Up close view of a hatched walleye fry. Genoa NFH

Fishery crew from Genoa NFH and La Crosse FRO harvesting fall walleye from clifford lake MN. Genoa NFH photo

In May of 2008, Genoa National Fish Hatchery (NFH) employee Dan Kumlin stocked 250,000 Ottertail River strain walleye fry into Clifford lake, Minn. The 40 acre lake is one of many small bodies of water found on the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). After spring stocking the fish grow on natural food items within the 40 acre lake on the refuge for several months until autumn's first frost signals it is time to begin harvest operations. Fishery and refuge crews set several dozen hoop nets in order to remove the 5-6” walleye. The fish are then transported to federal, tribal and state waters across northern Minnesota for enhancing recreational fisheries projects and maintaining strong viable fishing opportunities in areas where they are stocked. This program is supported directly by the State of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which supplies the newly hatched walleye fry to Genoa National Fish Hatchery for stocking into Clifford Lake. The White Earth Reservation and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians also benefit directly from the program by receiving fish for their tribal fishery management programs. Clifford Lake is unique in that it represents the only natural water body located on a Region 3 national wildlife refuge that is used extensively for fish production. This small lake is perfect for annual walleye production because of its shallow depth, coupled with very cold temperatures and heavy annual snowfall. These conditions usually result in very low winter oxygen levels which cannot support most species of fish. This annual "cleaning out" of older walleyes or other fish that may compete with the newly introduced fry optimizes production for this valuable sport and food fish. These fish potentially represent thousands of recreational fishing hours in tribal, federal and selected state waters and are an important part of our fisheries cooperative management program in Region 3.