Interest in Canadian walleye fishing is at an all-time high. Canadian anglers by the thousands are flocking to walleye tournaments as never before. Organized competitions draw hundreds of contestants from East to West. With widespread dissemination of fishing information via magazines, television, etc, the fishing prowess of resident anglers has improved over the years, bringing more walleyes to net than at any time in before.

Increasing angler interest and efficiency, however, produce consequences: over-harvest, competition for shared resources among divergent interest groups, adjustments in management philosophy, funding priorities, competition for limited manpower, and upheavals in the political arena. Awareness and the importance of the status of fisheries ranks high, and steps are being taken to ensure good walleye fishing in the years ahead.

In general, tournament fishing and media education have raised public acceptance of catch and release, even for walleyes. Canadians generally acknowledge that walleyes are a renewable but are not an infinite resource. In many cases, provincial fisheries managers have set regulations controlling walleye harvest of numbers and size. Progressive resort operators commonly limit the number of fish tourists pack home, often enforcing size restrictions with a one-trophy-only policy or similar effort to maintain population levels, even if provincial regulations allow greater harvest. Fly-in camp operators often enforce stricter conservation standards than regulations on public-access waters, ensuring their clients a fine fishing experience with a reasonable chance at catching large fish.

In general, the spirit of walleye conservation and management is good, though problems still exist in some spots, particularly where recreational, commercial, and native interests overlap. Forestry, fishing, and tourism are the big-three contributors to the economy in many areas of Canadian walleye country, and everyone wants a piece of the action.

Canada hosts the majority of the world's natural walleye waters, plus a growing number of exceptional reservoir fisheries. There's no better place to escape to an unspoiled wilderness setting and catch loads of fish in the process. To many anglers, this is the finest fishing experience on earth, mystical and magical, pristine and pure.