Trending
Last Friday, 600 juvenile walleye found a new home at Briggs Woods Lake. For the fourth year in a row, donors gave $2,100 to stock the lake with walleye, ensuring that as we rake leaves and prepare for winter, good local fishing lies ahead both this winter, and next spring and summer.
This year the funds came from the Doug Jacobson Foundation and Mid-American Energy. Funding for the 2027 walleye restocking project is already being sought, and grants written to insure the fifth year. Anyone can contribute to the project at any time through the Friends of the Hamilton County Conservation or by designating funds for the Walleye restocking project through the Enhance Hamilton County Foundation.
The fish, bigger than fry, but not fully-grown, were supplied by North Star Hatchery of Montour. Half of the fish went in the lake west of the public beach on the south shore; the other half near the new fishing jetty at the lake's north end. Kian Thompson, park ranger at Briggs Woods Park, estimated "about 30% of fish stocked today will survive the winter."
To boost that survival rate, Hamilton County Conservation has taken steps to improve the lake's habitat. This has taken the form of placing live cedar trees and A-frames made of used wooden pallets, at several places around the rate. This new habitat gives fish the cover they need to spawn, nest and grow in size. Smaller fish are in danger of being eaten by predators, mostly adult Largemouth Bass, and mature Walleye at Briggs Woods.
Briggs Woods Lake is man-made, from former pasture and marginal crop land, so it lacks a rocky bottom, which walleye need to spawn and thrive. That's why it’s necessary to introduce new Walleye annually to stabilize the population. A pocket of water, 32 feet deep, near the south shore, is a favorite walleye habitat at Briggs Woods Lake.
Local angler Ryan Rupiper can attest that efforts to improve walleye habitat is working; "I caught 24" and 27" walleye at Briggs this summer," he said; evidence the fish have been able to survive at Briggs Woods several years after being introduced.
An adequate supply of fish, and supportive habitat is only half the equation. For several decades, fishing in America was in slow, steady decline. An American Sports Fishing Association study confirmed 57,000,000 Americans went fishing in 2025, about 18% of the total population. While that's down slightly from 2024, it's an improvement from earlier years.
A unique local program, Cops & Bobbers, is doing its part to ensure the number of those fishing locally is regularly restocked. Rupiper, who helps organize the annual event, at the start of each year's fishing season at Briggs Woods, said, "last summer we had 90 kids participating. It grows a little every year, and shows young people are interested in the outdoors and fishing." Every kid who catches a fish is entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card. This year's winner was Madelynn Hesley of Webster City.
What makes walleye so popular? According to Minnesota-based Walleye Alliance, Inc. they're fierce fighters once on the line, a trait beloved to anglers. Next, walleye loom large in the generations-old Midwestern tradition of spending time at a lake. Best of all, walleye are prized for mild flavor and flaky texture, a favorite of those who prefer minimal cooking and true, fresh fish flavor.
In the end though, catching fish isn't the only reason Americans go fishing. It's a low-key, low-cost outing that offers a complete escape from the stress of work. It forces you to forget your cares and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors with family and friends. And it's just a few miles away in beautiful Briggs Woods Park.