Ballards - Lake of the Woods, Minnesota

Fishing Report

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10/09/2008

New MN walleye record...

Hello sportsfans. And welcome to the weekly glory here on beautiful Lake of the Woods.

Trophy walleyes? New Minnesota state record? Guided fishing at Ballard's Resort? Exactly how does this all come together...

Last week we witnessed something special here at the resort. Trophy fishing. Which some may take for granted. But again... This was no ordinary day.

With ten guided charter boats on the lake... During the course of a single day... There were ELEVEN trophy walleyes caught and released that went over the 28 inch mark.

Again... Eleven... Over 28 inches... All caught and released in a single day.

That's pretty special. And congrats to Bob Morissey of Ottumwa, IA who registered the most gi-hugic of them all. A 14.5 pound monster. It stetched beyond a measuring stick that stopped at 30 inches. By the looks of the photos and from witnesses reporting how it stretcted well beyond the tape... I'm going to say that his walleye layed out to 33 inches. An absolute dandy!

No state record... Yes. I know. It's not a new state record. But it's still one hell-of-a fish. And it got me to thinking about the potential of this autumn and a NEW state record walleye.

Yes... I am a firm believer that the next record breaker will come from Minnesota's Lake of the Woods.

Currently the mark is at 17.8 pounds... And that particular fish measured 35.8 inches. Caught back in 1979.

My reasoning? Right now we are seeing fish (not a ton of them) and hearing stories of 32 to 34 inch walleyes being landed on Lake of the Woods. That's no stretch...

Anyone that was up here this summer could tell you that there are litterally more than a ton of 28+ inch walleyes in the Big Traverse basin. No doubt.

We have seen a pile of 28 to 32 inchers this year. More than anyone can ever remember.

So what will it take? How do we beat the existing MN state walleye record?

Patience. That's how we do it.

The reoord goes 35.8 inches and it was caught in the spring. Potentially (I'm guessing) full of eggs giving her some added weight. That's well and good.

Right now, as mentioned, we are seeing and hearing about 34 inch walleyes being caught on LOW. Much more common than ever.

So how much longer will the reoord stand?

I'm going to give it two years. That's it. Two more years and the existing record will be surpassed.

Mortality being what it is... Old age will obviously claim some of these 34 inchers. But the consistency of our year classes tells me it's very probably we will see a 34 inch walleye make it to the 36 inch mark.

She might already be out there!

From there it's just a matter of fattening up.

Besides... They broke Ruth's record.

It might just as well be you who comes up and...

Sets the hook!