Readers ask: When do walleye spawn?

What is the best time of day to fish for walleye in the spawn?

For sunrise walleye fishing, we recommend fishing up to an hour before the sunrises through several hours after. This is usually between 5 am and 9 am in the summer, and 7 am and 11 am in the winter.

What triggers walleye spawn?

The pace at which the sun warms the water determines the pace of the spawn. Similarly, shallow water warms faster than deep water, so spawning starts earlier and proceeds faster in streambeds than in lakes and reservoirs. Deep inland lakes can take a while to absorb sufficient sunlight to reach the trigger temperature.

How long does walleye spawn last?

Most walleyes finish spawning within three weeks of the ice-out date. As a rule, walleyes spawn earlier in rivers than in lakes, in shallow lakes than in deep ones, in small lakes than in large ones and in low-clarity lakes than in clear ones. Latitude is a factor as well.

How do you catch a spawning walleye?

And when the walleyes are in a funk, don’t twitch at all; just hold the jig a few inches off bottom and let it swim along. Keep adapting the depth of the jig to the bottom contour. Toward the end of the pre-spawn period, when the water temperature rises to the mid-40s, walleyes begin moving into their spawning areas.

What colors do walleye see best?

Walleyes also possess color vision, based on analysis of the structure of the light-sensitive cones. Scientists tell us walleyes should see red, orange, and yellow the best, followed by green. Theory also suggests walleyes see blue and violet less well, and these colors may even appear black.

Are walleye bottom feeders?

Walleyes are basically bottom feeders, but don’t ignore those fish that suspend over drop-offs in deep lakes. Some of the best summer walleye fishing is provided by suspended fish. Big walleye are consistently taken from these holes.

How old is a 25 inch walleye?

Generally, female walleye which are 25 inches long are about 10 years old, and 30 inch females are in the range of 20 years old.

What color jig is best for walleye?

The most basic and most productive colors for targeting walleye are purple and green. These colors come in a variety of shades and can be used in a large range of depths. For sunny days, select bright or flashy purple or green, and for cloudy days try a solid, darker green or purple.

How deep will walleye go?

The deepest water from which I’ve caught walleyes is about 55 feet, but I’ve heard reports of anglers finding late-fall walleyes at 70 feet. Typical late-fall walleye structure has a rocky bottom and is adjacent to deep water. The best structure is often in the deepest part of the lake.

What temperature do walleye bite?

A:Jerry, believe it or not preferred water temp for walleyes is 70 degrees. This is the temperature they’re most comfortable in and also most aggressive.

What is best bait for walleye?

Live Bait. Live bait can be highly successful for walleye, which usually involves still fishing, drifting, or trolling the bait. A bottom-bouncing rig or slip sinker is effective for drawing the walleye’s attention in clear water. The best choices of live bait include leeches, minnows, and nightcrawlers.

How do you find walleyes in a lake?

1. Locate High Walleye Percentage Areas

1. Inflowing tributaries create current in lakes.
2. Rocky points and sand bars often hold fish.
3. Humps are classic walleye structure.
4. Islands and reefs appeal to walleye.
5. Sand and mud flats hold yellow perch and aquatic invertebrates, which are food for walleye.

What are effective lures used to catch spawning walleye?

7 Walleye Lures Anglers Can Depend On All Year

• Jigs. SHOP FISHING JIGS. Jigs may be the champ of the “year-round bait” category for fishing walleye.
• Jerkbait. SHOP JERKBAITS.
• Harness. SHOP WALLEYE BOXES.
• Jigging Rap. SHOP RAPALA JIGGING RAP.
• Soft Plastic Swimbaits. SHOP SWIMBAITS.
• Lipless Crankbaits. SHOP CRANKBAITS.

How fast do walleye grow?

Female walleyes grow faster and become larger than males. The males reach maturity in two or three years, when they are 12 to 13.5 inches long; females mature in four to five years, at lengths of 15 to 17 inches (Fig. 2). On average, walleyes live to be about seven years old, but older specimens have been caught.

Can you catch walleye during the day?

Walleye can be caught during the day but you‘ll need a boat to get out deep after them. Walleye will be hovering behind schools of bait down deep far from shore. If you can only fish during the day, you‘ll need to fish deep.