Where will the next world record come from?

[Anchorman]

I've been reading some articles that say the next world record walleye will either come from the Columbia river in Oregon/Washington, or perhaps around the great lakes region. No one could agree on where it would come from, but they all agreed that it's probably going to happen soon. 25 lbs is the current WR.
On another note, I think I got the spot to crush the New York state record. An eye' approximately 38-40 inches has been found dead there, I think that one would have broke the 16 lb mark.
I've fished the great lakes eyes' but never been out to the Columbia, anyone here have any Columbia experience?
Anchorman

[devil-man]

I lived in Corvallis, OR for four years and fished the Columbia a few times.
It's a great fishery. World record? I don't know...

[RogueAngler]

Anchorman,
The Tennessee World record has been a point of contention in Walleyey discussion for years. The record was disqualified a few years back based on evidence from a photometric analysis of the picture, and a specimen from Arkansas  [ Greers Ferry] that weighed in at 22.11 lbs and replaced it in almost all the record books.
the system used to formulate the fishes size from the only existing picture is VERY accurate. and Tennessee is about the only place the fish still holds claim to the record.
Here is an article discussing the fish.
http://users.aristotle.net/~russjohn/nature/walleye.html

there has been in depth discussions in In-Fisherman and other publications on the merit of the fishes true size.
Arkansas has been having genetic problems with the strain of walleye in ther waters, and it is highly doubtfull that another fish of this size will make the weight and break any records.
That leaves the Columbia River and the Great Lakes.
On the columbia for the past 5 years reports of fish caught in native nets in excess of 24 lbs have been reported. I stay in touch with Eye guys that fish that system daily, they all claim that the chances of that fish swimming in that system is more than just a myth, its a reality and I'd say that the Columbia is the best bet at this time to produce her.
The great Lakes stands an outside chance as well, with Ontario's east end being high on the list, next behind that would be the Niagara River and or East end of Erie. I've seen pics of eyes out of these areas in excess of 18 lbs. that were caught and released by seasoned Walleye fisherman I know that chose to release, rather than keep them just to be in the state record books.

RogueAngler

[Anchorman]

RogueAngler,
It would'nt surprise me that Arkansas yeilded a fish of that size, especially if the eyes there share the same food sources as the WR brown that was caught there. My feeling is that both the great lakes, and the Columbia hold that next fish, however the fish are definately more concentrated in the Columbia, and the law of averages would dictate that it be caught there first. However,I can't help but think that there are alot of these relatively unknown city and state reservoirs that have been off limits to boaters since 9/11, that have to hold some real monsters now.
Anchorman

[RogueAngler]

Anchorman,
Be carefull, you almost gave up your spot! lol !
With Arkansas they are having trouble with the gene pool as I said, their seems to be a dramatic deficit of males to fertilize spawning females and from what I've heard and read [ i frequently visit down there] its not a simple matter. Studies claim it takes at least 5 males in spawning mode to fertilize the eggs of just one mature female, and Arkansas just doesnt have them present in the population. Females size has decreased as a result of pressure during the spawning phases. [ illegal harvest] and spearfishing pressure.
Now with the Browns down there, it again is another story. Different locations and different food sources. I have fished the Red and Little Red, and White Rivers  there. The Browns feed mainly on an abundant freshly stocked supply of Rainbow, Cutthroat, and brook trout [ 6 to 10 inch fish] supplied by the state, and Federal stocking program there. they stock incredible numbers of fish bi-monthly. It looks like a shark feeding frenzy when they run the turbines and release water downstream. Water levels rise 3 to 5 feet in a matter of hours in the main holes, the coontail and other long grasses stand up in the water column, and these behemoths come up and suck in smaller surface trout that are sipping flies like they are hula-poppers.
I stood and watched in one hole downstream from Gaston's Lodge in a designated trophy section and was witness to such an event to my amazement. In a hole that was absolutely void of any fish over 16 inches to the eye, the water rose and at my own count saw 6 fish over 20 lbs. , one in excess of 30 appear from the tailout on the hole and watched as they all proceeded upstream, nose to the surface from behind working upstream, slamming feeding trout til the hole went dead in a matter of 15 minutes. after about an hours time, things settled down and the smaller fish set back up, then wham, the same things all over again.
Goodluck in your quest for the State Record Walleye, but theres something in me thats rootin for a 12 yr. old kid, with a bicycle and a Zebco 33 loaded  with 12 lb. test at a local Reservoir, a can of worms, an ol Eagleclaw baitholder hook.

