hit and miss!

[biggamedr]

Water temp. still not warm enough. Rain due here tonight. Still catching small males, tells me they're not done spawning. The next couple of weeks could really heat up for fishing, as long no heavy rains to push them back out into the bay. Flint river, from flint to montrose still catching fish. My lilacs still 2 weeks away.

"when the tulipsflowers fall off the smelt will run"
" Lilacs bloom walleyes will zoom"

[walleye express]

DR.

I got bad news I think. It's my guess that 99% of the spawning females have been out of the system for some time now. Even though I believe/know there are two distinct pods of spawners, those that come in during early fall/late winter, and those that are the true SPRING runners. This is mother natures way of insuring agains't natural disasters and preserving the species if one pod is wiped out. The same holds true for virtually every river spawning species of fish the Great lakes has. :SHOCKED:

Once the water temp gets to that magic spawning temp, the females walleyes can do thier thing in as little as two nights and then they beat fins back to the Bay or Lake to forage and regenerate from their spawning ordeal. Whereas, the smaller males having a lot less spawning stress, stick around, forage when available and service any late arriving females that just might show up. :cool:

Usually warmer river water temps a little later on, combined with lac of sustaining forage, sends them finally on their way as well. Thats why after the spring spawn and usually through the summer, if you catch a river walleye, he's usually a skinny mal-nurished brown cigar. :irked: