Fishing for Walleye in the Spring
There are many things that you can associate with spring. For the spiritual person, it’s a signal of a new life. Flowers start to bloom and ice starts to melt. For anglers, however, it means a time for great walleye fishing. During the spring, the temperature of the water turns from cold to warm and the walleye will start to move from their winter water habitats. The main purpose for walleye at this time is to reproduce; thus, they will move to customary spawning grounds. Their movements do differ. Others will cover a very short mile, probably finding themselves in reservoirs and lakes. Some of them may venture farther until they will reach the rivers of Mississippi. If you are seeking to catch the most number of walleye, you should be able to spot them before they start to spawn. They normally gather in their respective spawning sites and other barrier structures that generally stop them from moving.
When Walleye Start to Spawn
There are certain weather conditions that may be ideal for spawning. This includes the temperature of the water, how long the day lasts, as well as the rubble and rocky shore lines. The amount of light as well as the length of daylight can affect the feeding patterns of the walleye. The temperature of the water, meanwhile, plays an integral part during spawning and it can even determine how much they reproduce once they have completed the spawning activity.
The Best Temperature for Spawning
The most ideal time for spawning among walleye is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. They will usually end once the water warms up to 52 degrees. They will normally hatch their eggs among hard structures such as rubbles and rocks. The eggs should be properly secured among enclosed areas so they can be adequately protected from predator fish that love to feast on newly hatched eggs.
During spawning, there should be hardly any change in temperature. The water should slowly start to warm up. There should be no severe and immediate temperature swings, especially during the periods of gestation and hatching. The shorelines found in the east and the north become the perfect breeding grounds of walleye that are going to spawn.
Now, by nature, walleye fish really don’t have any knowledge which direction is south, north, east, or west. The shorelines at these directions are the most preferred for them because they receive the most amount of sunlight all day. Thus, the warmest waters are those located near the shore.
Two Types of Migration
There are also two kinds of migrations that should be noted. First are those walleye that migrate from the lakes to their usual spawning locations. The second kind of movement that should be watched for is that of walleye fish that don’t go to tributaries and rivers and instead settle in open waters as well as shallow reefs so they can hatch their eggs.
Spring Walleye Fishing in Wisconsin
Walleye aren’t really the best trophies for those who are involved in sport fishing in Wisconsin; however, they are still highly sought.
The best time for anglers to fish walleye in the Great Lakes during the spring is in the month of April. This is because the walleye are undergoing a transition. They are going to move from pre-spawn to the spawning period until they can move on to post-spawn period.
Where to Target
If you want to catch the best kinds of fish, in their most number, you should target areas such as the rivers as they would frequently settle there. Moreover, catching them doesn’t have to be difficult for you as you can access them even if you don’t have a boat or a special kind of tackle at hand. Walleye that spawn in the river are usually found in deep holes in much narrow waters. They may stop once they encounter the rapids, dam, and other kinds of barriers. They will continue on as they are permitted to move.
Those fish that are found in the rivers deep holes are likely to be in their pre-spawn period. They will always bite if you can persuade them the proper way. You can settle for vertical jigging or use live bait. You can search into these holes and start jigging the bottom. Slowly move toward the waters column until you will know where they are most active.
Tags: Fishing, fishing tips, fishing trip, walleye
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