Ling as a Forage Base????

[Drewski Canuck]

Been cleaning some nice walleye lately, and have been finding a significant number of ling in the stomachs. There is no shortage of minnows, but Ling up to 6 inches and numbers of smaller ones?

You never think of Ling as a forage base for walleye. Often small perch, often whitefish, mostly minnows, and 6 inch ling?

It has me re thinking colours and presentation given this forage base.

Now at this time of year, colour and presentation does not matter much because the fish are on a feeding frenzy, but when things slow down, perhaps more dark green to black jig bodies, are justified?

Has anyone else noticed this trend to a different forage base?

Drewski

[Penner]

Caught a few tankers up in the Lakeland with ling tails sticking out of their mouths and we’re still hungry enough to take my lure. Seen them loaded with Tuilibees also. They are quite the predators.

[thorne]

Not sure it's a change in food source as I have found ling in walleye and pike from calling....you probably have more experience then most on that lake, but I have seen it in the past. May be that they are feeding more on ling this year if the ling population is up and making for easy pickings. I'll pay closer attention this year.

[Okotok]

I've seen plenty of pike in Ling stomachs as well. One still had a pike's tail sticking out of its mouth with the rest partly digested in it's stomach. I wouldn't doubt they eat walleye as well if they're big enough.

[Drewski Canuck]

It may be that we are seeing the results of a few good recent hatches of ling which is why I am seeing the numbers of ling in the walleye.

Ling carry tens of thousands of eggs, so when they spawn you would think that they have to be prolific. I have always seen ling as slow, and easy pickings as well, so it might be that the walleye are simply taking the slowest in the race.

Anyways, the walleye seem to enjoy eating them as of late. We will see of there is a shift of interest from the white double tail jigs to darker bodied jigs that might imitate ling.

Seeing small ling in the stomachs makes me hopeful for strong ling numbers for ice fishing as there are few fish as tasty for fish and chips.

Drewski

[pinelakeperch]

Caught a walleye with a good sized frog in its stomach last fall. Ling are quite common to find in there, though I haven't seen one at 6in.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

It may be that we are seeing the results of a few good recent hatches of ling which is why I am seeing the numbers of ling in the walleye.

Ling carry tens of thousands of eggs, so when they spawn you would think that they have to be prolific. I have always seen ling as slow, and easy pickings as well, so it might be that the walleye are simply taking the slowest in the race.

Anyways, the walleye seem to enjoy eating them as of late. We will see of there is a shift of interest from the white double tail jigs to darker bodied jigs that might imitate ling.

Seeing small ling in the stomachs makes me hopeful for strong ling numbers for ice fishing as there are few fish as tasty for fish and chips.

Drewski

That's what I'm thinking!

BW