I caught one last year in Bula without any as well, didn't notice it until I went to clean it. I know I took a picture but I think it was on my old phone

 

Maybe another Davis Bessy mutation?

Is there documented evidence of other Davis Bessie mutations? I'm guessing genetic abnormality. Not uncommon in nature.

 

When these walleyes were little they got caught in Canadian gill nets, they get ripped out if the nets unceremoniously. Often sheering off their pectoral fins. We've caught several that way over the years. If you'd check under the skin you'd see remnants of the fins. Some even have stubs from their encounter with the gill net.

We've caught some that had one only.

 

Fall 2016, I was assisting with pre monitoring trawling for the Lake Erie wind turbine project off of Cleveland. We collected a walleye with no pelvic fins. They were not "ripped off". There was no indication that they had ever formed. According to Travis Hartman, it is commonly seen in Sandusky river walleye. It is most likely a genetic coding issue.

 

Looks like they would be easier to clean....Might need more of those....

 

I defer to Travis but I repeat that we've caught them with only one and a scar & we've caught them with stubs.

 

Years ago after catching my first muskie, I noticed a nasty odor coming from my boat, which is kept in the garage. After close inspection I found the muskie's right pectoral fin under the middle boat seat. No matter how careful you are, there is a risk of hurting the fish.

Nature can be even more brutal, and damaging.

 

weve caught a few like that, never noticed it until cleaning them.

 

I think they are being "finned" for walleye fin soup. A real delicacy in some circles...