RogueAngler

[grumpymoe]

i would have to agree that the Columbia just might make the world record book......hard to believe that a body of water that far west could do it......but if i had to make a second prediction.....the Red River or Lake Winnipeg....consistent yearly reports of early ice in netting by the Icelanders who have been doing this for years and years...and always....at least one fish above the 20lb mark....leaves no doubt that our home waters will eventually produce the new world record......Grump

[RogueAngler]

Grump,
I was experiancing tunnel vision here! Your absolutely right with the Red River, my U.S./Canadian boarder blinders were on for sure.
That Red River is and has been a mule factory for years with fish consistantly being taken in the high teens and the occasional 20 lb. class. The only problem with hitting a world class eye up there is on trying to land it, the catfish are so darn big one of them might think its some fisherman longlining a piece of livebait!
The Red is most definitely a contender in the quest and a great one at that.
I'm not to familiar with  Lake Winnipeg, can you fill us in a bit more on her?
SlipBob, the Harbor truly is a great place for a wallhanger thats for sure, but this year the Henderson Black River Bay area has been on fire, in fact the MWC Tourney up there this past weekend was testamount to that with some massive stringers, with 4 or 5 second day stringers right at and over 40 lbs. at the finals weigh-in!
A friend and I will be hitting it this coming weekend weather permitting, and hopefully I'll have a fish tale to share the beginning of next week here on the board.
Lets not forget our Canadian friends Bay of Quinte just around the bend off our St. Lawrence area here in NY. I have never fished there, but have been witness to many firsthand stories from friends that have, through the ice and the catches are remarkable there. Its making a bit of a comeback from what has been a long road on the Lakes changes with the invasives and a problem with native netting up there. 18's and bigger are regularly taken in the hardwater season.
I'm sure there are a few members here that have stories from that locale that would make our socks roll up and down! 

RogueAngler

[eyedoktr]

RougueAngler, those were some pretty impressive fish weren't they? I was up there all week prefishing , then participating in the MWC. Some (all?) of the fish we caught were just amazing. One day prefishing, we had 4 fish that weighed almost 40 pounds. The first day of the tournament, my partner and I weighed in 4 fish at 35.36 pounds(one was a dink around 6#-7#), sunday, only 2 fish at 19.48 pounds. We were in 2nd place going into sunday but still happy to end up in 5th.

I too will be up there this weekend or next depending on the weather.

[bigredfishing]

Everyone can't discount the bay of quinte...only a few years ago it was hot, and now that some of those 12's and 13's have grown up even more, i do not doubt there is the possibility of an over 20 there too.

[Muskie Matt]

I have caught large fish, not record breaking but pretty close sometimes in waters where you wouldn't expect to catch a particular species of fish. The logic is these species aren't targeted, less stressed, less competition for forage, etc. To answer the question posed......somewhere where you would least expect it.

[Toadhunter]

The ice-fishing record was just broke  the fish weighed 18.3 pounds Tobin Lake

[TJ Bauer]

All of us may be suprised the next world record will probally come out of a lake or river that no one ever hears about. Or someones Private pond

[Mackdaddy21]

For those that have never seen the Columbia River, its a gigantic river. It is more a series of reservoirs now, with the reservoirs miles long and miles wide. The river sections are hundreds of yards wide with massive current and depths that  can go well over 100 feet. Some years, the Columbia is the largest river by volume in north america, surpassing even the Mississippi. Not most years though.
In a river this huge, I know many world record walleyes must lurk. I ever think world record smallmouth exist here. Most every smaller feeder river has wonderful smallie fishing and in the main river its great.
The problem with the Columbia is it is so huge and in the river sections and upper ends of the reservoir sections, the current is so powerful and the river so deep that its tough to probe most of the river.

[AD]

I'm rooting for Ft. Peck reservoir here in Montana, they know there are big fish in there, I talked with a guy that came to visit, this guy had done some repair work and diving in Ft. Peck and he says some of the fish down there were a little past the large side.       
    I have also heard rumors that the modern day robinson Crusoe guy dove in Ft. Peck and said that he had seen some monster fish.     No doubt some of them were pallid sturgeon, but they said that in both the different dives that they had seen huge pike and walleye.   
    Maybe to record wont come out of here but I know big ones do off and on, it just isn't publicized, in fact a lot of people don't know a whole heck of a lot on how to fish up here but still try to, kudos to them.   they are taking advantage of a great fishery thats for sure.