Results from the 2015 Fall Walleye Index Netting Surveys in Washington State

We conducted Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) surveys on five lakes in central and eastern Washington (Lake Roosevelt, Banks Lake, Moses Lake, Potholes Reservoir and Scooteney Reservoir) in fall 2015 to monitor population abundance and biological parameters of Walleye Sander vitreus. Walleye abundance, measured in terms of gill net catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), decreased from 2014 on all waters except Scooteney Reservoir. Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir had the most significant decreases in Walleye abundance from 2014. Despite these declines, these populations are still healthy and contain high numbers of Walleye in multiple year-classes. The increase in CPUE on Scooteney Reservoir was due to a very large age-1 year class. Moses Lake, Potholes Reservoir and Banks Lake had the highest percentage of Walleye at least 16 inches. Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir had the fastest growing fish, with Walleye reaching 18 inches by fall at age-2. In addition to Walleye, Lake Whitefish were very abundant in Lake Roosevelt and Banks Lake, representing 28% and 25% of the total fish collected on those waters, respectively. Yellow Perch were very abundant on Banks Lake, Moses Lake, and Scooteney Reservoir with a high percentage over 8 inches. Yellow Perch declined in abundance on Potholes Reservoir from 2014. Walleye anglers should find excellent fishing opportunities on all our FWIN waters, but anglers in search of larger Walleye should focus their effort on Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir.