A total of 37 walleye from the 1999 year class was collected. The 1999 year class of walleye varied greatly in size from 10.4 to 15.2 inches and averaged just 13.1 inches. The 1999 year class of all YOY fish at Eagle Creek Reservoir had a tremendous amount of competition for food. Not only did the reservoir receive a full stocking of walleye that year, it was also stocked with three times the recommended number of hybrid striped bass due to a surplus in production. Competition among YOY fish in 1999 was increased even more because of the lack of rainfall that year.
Spring rains help to provide additional nutrients that drive the base of the food chain.
Both of these walleye were caught in gill nets. While not enough walleye from these two year classes were collected to calculate accurate growth estimates, it does appear that growth of these year classes is normal. Although the catch rate of YOY walleye was not nearly what it was in 1999, it was better than the DFW's criteria for success of seven per hour. The average size YOY walleye collected in the present survey was slightly better than 8 inches. Many of these fish should be at least 14 inches long by the fall of 2001.