ruin the broth".

No one has ever witnessed that (Carp netting ) I'm told ....only hear say or rumor . 

Captain, I have personally witnessed the carp netting.  Back in the day, there used to be a net suspended by ropes which laid on the bottom under the road bridge at the spillway.  They would lift the net frame and then use a jon boat to net the carp out of it and put them in brailers they would lift to an aerated truck(which actually was parked in the road above.)  I have no idea where they took them, but i saw it several times.  I'm soon to be 51 and i was probably between 8-14 when I watched them do it.  

 
 
 
Some interesting facts regarding the numbers of Walleye stocked in Pymie.
 
 
 
2005      WalleyeFry                   13,000,000
 
2006      WalleyeAdvanced Fry     244,382
 
2006      WalleyeFry                    21,000,000

 
2016      WalleyeFingerling           293,000
 
2016      WalleyeFry                    4,000,000
 
2017      WalleyeFry                    1,500,000
 
 
 
 
                         Pymie santuary
 
 
 
2014      WalleyeFry                      7,418,001
 
 
2017       WalleyeFry                      1,875,000
 
 
 
Sorry 'bout all the edits.............
 
 

I'm with big tuna on my preference of eating fish. Crappie generally are too mushy for me. Why isn't the state look at sauger and saugeyes more? As far as eating ,they are right in between perch and eyes, plus they tend to be more aggressive. The Shenango River system sounds like it'd be a perfect fit as far as water clarity goes.

SWR your the first witness I've heard ever that seen that ! Finally ! I've heard the story years ago that they use to take netted Carp and sell them to companies that made cat and dog food or fertilizer companies ,but always rumors no witnesses . I can't prove any of that or if they even still do it or did it . It's always been a hush /hush topic for many years especially by the Fish Commish....why I don't know? Last time I asked a local fish warden years ago about it he said they never did that ! Go figure !
 
Local best eating fish in my book.......all good!
Perch #1
Young smaller Walleye # 2
Crappie , Blue gill , Rock Bass all tied at #3

Grilled Pike goooood.......


Garlic baaaaad.........


Opsman I'm with ya on the grilled Pike and deep fried is just as yummy. I watched a dude demonstrate how to fillet the toothy critter and I think I could even do it. Now I need only "catch" one big enough, to make it worth while.

Speaking of toothy critters, one fish I've never dined with is the Musky.

BTDT,if you eat garlic you will catch some eyes,they like garlic flavored crawlers on a floating jig head.