Well Jbyrd,

From the studies I've read, the only genetically pure Southern Strain walleye have been found in remote reaches of the Rockcastle. They are true river fish and do not migrate to the lake. The Erie fish will attempt to spawn in the lake and up the feeder rivers. Just like the walleye in lake erie do. There very well may be some southern stain fish living in the lake, who knows. The thought is that if they lived together and used the same breeding areas, they would have hybridized over the decades. It is also my understanding that the KDFW used the BSF spawners as brood stock for a period of time but now use dam spawners. Anyway to answer your question. The state record walleye and perhaps even the world record walleye were likely Southern strain fish. These fellows were well feed after the river was dammed up and lacked competition from stripers. So the thought is out there that if we stock the pure southern strain (Rockcastle) walleye and conditions are right for growing, we might just have another record fish in our mist. Nice thought anyway.



Quote Originally Posted by Jbyrd View Post
What is fueling your fire about this "native strain of walleye. They are already there ,granted you don't catch as many on Cumberland fishing the main lake as you do the Erie strain but they are there. They are the ones that run up the rivers and feeder creeks EVERY spring . The Erie strain spawns on the main lake flats and gravel bars.
What is the benefit of "native " over stocked strain if the are all spawning.
Cumberland is full of walleye no matter where their ancestors where hatched