WALLEYE: Let 'em run

I am an avid outdoorsman and I have grown up in North Idaho enjoying the abundance of opportunity it has to offer. Mostly, I support the Idaho Department of Fish and Game because I have been blessed with a lifetime of memories that were a direct result of their resource management. I do not support gill netting walleye in Lake Pend Oreille.

On Feb. 21 in this paper, an article was written about the kokanee numbers in Lake Pend Oreille being at record highs. The article proceeded to say that even with record numbers, the fishing the last few years has been poor. This is due to the size of the kokanee and when fish don’t exceed 8 inches in length, they are difficult to catch. Last year alone, 9,809,851 kokanee were stocked in the system. This is only stocked fish and doesn’t account for naturally spawned fish.

If the kokanee are at record high numbers, but the fish are so small they aren’t available to sportsman to catch, how is there not room for another predator like walleye in the system? Instead of wasting a resource in a gill net, promote the fishery. Continue to keep the limit off walleye and let the sportsmen control the population.

Walleye are excellent table fare. The lake can support walleye along with kams and kokanee. The lake is full of boats out there to catch walleye and this has been happening long before the bounty system on the walleye. Fish and Game needs to realize that.

ERIC NAVE

Spirit Lake