ODNR District #5 has placed the first 2 walleye nets in CJ today, they will return at 9-10AM to check the evening`s results. The general public is encouraged to observe at the Main Boat Ramp. After all, when was the last time you saw an honest 13+ pd  wallygator? For 'bout 12 of us hearty souls twas just last year, jaws all slack, most with this dazed look like deer in headlights, minds in overdrive, seeing was ( and is) believing that that ever so remote chance, even as faint as her seductive tap-tap IS just that- a chance! Don`t miss your chance to see some HUGE toothfairies! After that, it`s back to the Crabill House for me, getting ready to help feed these beautiful fillets next year.

Debby Walters and crew were back on the Main Boat Ramp by 9:45 sans any of 80+ walleyes, mostly males with several 7ish females that were still "hard", still she seemed to think a good first haul so early and pathes of ice still on the shoreline including #10 between the tower and beach. Honestly forgot to ask if they puked up anything while being handled and put back in. The ODNR crew will return Sunday about same time, same Main Boat Ramp, and again the general public is invited to observe- you might get an eye full of some of the most beautiful and tasty fangs in our nick of the lake, am sure they have netted several well over 10+ lbs for over 10+ years in a row. And the 2001 netting, off the old boat ramp, front page Springfield News- Sun.... the stuff of dreams.

Wasn`t able to be there, however heard from 2 reliable sourses that Debby and crew did rather well today, many nice hefty gals,  eggs aflowing, several over 10+ lbs, believe Blue Boat said Tuesday will be their next return. All the ripe females came from the net set by the Tower, 600' from #10. Anthony said he saw 2-3 smallish former and worse for the wear perch? in tub with the tooth fairies. Hope the front coming in does not slow down their rate and volume of catch, and the hungry ladies have a hearty meal or two before hopping into that net trap.  Speaking of spawning walleyes, Marc C of WOWA said he and several others over the last 3 or 4 yrs had seen many spawning walleyes upon the very shallow NW to SE shoreline and flat W of the Campground Point at night using very high candlepower handlights. Could easily believe it. Has anyone else observed this recently? And does ODNR know this?

Wednesday netting- all 3 nets are producing with the lion`s share out of the net by the Tower, again several over 10+lbs, ODNR  goal of 30 qts of eggs should be met easily if weather doesn`t go south for any extended period. They predicted very good stocking soon for CJ. If you can, come see this, the next day is Friday I believe. A wonderous sight, still, honestly hope it isn`t the last time this year get to see one that big!

  ODNR has taken their goal of 30 qts of walleye eggs for the year, the last netting again produced several fish over 10+ lbs. The trap gates are open and will be removed Monday. It is always an impressive sight seeing these HUGE tooth fairies brought in and then released alive, some to hopefully be caught again the following year, bigger and badder next time. And there are the few that, having spawned, and being ravenously hungery, will bite an offering with just one stout line attached...

One of our number, Jason of the Sugar Shackers, invited several of us to go afloat and seek the tooth fairy, alas due to domestic considerations was forced to decline. When asked where might be a "good spot", had informed all present that short of extremely nasty weather, was of a mind to suggest and if necessary use WWE tactics to enjoin the pontoon was off #10 `bout 45 minutes pre dusk, and use 2-4? "  shad and rapala perch floaters diving 2-4` and certainly afew dunks of a glo orange or chartruse light jig with a minnow in hyperdrive. Then , tail tween my legs trotted home. Ain`t there more than 15 minutes and guess who calls on his cell phone, about what,,,seems a 9+ lb walleye has come into his possesion...no, he sayes they are no where NEAR any net, why we are 600` from any net... in the background can hear "Fish on!" To which my "good Friend" Jason  just sayes "LATER, LOSER!"  That ever happen to anyone else?

FLASH!!!   Unoffical results ODNR walleye netting at CJ Brown Reservoir 2010 SUPPOSEDLY included 8  over 10+ pds including 2 slightly over 14+ pds - the lake record netted was 14 pd 7? oz.  in `87?   The source is prone to understatement, and would consider very reliable. Interesting thing `bout it is this; if you fish in a farm pond and land a 1 pd bluegill and ask most biologists realistically, what`s the biggest bluegill in that pond at that time, most would allow the 1/10th rule, stating at that time, under those conditions,  80% probability 1.1 bluegill in that pond at that time. 14+ X 1.1=15.+ potential wally monster...

Walleye netting at CJ season is over, unofficially ODNR District #5 exceeded their goal of 30 qts walleye eggs by 10  for a total of just over 40+  qts future wallygators, to make thier mamas` proud, assuming they survive that  long, most unfortunately will not. Still, good results in 8? days !  Oh yeah, anybody see the Sporting section of today`s Springfield News-Sun?  IF not, 9+ lb wally and will bet you couldn`t guess where it REALLY came from, having some eggs in her. Guess what she puked up when landed . There was a good reason #10 was done first...just can`t wait for May 1st...

So much for a "reliable source". Biggest this year 12+ lb, STILL, 40+ fish were over 10+ lbs , over 800+ taken this yr in 9, not 8 days. And as others have pointed out "good" weather is responsible more so than any thing else. The fact is I was wrong to jump the gun without verifying info, parden me, HOWEVER the puking up worse for wear perch part was dead on. A good haul for 2010, hopefully many more to come. And again, my apologies.