My dad always told us kids, (he had 6 so he could catch more fish) if you want to catch a walleye, you need to think like a walleye. (Explains the trouble I had in school) But he did teach us alot about catching fish and till this day stands as one of the best practicing authorities on what it takes to catch walleye.
Spawning is the most fundamental part of understanding how to catch these critters.
Normally, spawning begins shortly after ice breaks up in a lake, at temperatures of 42-48 degrees but has been known to occur over a range of from 39-51 degrees. Courtship may commence much earlier when water temperature is at 33 degrees(like it is now). The males move to the spawning grounds first. These are usually rocky areas in flowing water below impassible falls and dams in rivers and streams, coarse-gravel shoals, or along rubble shores of lakes at depths of less than 6 ft. The walleye may move into tributary rivers immediately after they are free of ice and while the lakes are still ice covered. Spawning takes place at night, in groups of one large female and one or two smaller males or two females and numerous males.
The male walleye is not territorial, and does not build a nest. Prior to spawning, there is a lot of pursuit, pushing, circular swimming, and fin erection. (FOREPLAY)Finally, the spawning group rushes upward into shallow water, stops, the females roll on their sides, release their eggs and simultaneously milt is released by the males. Apparently females deposit most of their eggs in one night of spawning. The fertilized eggs are heavier than the water and fall into crevices in the stream or lake bottom where they stick to stones and debris. The maximum number of eggs released by one female has been estimated at 612,000.
The eggs hatch in 12 to 18 days on the spawning grounds and by 10 to 15 days after hatching the young have dispersed into the upper levels of open water.
There's still alot of ice, so I'm predicting a good year for us, but a bad year for our netting buddies.
(Hopefully, the fry have plenty to eat by the time they hatch.)
Out of that 612,000 eggs laid, the mortality rate is dependant on what the hatchlings have to eat. If they are born too soon, there isn't enough forage for 'em and they'll starve. they are also forage for other fish,( including walleyes who are cannibals and will eat their own young). Then there's alot of other things.
But at least, if they have a chance to spawn, the little walleyes can turn into a kid's trophy within 8 years!
They grow at a rate of about 4 inches a year, although females grow faster and bigger than the males.
I've been waiting for a opening along shore out front, but the ice is still tight to my rocky shore line right next to shore. Once the ice pull's away from the shore the male walleye will be right up tight to the shoreline. I mean like 2-6 feet out...like I could reach out and grab acouple! It's amazing how quickly they come in.....there can be ice just 30-50 feet away......its fun to shine the light out and see all the marble eyes glowing!!
We have open water along the shore in Malmo Bay -- more than I expected -- as Malmo Mom walked our shore line yesterday to give me 'the walleye fever' report. The shallow and sandy Malmo Bay usually has open water earlier than soem deeper bays.
We have several feet of open water all along our shore and there is much more open near by neaghboring creeks.
The open shore water is of course how this all begins.
The count down is a comin'. I am trying to keep a big ice berg in fornt of our place to spoil all netting attempts.
The shallow and sandy Malmo Bay usually has open water earlier than soem deeper bays.
