# Man Made Walleyes



## nodakoutdoors.com

Just fished this man made lake outside of Fargo last night......

Crazy is the word

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/man-made-walleye-lake.php


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## Maverick

I just want to say " Thank you" to the owner of the lake! I never thought I would catch that big of fish out there! You are truely privledged!


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## snow123geese

Looks like you guys had a great time! I bet it takes a lot of time and money to up keep the lake. There will be some huge trophy walleyes out there in a few years if there isn't already.


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## fishhook

that is sweet!!

Wonder if a fish (a large enough one) caught out of there would qualify for the wopper club or even the state record?


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## Fallguy

fishhook said:


> that is sweet!!
> 
> Wonder if a fish (a large enough one) caught out of there would qualify for the wopper club or even the state record?


I don't think it would considering it is catch and release water only. You need to have fish for those clubs officially weighed on a certified scale, which would mean keeping the fish. How about the catch and release club though?


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## boondocks

fishhook said:


> that is sweet!!
> 
> Wonder if a fish (a large enough one) caught out of there would qualify for the wopper club or even the state record?


I don't see why not. There is nothing in the rule book stating otherwise.


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## 94NDTA

Awesome. One day I will have something like that.


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## deacon

Wow!! Jealous


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## nodakoutdoors.com

The "lake" has been registered with the state. Not sure if that helps on records or not (which they could one day grow).


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## cgreeny

That it one of the coolest things I have ever heard of. To own yuor own walleye lake. Someday...someday... If I win the powerball it will be sooner than later. :roll:


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## T Shot

That is truly amazing! Do they have good natural reproduction? Probably not, but if so, are they worried about possible over-population? Never really thought about building your own Walleye lake...


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## HUNTNFISHND

Chris,

Just curious, but do you know how much this lake cost to build, ballpark? Also who was the consulting biologist, someone from the ND G&F?

Would definitely be cool to have your own honey hole! :beer:


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## nodakoutdoors.com

The owners son is on the site, he's just out of town this week. I'll have him chime in when he gets back.


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## USAlx50

I'm jealous. I know there were a couple of simular ponds that became available to the public (although it was are pretty well kept secret) in maple grove, MN. Developement put an end to that though


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## airforcehobit

my uncle built a pond and stocked walleyes in it they got very big for a farm pond but never reproduced we caught 4 small ones in 5 years but they all died around the 11 year mark..... they were anywere from 4 to 6 pounds not huge but good for a farm pond....


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## g/o

> I don't think it would considering it is catch and release water only. You need to have fish for those clubs officially weighed on a certified scale, which would mean keeping the fish. How about the catch and release club though?


Can anyone say Trout Haven? Registering a fish from there would be like registering an Elk out of a high fence operation.


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## deacon

g/o said:


> Can anyone say Trout Haven? Registering a fish from there would be like registering an Elk out of a high fence operation.


Diddo, how could a raised fish count....

If so I am going to catch a baby Canada goose and set a new record...bird probably will not be able to fly in a few years it will be so big.


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## dblkluk

deacon said:


> g/o said:
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone say Trout Haven? Registering a fish from there would be like registering an Elk out of a high fence operation.
> 
> 
> 
> Diddo, how could a raised fish count....
> 
> If so I am going to catch a baby Canada goose and set a new record...bird probably will not be able to fly in a few years it will be so big.
Click to expand...

I agree. But I'll play devils advocate here. 
Wouldn't any lake which contains stocked fish (which is nearly every lake in ND) be considered a "raised fish" lake?
IMO records should only count if caught from public waters.


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## djleye

> public waters.


I would agree with that!!

Jim, I am thinking you should put that backhoe to some good use so a guy can catch whopper walleyes while shaking the paper bag full of rocks!!!!! :wink:


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## g/o

Actually I looked into doing this several years ago with my gravel pit. When I asked the game and fish they denied it, because I have a creek that runs adjacent to it. In high water years it could run over and the fish could escape and get into a carp infested river. Sound familiar? they are concerned about disease.


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## djleye

Yea, you wouldn't want thos estinky walleyes messing with those carp!!!! Makes sense to me!!!!


