# Walleye in the Boardman?



## kwcharne (Jan 8, 2008)

I was fishing the Boardman this weekend for steelhead when I saw some walleye (or at least what looked like walleye) go by. So I was just wondering if walleye come into the river to spawn?... and if so are they in large numbers?. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

If there is a river attached to the body of water they're in thats where they will go to spawn..................tooooo bad its closed season on them right now.....


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## soaringeagle08 (Mar 6, 2008)

Yah i saw two to day in the board, and have been told by two differant guys that they catchem in there and the lake end, and from what they tell me some perty nise perch allso saw one steelie on a stringer this afternoon saw two steelies in the same area where i saw the walleye, not all that far from one another havnt hade the luck of caching one yet but i will never give up.


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Yeah there's a ton of walleye that run the Boardman to spawn. My friends and I catch a lot of them by accident fishing for steelhead with jigs under a bobber. One of my buddies pulled out a 10lb walleye out of there with a steelie jig last April. I think the biggest one I've caught out of there was only about 24 inches but I've seen some hogs in there that were close to 36 inches. Usually a lot of them are gone once the season opens.


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## SpinFly (Oct 9, 2007)

Fishslayer5789 said:


> Yeah there's a ton of walleye that run the Boardman to spawn. My friends and I catch a lot of them by accident fishing for steelhead with jigs under a bobber. One of my buddies pulled out a 10lb walleye out of there with a steelie jig last April. I think the biggest one I've caught out of there was only about 24 inches but I've seen some hogs in there that were close to 36 inches. Usually a lot of them are gone once the season opens.


For one there is not a ton of them in there i've been fishing there for quite a few years what is a ton considered not alot BUT some.


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## SpawnSac27 (Mar 3, 2008)

The Boardman has to be one of the most boring rivers to steelhead fish anyways...I would rather fish in a mud puddle!:lol:


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## fowl assasination (Mar 18, 2006)

Never fished it, but thats funny. Doesnt anyone catch and release????


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

SpinFly said:


> For one there is not a ton of them in there i've been fishing there for quite a few years what is a ton considered not alot BUT some.


Alright, what's an 11 or 12 lb walleye? I know a 30" walleye is about 9 lbs for a fact. So ok, maybe 34" would be about right and I promise anyone that I have seen at least 3 or 4 of them that big. The Boardman does have a lot of walleye. I fish that river probably 30 times a year and I can tell anyone first hand that I have seen a lot of walleye, caught a good amount of them in there over the past few years, and if you know me you wouldn't question anything I just said. Seriously, when have I ever posted something on here that would be questionable?


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Oh by the way, on June 28, 2000 there was an 11.98 lb, 32" walleye caught out of the Boardman River so there you go. I'm sorry I was 2 inches off. If you would like the link to the dnr website, I would be glad to help.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Thanks for the report. Even though the season on walleyes is closed and that means an angler cannot "target" them even if they are practising catch and release it's great that the fish are there. That would mean they're available in the two bays.


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## on-the-hunt (Feb 25, 2007)

SpawnSac27 said:


> The Boardman has to be one of the most boring rivers to steelhead fish anyways...I would rather fish in a mud puddle!:lol:


I find the river pretty cool for fishing. Maybe because I only tried it 3 times and landed a nice steelie each time. But I find it hard to call a river boring, unless you are being sarcastic or maybe you didn't land one of those fresh beauties. 

I have seen walleye swimming around in there and they were big.
good luck


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## captjimtc (Aug 10, 2005)

If you really want to get into them you have to go to the north end of West Bay. i won't give any specifics but there is a large fish-able population in West Bay contrary to what anyone tells you. My 32" weighed in at 12.73 and is on the wall..


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

captjimtc said:


> If you really want to get into them you have to go to the north end of West Bay. i won't give any specifics but there is a large fish-able population in West Bay contrary to what anyone tells you. My 32" weighed in at 12.73 and is on the wall..


Yes, you are not the only person I've heard that from. Supposedly it is excellent if you know where to go. I plan on trying some walleye fishing on West Bay this summer with some of my buddies. I fished the Boardman this morning and went 1 for 3 on steelhead. The 2 I lost were all the way up to the edge and the one bit the jig off and the other bent the jig straight lol. They were all 7-8 lb males. Fun, fun, fun......


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## Benzie Rover (Mar 17, 2008)

the tribe has been planting them in moderate-light numbers for the last decade or so...there have always been a few that ran to spawn since they are a native great lakes fish... all rivers used to get sparse runs... Homestead dam on the Betsie used to have a good run that some of us hardcore crusty old steelheaders may remember from the glory days of that river... the manistee has a strong run still and most all other rivers get some... but the Boardman run has increased substantially since the tribe began planting in efforts to diversify there commercial fishing options... 

they plant them in suttons bay and northport bay mostly... 

the dnr has been luke-warm on them at best as they try and maintain that chinook and lake trout are the most desirable sportfish in the bay for stocking... I personally beg to differ and feel a strong walleye fishery would be great, although, it would be hard to target them in such a vast, deep basin, but if you happen to find a place they frequent, it can be pretty good from what i have heard... I am still trying to learn and hope to figure out a thing or two this summer since I live in town and it is close than my other walleye spots... anyone hoping to figure it out more feel free to PM me and I will be happy to share the few things I have learned...

Matt


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Benzie Rover said:


> Homestead dam on the Betsie used to have a good run that some of us hardcore crusty old steelheaders may remember from the glory days of that river...


Don't call me old or crusty, but I do remember those days of walleyes in the Betsie and VERY large walleyes.

By the way fill out your profile so we can learn more about you.


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Fished it this morning. Caught 4 steelhead (threw back a nice female) and went to my employer's office by 8:00 a.m. I also caught 3 friday and released 2 of them. The fishing was good for me but nobody else anywhere on the river that I saw even had a bite. There's not nearly as many fish in the river as there usually are making the fishing a lot tougher.


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Oh by the way, THANKS FOR THE SWEET INFO ON THE WALLEYE PLANTINGS. That was very interesting to know that there is stocking of walleye in some of the area rivers and also that the Betsie used to have a decent run of walleye. Hopefully, some still go up there!


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## whitee22 (Mar 5, 2008)

Anyone ever catch them at the mouth? If so, on what? Would casting body baits at night work? Or would a live bait rig be better?


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## Incognito (Apr 16, 2008)

whitee22 said:


> Or would a live bait rig be better?


When presented correctly, live bait never fails.


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Fished steelhead for 3 hours yesterday and caught 4 more. I went out today and had some trouble finding where the fish were holding and only managed to catch a 5 lb male at 12:30 this afternoon (of all times to catch a steelhead:lol It was beautiful though and was just pure silver and hit on a jig and waxie under a blackbird float. I've caught 13 steelhead in the past 5 outings but the run is definately coming to a close and some of the fish are dropping back into the lake. I released most of those fish to be caught another day with the exception of a couple which I brined in salt and brown sugar and tossed on the smoker.:corkysm55 I'll be hitting a couple Huron tribs tomorrow and Friday before the trout opener to see if I can catch a couple more steelhead. I can't wait until Saturday to catch some stream trout!!!


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