2023
12,499 6.2’ fingerling walleyes were stocked in Lake Owen last fall, one half at the North landing and the other half at Metro’s landing. Walleye average is 3.6 fish per mile. Lots of pike being caught, most of them are bigger than in previous years.
2022
Nate Thomas, Fisheries Biologist for Bayfield and Douglas Counties for the Wisconsin DNR reported to Lake Owen Association Fishery Manager Paul Rhodes the following 2022 report:
“A total of 9 walleyes were speared this year. I don’t have the size data on those fish yet. It was the second lowest number ever recorded. For the Walleye recruitment fall shocking: 68 age-0 walleye measuring from 4.6-7.4 inches were captured for a catch rate of 2.72/mile.
Other species captured during the Walleye recruitment fall 2021 shocking survey were:
Walleye age-1+: 27 fish, 1.08/mile
Smallmouth: 498 fish, 19.92/mile
Largemouth: 36 fish, 1.44/mile
Northern Pike: 37 fish, 4.46/mile
Stocking of walleye is planned for this fall and barring any production issues the stocking rate should be 10/acre.”
2020
A decade of statistics of Lake Owen Walleye and Bass Abundance: Lake Owen Walleye and Bass PopulationsFrom May 4, 2019 to March 1, 2020
Lake Owen creel survey of fishermen 2019 to 2020
2019
All 25 miles of Lake Owen shoreline boomshocking surveyed of fish: September 19, 2019 Shocking Survey of Lake Owen
On July 13, 2019 Paul Rhodes and Scott Toschner of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources gave the following Lake Owen Fishery Report to the Lake Owen Association membership at their Annual Meeting in Cable, Wisconsin.
The DNR will be be providing Lake Owen Association with a fish monitoring report in the winter of 2020-2021. It will hopefully answer the question, “Can we differentiate the genetic information between stocked and non-stocked walleye?” Walleye have populated 1.1 per acre (blue line goal). In 2018, WIDNR have introduced/stocked, 63,785, large fingerling walleyes, between the years of 2011 thru 2018. At a cost of $1.26 a fish, with a total cost to DNR of $80,369, and will continue every other year, for the next 5 years. The estimated survival rate of stocked walleye is currently 2-3%. Lake Owen is extremely clean, which may be negatively affecting the survival rate. The majority of the Red Cliff Tribe’s restocked fish have died. Their restocking efforts over time, will stay low.
2018
Preliminary results from in early 2018 show an average of 6.6 young of the year walleye per mile. These walleye were between 5 to 7 inches long and had naturally reproduced in the lake. We knew this since no stocking had taken place yet in 2018. This is a good naturally produced walleye year class for Lake Owen; 10 to 15 per mile is considered good for most other walleye producing lakes.
Extended Growth Walleye Stocking Fall 2018
County Waterbody Waterbody Id Code: BAYFIELD LAKE OWEN 2900200
Fish
Stocked: 12,495
Pounds
Stocked: 845
Average
Length: 6.3”
The 2018 extended walleye fish stocking information came from here: