Mid-May is typically the walleye-stocking time for Manitoba and a long list of lakes and rivers was re-stocked with walleye fish fry last week – thanks to Manitoba Fisheries and Water Stewardship. 

Much of the stocking of our lakes have been done behind the scenes over the past 100 years by Manitoba Fisheries.  Records show that the province has been stocking our Manitoba lakes with a variety of species of fish since 1917. 

Derek Kroeker is the Regional Fisheries Manager with the Province of Manitoba in the Agriculture and Resource Development. 

Kroeker says many of our lakes have a good habitat for walleye to live in, but not to spawn in.  “If they don’t have a great spawning habitat we can help out by taking spawn from Swan Creek, which is on the east shore of Lake Manitoba, and take those newly hatched walleye, and we can stock them into lakes that have either no natural habitat for spawning or have poor habitat for spawning.” 

Between 20-25 lakes are stocked in the Westman region, either annually or every other year, or sometimes every third year.   

“Not every lake needs to be stocked,” explains Kroeker. “There is some natural reproduction so in some cases the walleye do just fine by themselves, in some cases they may need our help and so we can put some in, and in some cases, it’s because of intense pressure as in harvesting or angling.” 

“It’s great to see people angling but sometimes nature can’t quite keep up with the amount of fish coming out so we help by putting some back in.” 

Manitoba is one of the few jurisdictions where they see a stable amount of angler or even an increasing amount of anglers.  “We have over 190,000 anglers in this province,” says Kroeker, “which is a very high number across North America.” 

Manitoba has a very diverse variety of fish in the many lakes and rivers, and fishing enthusiasts come from all over to enjoy our fresh-water fish! Of the walleye fry that gets released into the lakes, it isn’t a high percentage that actually survive.

Working together with the local wildlife clubs and lake committees is important to Manitoba Fisheries.  Kroeker says the partnership they have with the Goudney Reservoir committee in Pilot Mound has been most beneficial to give walleye fry a head-start in their growth pattern before being released into the lake systems. 

Lake stocking of walleye is complete for the spring season however trout stocking continues on in the spring and then picks up again in the fall.   

The Goudney Reservoir walleye fingerlings will also be caught and released in lakes that Manitoba Fisheries decides on later in September.