Walleyes Chicago really gets going with a Friday Nite Fish Fry & Fundraiser at Murphy's Bleachers.
The buzz Walleyes Chicago wants are ones like the one in October, 2007, the biggest buzz in Chicago fishing in recent years, when Toni Pellegrino caught her 6.75-pound walleye from the river side of DuSable Harbor in the wee hours of Oct. 8, 2007. It was then the heaviest verified walleye (weighed on the certified scales at Henry's Sports/Bait & Marine) caught in modern Chicago.
Sunday's column in the Sun-Times takes a look at Walleyes Chicago, through the eyes of secretary Barry O'Flynn, and their kickoff event at Murphy's Bleachers from 8-11 Friday night.
The Web site for Walleyes Chicago, walleyeschicago.org, should be going shortly. it's $25 in advance for Friday's fundraiser or $30 at the door. Otherwise, annual dues are $12.
And it was just a chance to remind us again what walleye on the Chicago lakefront means to the dreams of area fishermen.
Mike Osuch topped Toni's walleye with a 7-5.5, caught from the tip of Northerly Island on Sept. 11. That catch spurred calls for more organized efforts to stock walleye around Chicago, which were dismissed by the IDNR.
Walleyes Chicago is trying to work within the system for the long haul. We shall see.
What a great idea! Stock walleye in Lake Michigan. We already have a great yellow perch fishery, and loads of forage for these fish, as well as quite a few locations offshore with good reef structure.
Hi Dale,
Perch America provided information many years ago regarding the Walleye as an indigenous fish to Lake Michigan. I'm stumped though as to 'why' the DNR will not allow Walleye stocking into the Lake. Gobbies would be great forage for Walleye.
On the subject of that invasive species(the Goby), I walked the shoreline from the Edison Plant to the end of Cal Park last weekend. I talked with 2 Vietamese families that were fishing behind the Edison Plant. Both families had half filled 5 gal.buckets of Gobbies. "Do you eat these", I asked. "Yes, very good," was the reply.
Regards, Lloyd DeGrane
Lloyd, obviously you are not alone in being stumped. I understand the concern about putting another predator in a troubled lake, but, if it was me, I would juggle in a native predator and reduce the non-native. But that's me.