Input to Wisconsin Walleye Management Plan Update

Walleye are one of the most popular species targeted by anglers and tribal harvesters in Wisconsin, making them important recreationally, culturally, and economically. Because of their importance, considerable effort and resources are spent managing walleye by Wisconsin DNR, tribes, and numerous partner groups. Common management activities include setting and enforcing harvest regulations, stocking, surveying populations, and restoring or protecting critical habitat.

Management activities for walleye in Wisconsin are guided by Wisconsin's Walleye Management Plan, which was created in 1998 and has not been updated since that time. The plan sets goals and objectives for walleye throughout the state. You can read that plan here if you are interested.

The Wisconsin DNR is in the process of updating the Walleye Management Plan. An updated plan will allow us to better meet the challenges walleye populations face today, take advantage of new opportunities and technology, integrate recent research findings, and strengthen partnerships to increase our management capacity.

Input from the public will be critical to updating Wisconsin's Walleye Management Plan. Wisconsin DNR biologists and researchers gather vast amounts of information on walleye annually. However, data on angler preferences and attitudes must come from the users themselves. For this reason, we thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with the management planning team.

Fisheries Management Walleye Team
Wisconsin DNR

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* 1. How many years have you fished for walleye in Wisconsin?

4 years or less

5-10 years

11-15 years

16-20 years

20 years or more

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* 2. Where do you live? (Wisconsin residents specify county, nonresidents specify state)

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* 3. Where do you do most of your walleye fishing in Wisconsin? (counties are listed along with options for large waterbodies that span several counties)

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* 4. Which of these changes have you observed during your years of walleye fishing in Wisconsin (check all that apply)

More walleye than there used to be

Less walleye than there used to me

More big walleye than there used to be

Less big walleye than there used to be

There is more angling pressure where I fish for walleye

There is less angling pressure where I fish for walleye

Very little has changed, in my opinion

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* 5. Your fishing quality may be affected by a variety of influences. From the list below, please check the most important problem(s) that you think have influenced or threatened the quality of your fishing experiences. (Check one or more)

Loss of fish habitat/poor water quality

Catching too many small fish

User conflicts (boaters, jet skis, anglers, etc)

Shoreline development

Catching too few big fish

Length limits are too high

Contaminants in the fish (mercury, PCBs, etc)

Not catching many fish

I don't feel confident I understand the regulations

Daily bag limit is too small

Fish are being over-harvested

Lack of public access

Too few fish are being stocked

Hooking mortality is excessive

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Which of the following issues would you like to see prioritized in an updated walleye management plan?

Restoration of degraded walleye habitat

Protection of existing critical walleye habitat

Developing strategies to increase stocking efficiency

Research to better understand natural reproduction issues

Taking a closer look at how fishing regulations and seasons are used to manage harvest

Increasing angler outreach efforts, including sharing information on fishing opportunities

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* 7. What other comments would you like to share with the planning team?

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* 8. Would you like to receive emails about future opportunities to comment on this plan as drafts are developed and available for review? If yes, please leave an email address. Otherwise leave blank.

Input to Wisconsin Walleye Management Plan Update

Question Title

* 1. How many years have you fished for walleye in Wisconsin?

Question Title

* 2. Where do you live? (Wisconsin residents specify county, nonresidents specify state)

Question Title

* 3. Where do you do most of your walleye fishing in Wisconsin? (counties are listed along with options for large waterbodies that span several counties)

Question Title

* 4. Which of these changes have you observed during your years of walleye fishing in Wisconsin (check all that apply)

Question Title

* 5. Your fishing quality may be affected by a variety of influences. From the list below, please check﻿ the most important problem(s) that you think have influenced or threatened the quality of your fishing experiences. (Check one or more)

Question Title

* 6. Which of the following issues would you like to see prioritized in an updated walleye management plan?

Question Title

* 7. What other comments would you like to share with the planning team?

Question Title

* 8. Would you like to receive emails about future opportunities to comment on this plan as drafts are developed and available for review? If yes, please leave an email address. Otherwise leave blank.

* 5. Your fishing quality may be affected by a variety of influences. From the list below, please check the most important problem(s) that you think have influenced or threatened the quality of your fishing experiences. (Check one or more)