With the warmer winter is it likely to be an early walleye run on the Menominee River?
Walleye Fishing
Early Spawn?
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Man, the thought of this years run has me losing sleep! I primarily fish the lower run of the Wisconsin River. Not last year but the spring prior in 2022 was one of the most, if not the most, unsuccessful spring walleye fishing I've had in almost 20 years. Ifmy recollection isn't skewed, we had a major thaw in February, the river raged for two weeks, then dropped to near summer levels the rest of the spring. When fishing alone, I am 100% of the time wading. With not having the river running high, it doesn't push the fish up and out to shoreline structures that are only there and created with high water. So the number of fish caught while fishing pre spawn walleye when the river is flowing traditionally high is incomparable to the numbers caught when fishing it lacking the high flow .
But, more importantly is what the cause and effects will bring, being that this ridiculously fast thaw combined with the flow only trickling at mid summer levels, pertaining to the process of a successful spawn for the fish. I'm just hoping that if the water temperature hits 42-46°ish, that there are males in the vicinity of the females to atleast have a chance to make a few babies. I would guess that many fish wont even be able to reach their typical spawning habitat, much less be within 50 miles of it. I say this with the anticipation of the river not rising more than a couple feet. Of course, we can still find and catch fish with current water levels but, it makes for a very interesting topic about the possible adverse outcomes caused by not having the ideal water flow combined with an incredibly fast rise in water temperature. The two primary factors in the spawn being water temp and water flow. Its a bummer so far. I'm curious as to any insight, knowledge, or thoughts from you all. For me, there is nothing as refreshing, stress relieving, and exciting as standing in water up to my hips, feeling the subtle vibrations from a paddletail, swimming and ticking along, and the moon reflection on the water, waiting for the sharp thud of a walleye telegraphed thru my line into the rod and in my hand. Or, an unnoticed beaver to slap its tail within arms reach to test my ticker. Now, thats what I call living. Hope to hear from some of you that are more optimistic about this years walleye run than I. Good luck!
Oh, and to answer your question about an early spawn, in my opinion I think it will come and go well before my favorite time for big fish, the 1st week of April. I hope I am wrong and mother nature works her magic.
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