Forage base: Red Deer River....

[msk]

Had my 11 year old ask me what the walleye's in the RDR eat when we were out fishing for them on Monday. Kinda stumped me a bit, assuming shiners?

[fishinggeek]

Rocky mountain whites

[Dust1n]

Originally Posted by fishinggeek

Rocky mountain whites

x2 also they feed on shinners in the shallows in dawn(you can see splashing)
the browns also come in there to feed aswell
They also take in stoneflies(they hatch near bridges and sit in the seems.

Best bet is to go big. theyre feeding up on the spawning whites and the walleyes are massive(10+lb) below the damn

[Tezma]

Use a big rapala... silver in colour.. Or if your aloud to use bait... Minnows and a bottom bouncer.... maybe even a smelt...

[Don Andersen]

Originally Posted by msk

Had my 11 year old ask me what the walleye's in the RDR eat when we were out fishing for them on Monday. Kinda stumped me a bit, assuming shiners?

MSK,

Walleyes eat fish. Don't care which ones. Whitefish, suckers, trout, goldeye etc.
Used to be lots of little whitefish up near the dam. Haven't seen them in a couple of years. Never caught a brown trout<10" downstream of the dam either. Expect that they became walleye grub.

regards,

Don

[1/2 oz Bucktail]

Look at Don spreading his anti-native species, pro-introduced/invasive propaganda all over every Alberta fishing board.

How about we move some of your favourite otters into the RDR to clean up the walleye Don?

[Don Andersen]

Gee 1/2 oz.

Didn't realize whites were non-native.

Fish managers must realize you cannot manage a single species in isolation of all other species inhabiting the same water body.

Before you run your mouth, best you look @ Food Web - may be the beginning of your education.

Don

[WillyOneStyle]

Originally Posted by msk

Had my 11 year old ask me what the walleye's in the RDR eat when we were out fishing for them on Monday. Kinda stumped me a bit, assuming shiners?

Hopefully whatever is on the end of your line....

I have had the good fortune of fishing in the Peace country this year near a couple of lakes where one can harvest; I kept one and it was very good.

IMO, predatory fish are opportunists and will adapt their diet to whatever is plentiful or move on. That said, I think they probably eat other walleye and small pike as well as the typical bait fish/game fish....

[1/2 oz Bucktail]

I have a heck of a lot more education in the area of conservation biology than you may think Don. Do I need to start waving around my credentials?

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by 1/2 oz Bucktail

I have a heck of a lot more education in the area of conservation biology than you may think Don. Do I need to start waving around my credentials?

Why don't you guys take this side discussion to your PM boxes?

Fishing Geeks had it right.

RMW's are the primary forage, followed by juveniles of anything they can fit down their gullets.

Lastly, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates likely make up a significant portion of their forage.

[858king]

I've never caught a whitefish in the RD but have never fished upstream of Buffalo Jump and mostly downstream of Tolman Bridge. Would suggest it shifts to shiners and flathead chub farther downstream, and goldeye. Buddy caught a 23 lb pike around Tolman that was feeding on foot long goldeye.

[BeeGuy]

Good point.

The forage will vary from upstream portions to downstream portions.