Quote Originally Posted by CharlieM View Post
Craig, thanks for the video on Fisheries Management. When was the video made? How is the water willow working out? Seems like that could be helpful in other Kansas reservoirs!
Is there a method of telling the age of a a walleye is? How long does a walleye live?
Thanks Charlie
Charlie,

The Fisheries Management video was completed in 2002.

Water willow is doing well in some reservoirs and not so well in others. The efforts of Ron Marteney at El Dorado resulted in a lakewide population of water willow. Water levels have a large impact on the quality and quantity of water willow within reservoirs. I introduced water willow to Hillsdale around 2000 and when I left Hillsdale in 2003 to come to El Dorado the water willow was doing quite well. I've heard it has continued to do well in Hillsdale. However, water willow hasn't done so well in other reservoirs. Water willow was planted in Melvern, Clinton, and Perry reservoirs (and numerous other reservoirs around the state) and some of these plantings met with little success. Water willow is very drought tolerant and survives low water situations very well. It can be 'drowned out' though and high water for extended periods can be very hard on water willow, especially plants still in the process of establishing. Reservoirs that experience very wide water level fluctuations are not prime for establishing water willow. Stable water conditions are best for the water willow and also for the fish species that utilize the water willow.

Walleye can be aged by reading scales or otiliths. Fish biologists use these structures to conduct age and growth studies on walleye. In Kansas, walleye are capable of reaching 10+ years of age but most walleye are harvested at younger ages in the 2.5 to 5 year range.