# Walleye growth rate and age



## Timdog (May 15, 2001)

How long would it take a Walleye to reach 15" planted at 1-2". Planted in inland lakes with plenty of food. How old would they get on the average? I know alot depends but I'm only looking for an average to work with as I look thru planting records for inland water. This would be in the west MI. area. Thanks Tim


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## Marble-eye (Apr 17, 2001)

this probably wont help you at all but i've heard that walleyes with their heads smaller in comparision to their bodies have a fast growing rate. That means good forage in the lake and in turn a bigger walleye. Walleyes that have a bigger head in comparision to their bodies have a slower growing rate so it could be a lake with less forage or such. This probably might not help but its a cool fact! good luck man!


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## Timdog (May 15, 2001)

Also I think I read somewhere that only about 10% of the fry will survive to adults. Does this sound right?


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

fry closer to 1%.......fingerlings a little better than 10 %......fry...3 to 4 years to legal length...depending on growing season,forage, etc.


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## PineIsland (Aug 15, 2001)

Walleye in your area stocked in June 2002 at 1.5" on average would be-

6-7 inches the following October 2002 (age 0)
10-12 inches the next October 2003 (age 1)
and sometime the following summer 2004 would pass that 15 inch mark.

This is only an average, but usually between 2-4 years for legal size fish.

I have seen fish make 12 inches (and more) the very first year in a pond situation with good food and no competition. That is only 6-8 months growth ! Normal is 6-7 inches in that time period for a lake.


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## Timdog (May 15, 2001)

Thanks for the info. Tim


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

fry closer to 1%.......fingerlings a little better than 10 %......fry...3 to 4 years to legal length...depending on growing season,forage, etc.

THAT ....
is EXACTLY what a DNR biologist told me....


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2002)

Watched a show on the tv about this. It is hard to tell how old a fish is by its size. they noted males of 20" that got to be 10 years old. Depends on the water, forage and several other important thing. some young fish are huge and old ones are small. They said it is impossible to tell the age by the size. After doing scale samples. They are trying to find a better or more reliable way to age fish than by looking at the scales under a microscope.


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