Hunter91
member
Reged: 12/19/05
Posts: 95
Loc: South MO
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When is the earliest you see whites or walleye starting their spring spawning run? I always start after them about March but have heard of them being caught earlier.
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We burnin' daylight.
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Tigerhaze
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 405
Loc: Deepwater Creek Country
Current High Scores in:
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It is all dependent on steady water temps- but usually walleye start a little earlier (February/March) than the whites (March/April). It also depends on the latitude, which is also related to the water temps. Southern lakes in MO start a couple weeks earler than the central and northern lakes.
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"Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy."~ Josey Wales
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Hellbender
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 3416
Loc: Taney County
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Down here the 'eye's are ahead of the Whites, but it does seem dependent on temp, or maybe its water, I'm really not sure.
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A government survey has shown that 91% of illegal immigrants come to this country so that they can see their own doctor.
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H2ODOG
the one who never tires
Reged: 12/22/05
Posts: 10929
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The eyes will start when the water temp hits 40 degrees and it tops out when the water hits 54. The like steady rises in the temp. no up and down yoyo water temps.
Other than that, I don't know how to catch em, where to catch em, how to fillet em, or how to eat em. Good luck though.
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Ozark
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 4012
Loc: out in the woods
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Quote:
Hunter91 said:
When is the earliest you see whites or walleye starting their spring spawning run?
February is usually a big month for walleyes here, around Barker Hole on upper Bull Shoals. I usually start fishing for white bass in March, but don't really start catching them until after April 1.
But the weather has been so strange this winter, there's no telling what's going on. I was crappie fishing on Tablerock this week, and the surface water temp was 44 in the morning, 47 in the afternoon.
So it's not a question yet of waiting for it to get up to 40 for walleyes, it's already there! Since it's still early in the winter, I'd expect the water to get colder before it starts warming up for spring - but I sure don't know what it's going to do this year. I just wish we'd get some rain.
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H2ODOG
the one who never tires
Reged: 12/22/05
Posts: 10929
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When's the last time ya saw a walleye swimming on the surface worring about how warm it was up there? Drop your pecker in the water with a thermometer tied to it. Once ya hit that rocky bottem take a reading and get back to me. 
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Ozark
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 4012
Loc: out in the woods
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Quote:
H2ODOG said:
Drop your pecker in the water
H2O - I went out and tried your method.
All I can tell you for sure is, that water's cold. And DEEP!
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Hellbender
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 3416
Loc: Taney County
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Quote:
The eyes will start when the water temp hits 40 degrees
Yeah I don't think we hit that magic 39 here very often. I think the Walleye just get the urge, but if they're coming to the Pothole they best grow legs, unless we get some water. Swan has all but gone to ground and is down to a 3' width in one place.
I have warmer places to put my pecker.
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A government survey has shown that 91% of illegal immigrants come to this country so that they can see their own doctor.
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Ozark
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 4012
Loc: out in the woods
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The last few years I've been reading that scientists are discovering that what regulates yearly cycles of nature more than anything is the length of daylight. That seems to control what plants and animals do, and when they do it, more than any other factor.
I've carefully watched water temperatures for a long time trying to figure out when spawning runs will happen. For white bass, crappie, and walleye I've found that water temp doesn't seem to be a real good predictor. I'm sure temperature is a factor - but I think the length of the days, and maybe also weather patterns coming through, gets the fish going more than just the water temperature.
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Tigerstripe
Last Mongol Duck Hunter
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 1036
Loc: Where the hell are we Toto?
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Just a little side note for all you so-called spawn prognosticators.
Fish can be artificially induced to spawn twice a year by covering the raceways, using artificial light, and taking them through an annual light cycle in six months. Water was at a constant temprature. It has been done a lot of times at Colorado State University. 
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Love that Glenlivet flavored Kool Aid!!!!!
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cook
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 1747
Loc: in my underwear
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Not sure about the 'eyes,but the whites on smithville run different every year.In springs with steady weather,the run may last only a week.When we have cold fronts or heavy rains,it may last as long as a month.I have no clue what regulates it,I just catch'em.
