Arizona Crappie Association

Fishing and Dock Talk => General Discussion => Topic started by: OneBlade on June 03, 2022, 06:55 AM

Title: AZGFD Walleye Stocking
Post by: OneBlade on June 03, 2022, 06:55 AM
Yeah I know this is a crappie site but many members also like walleye fishing. As you know, walleye were stocked in Apache lake years ago but hadn't been stocked for awhile. Some say it's too warm of water for walleye to spawn... may be true, but I occasionally hear of people catching one there. I recall Johnny Johnson getting one at Apache on one of his shows. So I was happy to see AZGFD has resumed that stocking.

AZGFD partners with Iowa DNR to stock more than 1.5 million walleye sac fry at Apache, Canyon lakes

Fishing for walleye is a unique opportunity in Canyon and Apache Lakes. For years the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) worked with other state hatcheries to get free walleye sac fry to continue this angling opportunity. Unfortunately, the hatchery that supplied them had an aquatic invasive species (AIS) outbreak and the department was no longer able to get walleye. Walleye were last stocked at Apache Lake in 2014 and at Canyon Lake in 2016.

AZGFD staff continued to try and find another hatchery that was free of any AIS concerns, but no one was able to produce a surplus. However, last year Aquatic Wildlife Branch staff contacted the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and they indicated the Spirit Lake Hatchery in Iowa might be able to assist. Iowa had just started using a new integrated recirculating aquaculture system (aka RAS system) that was self-contained and had no AIS concerns. This was an amazing opportunity and a chance to partner with another state to help create angling opportunities for Arizona. Based on the supply Iowa was expecting, the best option was to get surplus walleye to stock into Canyon and Apache Lakes.

Coordination began with constant communication between AZGFD and Iowa DNR. Iowa
Title: Re: AZGFD Walleye Stocking
Post by: Fishless on June 04, 2022, 05:30 AM
Years ago when the southwest walleye group pushed for them to be stocked g and f did what you see now. When we were die hard smallie and yellow bass fishing at Apache all the time many moons ago we would occasionally catch walleye as a bonus there are some nice flats on that lake where I think the night crawler rig would work. For several years g and f stocked two species of trout in Apache also I would would catch them occasionally and pretty good size.
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