Walleye in U.K. ? ? ? ? ?

[Guest Richard Harvey]

I have been browsing fishing sites and came across some that contained a list of U.K. coarse fish record catch weights.

The one that caught my eye was for 'Walleye' ( Stizostedion vitreum ) 11lb.12oz. 1934 to F.Adams, from the Delph,Welney, Cambs.

( Not Zander ,Sitzostedion lucioperca )(Their spelling and name details ,not mine!)

 

Now can any body help fill me in on a bit of fishing history and shine a bit of light on this please, Were Walleye around in the 1930's? And did they die out? Was this a case of wrong I.D.? Was there Walleye in the Fen Waters and the Zander took over , like the Red and Grey squirrel thing?

To my knowledge Zander were at Woburn Abbey lakes then some were move to a Fen drain in the 1960's?

Was there Walleye or is this record list a 'Red Herring'!!!!! Thanks,Richard.

[Guest Alan Pearce]

I think they were first introduced to Woburn in the 1800's as well as a gault pit not far from Welney. I'm sure the fish you refer to came from this pit, the name of which escapes me at present, and not from the river Delph.

 

Alan.

[Guest Vagabond]

Hi Richard,

A few Walleye were put into the Bedfordshire Ouse in 1925 and the fish you refer to was caught nine years later (1934)in the R Delph which runs into the Gt Ouse system. The Delph became polluted soon after, so it is assumed no more Walleye survived. This is documented in Maitland & Campbell's "Freshwater Fishes" (New Naturalist Series 1992.

 

Zander were first introduced in 1878 as Alan says, and again in 1910

 

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Vagabond

[Guest Colin Brett]

Originally posted by Richard Harvey:

I have been browsing fishing sites and came across some that contained a list of U.K. coarse fish record catch weights.

The one that caught my eye was for 'Walleye' ( Stizostedion vitreum ) 11lb.12oz. 1934 to F.Adams, from the Delph,Welney, Cambs.

( Not Zander ,Sitzostedion lucioperca )(Their spelling and name details ,not mine!)

 

Now can any body help fill me in on a bit of fishing history and shine a bit of light on this please, Were Walleye around in the 1930's? And did they die out? Was this a case of wrong I.D.? Was there Walleye in the Fen Waters and the Zander took over , like the Red and Grey squirrel thing?

To my knowledge Zander were at Woburn Abbey lakes then some were move to a Fen drain in the 1960's?

Was there Walleye or is this record list a 'Red Herring'!!!!! Thanks,Richard.

 

For more info on this particular fish, write to Hugh Reynolds, Morris & Partners, 51 Newnham Road, Cambridge. Unfortunately, email and modern forms of communication seem to have passed over Hugh and snail mail is the only way. You should find this interesting!!

 

Colin

[Guest Neville Fickling]

The walleye was a walleye. They were stocked by mistake as black or smallmouth bass fry!

The zander at Mepal were direct imports from Sweden, all other zander started as Woburn, then Hengrave hall then Relief Channel. A few were moved from Woburn, i.e. Claydon. One thing is certain the walleye record will not be broken!

 

Neville Fickling

 

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Neville Fickling