In the year 2025, walleye anglers have enjoyed a fish-catching ecological banner period in our time, with perhaps the best walleye fishing of the century. The thrill of limit catches being a regular thing, though bigger fish have been hard to find, has kept the competition alive. Some anglers do find them, though, and if you were smart enough to enter the New York Walleye Derby ahead of fishing the myriad of additional walleye contests (there were 10) that took place from Chautauqua County this year, you could be eligible to win more than once with the same fish, depending on the format of the contest.

Chuck Pohlman, a saltwater charter captain from Deerfield Beach, South Florida, drove up to Western New York to fish with friends in Lake Erie for walleye. The camaraderie among anglers, palpable as they enter the many walleye contests each year, is a testament to the strong community that surrounds this sport. The New York Walleye Derby is one tournament that can be fished concurrently as anglers participate in all the other contests, running from June 28 through Aug. 10.

So Pohlman entered several of the other eastern Lake Erie walleye tournaments along the way. One of the many he fished in was the new format, two-day, Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club walleye tournament that ran Aug. 1-2. During this Friday-Saturday event, Pohlman hooked up with a giant 30-inch walleye that tipped the scales at 8.79 pounds. He won cash there for the biggest fish for the day, and per the rules of the New York Walleye Derby event, entrants are allowed to use the official weigh slip to enter their fish in the New York Walleye Derby.

With more than 100 competitors, he won top spot there, too. A double winner. This was a remarkable feat, as it’s not often that a single fish wins two separate contests. The always humble Pohlman took a trip to the bank with the same fish twice. Get a lottery ticket, Chuck.

Pohlman is pictured with his 30-inch walleye caught during the annual Con Club Derby. It weighed 8.79 pounds and won him first place and a trip to the bank for heaviest fish in the 2025 New York Walleye Derby. Photo courtesy of Tim Duffy

Second place went to Lake Erie walleye expert, Scott Wind of Wave Tamer, with his fatty walleye that measured just 27 inches, but weighed 8.50 pounds. Decades ago, I fished with Scott’s late dad, Art, and our famous nighttime and daytime spot — all summer long — was not far from the Hamburg Beach, near Seneca Shoal. The good old days.

Third place was Lon St. Louis, 8.44 pounds; fourth was Isiah Swerdon, 8.30 pounds; George Fassbinder was fifth with 8.18 pounds; David Higgins was sixth with 8.08 pounds; Tom Miranda of Pole Dancer came in seventh place with 8.04 pounds; Tim Hughes was eighth with 7.98 pounds; and the last payable place was Jeremiah Hughes in ninth with 7.92 pounds. Congrats to all the winners.

Last year, Chris Szpylman won with 9.98 pounds with his 31-inch fish. And in last place, last year, was Gordon Anderson with his 7.50-pound walleye, which measured 29.5 inches. To note the differences between these two years is interesting.

In 2024, with hundreds of entries in, the difference between the biggest and smallest fish was 2.48 pounds. In 2025, the difference was just 0.87 pounds.

The 2025 population of walleye consists of very similarly sized fish, which have been coined by a new term this year as “cookie-cutter” walleyes due to their uniform size and weight. This is a unique characteristic of the 2025 walleye population. Conclusion? We have far more walleyes at the end of Lake Erie than ever before. There is more competition for forage. Do we need to increase the daily walleye bag limit from six to 10 to help address this potential forage shortfall issue of the future? The DEC is constantly evaluating options, and I, for one, trust them.

The 2025 New York Walleye Derby is billed as “The Good Old Derby” with fishable waters, the New York waters of Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara River. The derby lasts six weeks each year, and the cost to enter is just $35. Winners are subject to a polygraph test to ensure fairness for one and all in the competition. The derby event is managed by Innovative Outdoors, part of the Steel Outdoors Group, with Jim and Diane Steel at the helm. With these two in charge, you can be reassured that the contest will be fair and fun. The winning walleye in the derby is determined by weight, with length used as a tiebreaker. Honest competition draws a crowd, and it’s fun for all in the mix.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Sept. 13: WNY Walleye Association; 1st Responders/Veterans Day of Fishing, Lake Erie; Reserve your spot. Rick Malik: 716-548-8219 or Steve Haak: 716-225-0229.

Sept. 13-21: NYS special early antlerless deer season in designated WMUs: 9A, 9F, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N and others. For DMP and DMAP tags only. See syllabus. Visit: https://dec.ny.gov.

Sept. 14: 3-D Archery, Bear Lake Rod & Gun, 30 targets, 8 a.m. to noon, Open house, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4391 Cassadaga-Stockton Road, Stockton, Info: Rudy Abersold, 716-397-9717.

Sept. 14: 3-D Archery, 8th annual All Deer Shoot, Allied Sportsmen, 8 a.m. to noon, $15 admission, Info, call John Floriano, 716-725-5822.

Sept. 17: 3-D Archery, Evans Rod/Gun, 864 Cain Road, Angola; 4 p.m. to dark, 15-target course, Kitchen open, Jerome Gorski, 716-398-3008. Ends Sept. 24.

Sept. 18: 3-D Archery, West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls, 4 p.m. start, 15-target hillside course. Kitchen open. Indoor/outdoor ranges. Mike Cummings, 716-652-4650. Ends Sept. 25.

Sept. 20: Steelhead Angler Event, Hairy Trout Fall Run Kickoff, Buffalo River Grove, 2-7 p.m., 2299 Clinton St., West Seneca; $15 entry, visit The Hairy Trout (barber shop and tackle shop), 3891 Seneca St., for tickets.

Sept. 20: 1-Day Walleye Derby, Lake Erie, $45 entry, Southtowns Walleye, Paul Sanchez, 716-228-6520; https://www.southtowswalleye.com/.

Sept. 20: NYS Hunter Education, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Falconer Rod/Gun Club, Rod and Gun Club Road, Falconer; Visit: https://dec.ny.gov.

Sept. 20: NYS Hunter Education, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., lunch provided, Bear Lake Rod & Gun, 4391 Cassadaga-Stockton Road, Stockton; Visit: https://dec.ny.gov. Info: Rudy Abersold, 716-397-9717.