Walleye Gets Lot Of Help To Be King In Minnesota

ST. PAUL (AP) - As anglers hit Minnesota's lakes Saturday in the season opener, many will be trying for a tasty walleye.

But the state fish wouldn't be in most lakes without a lot of Department of Natural Resources spending to put it there.

Only about 1,500 of Minnesota's nearly 12,000 lakes have strong enough walleye populations to be managed for walleye by the Department of Natural Resources. And only about one-third of that smaller number have populations vibrant enough to reproduce on their own.

That's why nearly half of the DNR's $8.2 million state stocking program goes to walleye, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.