I do notice in dec.,smaller whites move back up into the river with crappie,out of the main lake.As long as there is some open water,I can catch a few every time I go crappie fishing.
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Ozark
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 4012
Loc: out in the woods
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Quote:
Tigerstripe said:
Fish can be artificially induced to spawn twice a year by covering the raceways, using artificial light, and taking them through an annual light cycle in six months.
Interesting. I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised.
A friend built a small greenhouse some years back. At first, he was disappointed to find that summer vegetables wouldn't grow well in there in the winter, even though the temperature, water, and soil were right. He had to add grow-lights and a timer, regulating the length of daylight to make tomato plants and other veggies "think" it was June, July, then August. Now they grow like crazy.
I think fish and the rest of nature are the same way. Weather, temperature, and water levels may affect the details and duration of each year's spawn - but the length of daylight is the most important thing that sets it off.
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Hunter91
member
Reged: 12/19/05
Posts: 95
Loc: South MO
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Yea that is interesting about the fishing spawning twice a year in a hatchery. I didn't know that either.
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We burnin' daylight.
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powerdive
member
Reged: 01/03/06
Posts: 5
Loc: Walleye Country
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I could never be a fish. I'm ready to spawn anytime, anywhere, regardless of day length.
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IIFID
Bond....Timmy Bond
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 8010
Loc: Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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So much for the "bloody eggs" version of predicting the spawn. We caught some nice whites over the weekend and I noticed when I was filleting them that the females had full spawn sacs that were very much full of blood. If you caught them looking like that in early March you'd be sure the spawning run was on!
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Thought for the day; “It’s impossible to think outside of the box when all you do is think about getting inside of the box.”
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duko™
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 3440
Loc: east mo
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daylight has nothing to do with it. I've had 20 redfish in the freezer now going on 1 1/2 years and they ain't spawned yet... 
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swampy
stirrer of chit
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 7085
Loc: Valhalla
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Quote:
IIFID said:
So much for the "bloody eggs" version of predicting the spawn. We caught some nice whites over the weekend and I noticed when I was filleting them that the females had full spawn sacs that were very much full of blood. If you caught them looking like that in early March you'd be sure the spawning run was on!
I've caught whites in July and August with eggs in em.
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Honorary VP 10/90 deer club
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powerdive
member
Reged: 01/03/06
Posts: 5
Loc: Walleye Country
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The walleyes always seem to spawn a couple weeks before Easter. 
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Tigerstripe
Last Mongol Duck Hunter
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 1036
Loc: Where the hell are we Toto?
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Quote:
powerdive said:
The walleyes always seem to spawn a couple weeks before Easter.
What a dumbass you are. 
Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox.
Therefore, the earliest possible date for Easter Sunday is 22 March, the latest 25 April.
That only leaves a 28 day spread.
We don't have to ask how many years you have missed it altogether.
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Love that Glenlivet flavored Kool Aid!!!!!
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swampy
stirrer of chit
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 7085
Loc: Valhalla
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Tiger so the run should be two weeks before, after or right on Easter?
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Honorary VP 10/90 deer club
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IIFID
Bond....Timmy Bond
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 8010
Loc: Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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The great majority of walleyes spawn right on Easter Sunday. It's a known fact.
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Thought for the day; “It’s impossible to think outside of the box when all you do is think about getting inside of the box.”
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Tigerstripe
Last Mongol Duck Hunter
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 1036
Loc: Where the hell are we Toto?
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That pretty much nails it, within 30 days + or - 
If you can't get out of going to church on Easter Sunday that would be the peak. 
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Love that Glenlivet flavored Kool Aid!!!!!
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cook
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 1747
Loc: in my underwear
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Yes,but do the walleyes decorate their eggs before easter,or on easter sunday?
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powerdive
member
Reged: 01/03/06
Posts: 5
Loc: Walleye Country
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Thank you, Tigerstripe. Guess I'll reel ya in now...
Question: why are 50% of all trophy fish caught within 3 days of the full moon, within 3 days of the new moon, or on the day of the half-moon?
Answer: Do the freakin' math.
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