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Think of this.

The current ND walleye record was caught in Wood Lake in 1959 I believe. And the guy who found it found the fish FLOATING dead on the surface.

So should the current record stand?

I love the high fence comparison g/o - very timely. :wink:


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## goosehunternd

> The current ND walleye record was caught in Wood Lake in 1959 I believe


All the old timers in the Devils Lake area claim that fish came from DL, the guy just said wood lake, but I guess we gotta belive what is in the record books, Kinda like there is no Jumbo perch in Lake Laretta 8) , Just alot of hear-say.


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## dblkluk

Chris Hustad said:


> Think of this.
> 
> The current ND walleye record was caught in Wood Lake in 1959 I believe. And the guy who found it found the fish FLOATING dead on the surface.
> 
> So should the current record stand?
> 
> I love the high fence comparison g/o - very timely. :wink:


For reasons the G&F have stated (placing too much emphasis on trophy walleye fishing) The record shouldn't be pulled.

But like Bonds' homerun record, it should have an asterisk* :wink:

Heres a bit of the story from an article in Dakota Country...



> I remember my dad saying, 'My God, look at this fish'!", Jr. related. "It had a big gash along side its head and it was white. I think it had been dead for at least a day."
> The anglers then headed for shore to show the rest of the group gathered for the picnic. Coincidentally, a North Dakota warden was on the scene and saw the commotion.
> "As we were looking at the fish, the warden came over and asked us if he could weigh it," Chapman continued. "We said 'sure' and he took off with it, then brought it back to us later. We never thought another thing about it until we learned it had been listed as a state record."
> The warden, Mac Johnson, verified the weight of the fish, then turned the information into department headquarters as the state record. Johnson is deceased, and no one knows his intentions at the time. Perhaps he just wanted to make sure the huge fish was recognized in the state.
> The late Dale Henegar, former ND Game and Fish Director and fisheries chief recalled the record at the time of the story.
> "In those days, wardens checked those things and simply sent the material into the office," Henegar said. "It was authenticated by the warden and that was good enough at the time. It was the way things were done. It was just an accepted practice."


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## boondocks

If you look at other state's record fish you will see alot of them come out of farm ponds or private ponds. Especially bass.


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## USAlx50

Just so you guys know.... B. Chapman holds the ND state record.

HOLLA! You guys didn't know I was that good did you?


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## HUNTNFISHND

HUNTNFISHND said:


> Just curious, but do you know how much this lake cost to build, ballpark? Also who was the consulting biologist, someone from the ND G&F?


Chris, has the owners son been on the site yet?


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## nodakoutdoors.com

I told him to check the walleye forum....I texted him again to check it out.


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## greenc

We have had 3 natural reproductions in the lake. I think it just like any other lake they bite and sometimes they don't - I am a strong believer in the weather and moon phases. The only reason you can catch most of the time is because you can cover the whole lake in an hour casting and you are bound to have one hit. But there have been times where i have gone out and not caught any no bites so I don't think it cheating by no means at all.
The biggest we have caught is a little over 11 lbs.


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## MallardMayhem21

That would be a blast to have something like that in your backyard. How many did you stock it with originally? Have you ever eaten any out of there or is it strictly C&R? It would be hard for me to want a walleye dinner and not have any in the freezer not to go out and catch a few!!!


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## tanker13

That is so cool! What a neat project. Thanks for the story! I knew you could easily do it with bass, catfish, sunnies, etc, but never thought about a man made walleye lake.

I live south of Fargo just outside city limits. I think I might have driven by this excellent little lake not too long. I'll have to go out that way again!

How about ice fishing?!


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## nodakoutdoors.com

tanker13 said:


> That is so cool! What a neat project. Thanks for the story! I knew you could easily do it with bass, catfish, sunnies, etc, but never thought about a man made walleye lake.
> 
> I live south of Fargo just outside city limits. I think I might have driven by this excellent little lake not too long. I'll have to go out that way again!
> 
> How about ice fishing?!


He said it's quite easy. I can't wait to hit it with my Aqua Vu this winter! Tough to beat what you can learn in a couple hours watching what triggers fish and what doesn't.


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