Spring Spawn

The way this spring is going if something doesn’t change with the temperatures we may be looking at a very bad year class of Walleyes down the road.

Why????

Fish don’t look at a calendar. When the water temp hits 42 if it’s April 8th or June 8th they will spawn.

Look for Nick’s response in this thread (Lake City DNR Office)

I don’t think it’s going to be that bad Tom. We’re heading to 9′ (more than likely 8′) next week, then dropping if the rain stops.

BK, self proclaimed Pool 4 Armchair Biologist.

Link

I’d argue that the opposite is true from the OP for this year’s spawn.

Slowly warming waters and steady flow from up north melt should make this a solid spawn. As BK said and linked, moderately high levels through the spawn and in the weeks after is ideal. It seems like we could have that setup if we continue to get a few rains to accompany the slowly rising water temps.

It seems the worst spawning conditions are when we get a rapid thaw with early heat and rain in late February/Early March, everything blows out, and as the water nears that 45 degree mark in early April the water levels are dropping rapidly through and after the spawn.

I hope for a fast lake warm up. The quicker the better. That means less days for the Spear “Fisherman” to take their 32,000+ Walleyes THIS year in Wisconsin.

They’ll spawn fine this year. Just like every year expect to start catching spawned out females April 15.

They’ll not spawn in flood water locations. They’ll not show up in flood water areas. They will spawn on time however and in locations consistent with spawning. From the main channel to the cornfields, fish find successful spawning habit. If there’s NO flow… there’s no spawn habitat. Plenty of flow. Temps vary every year but spawned females will be caught April 15th.

Consistent weather in mn is inconsistent.

We do not have low water. Even last year with lower water than we have now, spawn success is anticipated as good, though netting has not occurred to confirm yet. Low in comparison to flood stage, does not mean a lack of appropriate flow for spawn success.

Fish know what current and conditions are needed, and they find them. They have no mortgages, they have fins… and tend to move.

Expect good fishing years to come.

Always look back 7-9 years at spawn success to gauge the quantity of big fish available.

I get so annoyed at the amount of people crying wolf over this fishery. You’ll be fine. Focus on getting better at catching fish and the fish will be there to catch.

It’s what the temps do after the spawn. Rapid rise or fall of temps can kill it. If it’s slow and steady, good year

Randy Wieland wrote:

Focus on getting better at catching fish and the fish will be there to catch.

Boy, there are some golden words!

Hodag Hunter wrote:

Why????

Fish don’t look at a calendar. When the water temp hits 42 if it’s April 8th or June 8th they will spawn.

I haven’t researched this topic a lot but a few years ago in ND we had a really early spring and the game and fish biologists were surprised that it didn’t affect the timing of the spawn much. Daylight drives most things in nature. No doubt temp plays some role as well.

Randy Wieland wrote:

It’s what the temps do after the spawn. Rapid rise or fall of temps can kill it. If it’s slow and steady, good year

That was my concern with the up and down temps or too fast of water drop after the spawn. Seen both in past years remember years ago with the Saugers had one perfect spring a few years later Sauger size and numbers jumped tremendously then eventually went back to more of what we are seeing now. Perch are seeing the up swing for size and numbers due too some very good spawning years.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
Focus on getting better at catching fish and the fish will be there to catch.

Boy, there are some golden words!

I’m getting old. Hard to believe some of the things I say….or remember when I said it

^ I just work here Randy.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

^ I just work here Randy.

Work?????

Hodag Hunter wrote:

Why????

Fish don’t look at a calendar. When the water temp hits 42 if it’s April 8th or June 8th they will spawn.

That’s not exactly true. The spawn is determined by a combination of water temperature and photoperiod.

Crappies in northern MN. have a short window not just to have the spawn but also to have the fry reach a level where they can survive the winter-anyway one bad year of recruitment is probably GOOD for the overall population in the lake-no worries, I’m just glad we seem to be out of the drought.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

^ I just work here Randy.

Brian, can you define “work “ not sure you understand what that actually means 😂

What is your opinion with another week of cold temps in the forecast. Here on 5 and 5a temps are just about getting right, then Wham temps drop five degrees. This will be the 2nd time this happens this year. Can’t be good for the spawn. More rain will keep the flow up, but temps will drop just as things are hitting the right temps again.

Would love to hear Nick’s opinioned outlook based on forecast.

Tim Bossert wrote:

What is your opinion with another week of cold temps in the forecast. Here on 5 and 5a temps are just about getting right, then Wham temps drop five degrees. This will be the 2nd time this happens this year. Can’t be good for the spawn

Find me a year where water temp didn’t fluctuate and I’ll show you ten where it did.

Find me a year where water temp didn’t fluctuate and I’ll show you ten where it did.

[/quote]

And how many of those years were actually a good to excellent recruitment year? If you have fished the river enough years you can see the results of good and bad spawning years.

Yeah, we should all probably get all worked up over MN weather fluctuating in the spring.

A moderate spawn success from a big year class is… par for the course.

~7 year classes of spawning fish some high some moderate, is there a present low year class? Average the classes. Doubt the average is anything of concern.

Spawn also occurs over a period of one month. Providing nature many opportunities for success and failure.

This isn’t a fishery on edge of collapse.

Carry on.