Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

Cycle of Life

Once a year in the springtime after the fish mature, the walleye will go on a journey back to where they were spawned out. This action completes their cycle of life, so that their species may live another generation. This seems simple; however, this doesn’t take into consideration the human influence on this cycle. There is an ongoing interruption of the life cycle of the walleye due to over spawning and/or over netting on the spawning beds.

This interruption ultimately decreases the future harvest of the next 7 generations. This has also caused a decrease in the amount of walleye eggs that the Pyke Phish Farms have been able to restock back into the rivers. Restocking the rivers with fertilized eggs has helped but a significant decrease in the amount of mature adults has also hindered our efforts. We have found that it has become increasingly more difficult to find mature fish without holes or that haven’t been stressed out. When we have tried to seed the spawning beds, they are disrupted by people stepping on them.

Our only solution is to remind others to return to our traditional teachings and culture:

Offer tobacco towards water, plants, animals, fish

Take only what you need

Use everything that you take

Make sure your grandchildren and next 7 generations will be able to enjoy the same harvest that we enjoy today of fish, game, birds, and medicines

Follow the ways of the Creator and offer part of your harvest.

These simple teachings have enabled us to enjoy the animals, birds, fish the way our ancestors enjoyed and left for us so long ago. Let us do the same for the next 7 generations.

Other Walleye Facts:

There up to 30,000 eggs per pound of female weight

Females mature in 3 to 6 years with a length of greater than 14 inches

Males mature in 2 to 4 years with a length of 11 inches

Spawn peaks at 42 degrees to 50 degrees Farenheit or 5 to 10 degrees Celsius

Later in the spawn cycle it is harder to get males and also get a decrease of milt.