Arizona’s walleye population took a 250,000-fish jump recently, but not all the fish were immediately stocked. On Monday, April 9, department biologists drove to Gallup, New Mexico and picked up a load of two-day old walleye sac-fry. The walleye were hatched at the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s Rock Lake Hatchery. Although the load only weighed 17 ounces, at 14,900 walleye per ounce the total number exceeded 250,000 walleye.

The tiny fish were brought back to Mesa, where 75 percent were taken to Canyon Lake and stocked that night. A fishing club, the Southwest Walleye Anglers, picked up the other 25 percent.

Southwest Walleye Anglers, with the help of a local private fish farm, are attempting to raise the 60,000 sac-fry to an inch or longer over the next few months. "When the fish meet a suitable size, they will be stocked into Saguaro Lake. Studies have shown that raising walleye to an inch dramatically increases their chances of survival," said Ty Gray, Mesa regional fisheries specialist.

Currently, the Arizona Game and Fish Department raises sac-fry to one-inch fingerlings at Bubbling Pond’s State Fish Hatchery and stocks them into Apache Lake. This year’s load of sac-fry is scheduled to arrive at the hatchery some time this month.

In past years, the department has tried to raise two batches of sac-fry, the first for Apache Lake and the second for Saguaro Lake. "However, due to high temperatures in late May and June the second batch has not been very successful. With any luck, the Southwest Walleye Club will be able to raise this batch in time for stocking before temperatures get too high in Central Arizona ensuring that Saguaro Lake will receive a quality load of young walleye this year," Gray said.