Walleye Challenge heating up, still time to join

One angler logged a 30-inch walleye. Another one 7.9 inches.

Both submitted their catches to the Midwest Walleye Challenge, a community science-style fishing tournament aimed at collecting walleye data for biologists across the Midwest.

The challenge kicked off April 1 but runs through June 29, so anglers still have time to sign up for a chance to win more than $5,000 in prizes. The prize structure is designed to encourage reporting any walleye catch — or lack thereof — so fisheries data collected is representative.

All data collected helps Nebraska Game and Parks learn more about walleye fisheries across the state. In the process, Nebraska anglers also see how their walleye fisheries compare to others in the Midwest.

Thus far, 420 walleye have been caught at 44 water bodies in Nebraska. The average catch is 16.2 inches long, but about 30 walleye were 25-inches or more.

To participate, anglers pay the $25 entry fee, then record their walleye catches in the mobile app MyCatch. Anglers must photograph their catches on a measuring device using the app. Once the fish is reviewed and meets rule requirements, it appears on a live leaderboard. Bi-weekly and grand prizes are drawn.

For more information or to sign up, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for “Midwest Walleye Challenge.”