While fishing quality at individual waters may have had its difficulties through the years, the statewide trend has seen improving walleye fishing opportunities throughout the past few decades. Pennsylvanians now have more places to fish for walleyes, and their close cousins saugers and saugeyes, than ever before.

Native only to the western part of the Commonwealth, walleyes have been widely spread through stocking. Though walleyes may not be the most popular sport fish in Pennsylvania, the picture changes somewhat when we look at the number of days spent in pursuit of a specific species. In this regard, walleyes climb to fifth behind trout, black bass, the white bass, striper and striper hybrid group and "anything."

Dividing the number of days spent angling by the number of anglers, walleyes jump ahead of even bass and trout. According to one survey, the average Pennsylvania walleye angler spends 16.7 days per year fishing for walleyes. This compares with 12.7 days per black bass angler and 11.2 days per trout angler.

Walleyes obviously have a devoted following in Pennsylvania. These are very desirable fish, and if anglers were asked what they would prefer to catch, a lunker walleye would probably rank at the top of the list.

In 2005, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocked 55 lakes, ponds or reservoirs and 12 rivers or creeks with walleyes. That year, 73 million walleye fry and 681,000 walleye fingerlings were stocked. Over the past five years, fry stocking has ranged from 69 million to 84 million. Fingerling stocking has varied from 588,000 to 799,000 walleyes.

Saugeyes have been stocked since 1984 in Pennsylvania. Sauger and saugeye stocking numbers vary even more.

"We don't produce these fish in-state. We rely on out-of-state sources," said Bob Lorantas, Warmwater Unit leader for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Saugers and saugeyes (the latter a cross between a walleye and a sauger) tend to do better than walleyes in turbid water.

"The principle waters where we stock saugers are the Beaver River and Loyalhanna Lake. There are several others that we occasionally stock with saugers," Lorantas said. "Saugeyes go into Hemlock Lake and Lower Hereford Manor Lake. Survival has been demonstrated to be pretty good at these waterways. In some cases, availability is a challenge."

No saugers or saugeyes were available for stocking last year. Over the previous five years, stocking varied between 2,000 to 18,000 saugers and 2,000 to 22,000 saugeyes.

Our better walleye fisheries are supported through natural reproduction.

"In general terms across the state," Lorantas said, "what managers are telling me is that recruitment in our rivers is up a little. In the case of some lakes, it looks like recruitment of young fish is down a little."

Last summer was one of the hottest summers on record, and Lorantas noted that "thermal habitat crunch" impacted some adult walleyes.

"No statewide changes to the walleye-sauger-saugeye program are slated for 2006," Lorantas added.