Spawning success

Before the topic of a closing the spawning season gets going again this year like it does every year. Most often as the Ice season winds down and the jig season winds up! Here is an article that hopefully sheds some light on the subject. The author is well respected in the fisheries community who manage the lake for us fishermen.

This is not intended to start a big debate on this suject but to help educate everyone no matter which side of the fence that your position leaves you standing on.

http://www.sanduskyregister.com/opin...tdoors/7701926

Hey Wakina... I have heard that year after year the jig bite can be a blast. I have never done it before and am willing to give it a try. Any info on this would be great as in what kind/size/color jigs to use. I took a charter out that way some 20 years ago and pretty much got ripped off. Never caught a fish and the captain told us to just be patient that they're here. Haha!!! I've heard that one before. Anyhow... any info would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EYEFISH4FOOD

Hey Wakina... I have heard that year after year the jig bite can be a blast. I have never done it before and am willing to give it a try. Any info on this would be great as in what kind/size/color jigs to use. I took a charter out that way some 20 years ago and pretty much got ripped off. Never caught a fish and the captain told us to just be patient that they're here. Haha!!! I've heard that one before. Anyhow... any info would be much appreciated. Thank you.

---

The jig weights that are used most often would be 5/8 oz 3/4 oz and 1 oz. Colors that are most often the best are black, John Deere Green and purple and not in any particular order, so you should try them all. I most generally start with the 3/4 oz black jig. Those colors should get you started, they are all proven fish catchers. You can add more colors as you gain more experience. All jigs are hair jigs and all have stingers. I can recommend the jigs at Dreamcatcher Tackle, Dave ties his own and they are excellent. Use the lighter jigs on calm days and then increase size as drift speed increases. If at anytime you have trouble pounding the bottom with the 1 oz jig then you are moving to fast.

The debate about tipping the jig with a minnow will last for ever with some for and some against. I always take some minnows along and let the fish tell us what they want. If you go as a group have some tip with a minnow and some not. It is my thought that it is better to have them (minnows) along and not need them than to need them and not have them along.

Any drift speed over 1.5 mph should be slowed down with a drift sock or sea anchor or trolling bag. Sometimes it pays to have a variety of sizes along so you will be more able to adjust your speed. On calm days with little or no drift you may have to move some and set back up until you find active fish, you don't actually have to be drifting to catch fish but drifting helps you locate fish as the boat is always moving.

The fish are most often felt when you pick the jig up off the bottom they very seldom hit it and run but are just there as an added weight to your jig. So be ready to set the hook. If using braid a sharp upward flick of the wrist will be sufficient to hook up. Mono will take just a little more arm movement as the mono will stretch. I hope this helps you and if you have more questions just PM me and I will try to help.
Good luck
wakina

That's a good read. If enough of us would take a few minutes to check that out it could relax the heated debate. I know it calmed my opinion. Good find Wakina, thanks

Having direct experience with both the fishing (fishing folks) and fisheries (ODNR Fisheries) communities gives me a bit of a unique perspective. I have learned that the issue of a closed fishing season during the walleye spawn, as with most fishing debates, comes down to where one gets their information and how much credibility one gives to those sources. If a person, for whatever reason, doesn't trust the fisheries professionals, they won't believe them no matter what kind and amount of research information they put out. It can work both ways. Sometimes the professionals don't give enough credibility to veteran fisherman and the information they can provide. No matter what one wants to believe, solid scientific research has shown us - so far - that, as John said in the article, walleye spawning success is much more influenced by natural factors than regulated fishing pressure. The only way to truly test this is to do a closed season for a number of years and see what happens. Since there is little to no evidence this is necessary, why seriously impact the recreational fishery and the local economies with a test? There are far more important Lake issues we need to be concerned about. We should invest our debate time on those issues.

The thing that does't add up is why are we reducing the limit to 4 during the spawn if it makes no difference. Sort of talking out of both sides of the mouth if you ask me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eyezcrazy

The thing that does't add up is why are we reducing the limit to 4 during the spawn if it makes no difference. Sort of talking out of both sides of the mouth if you ask me.

---

I think the following copy and paste from the article addresses your concern as to why the limit is lowered during the spawn. It can be found slightly more than half way thru the article.

Most of the fish(high 90's%) caught jigging during the spawn are jacks/males. The trollers are the fishermen who catch most of the big hens/females. In order to catch those big hens/females one almost has to target them specifically by trolling crank baits in the deeper waters surrounding the reef areas.


Copy & Paste

Walleyes are concentrated to somewhat confined areas, where localized over-exploitation could occur to specific spawning stocks. Lowering the bag limit during the spawning season is in place is to minimize potential impacts on sub-populations.

Wakina... Thank you very much for all the info. I am looking forward to this spring bite thing. I'm getting ready to go back and do some ice fishing for the last time this up coming weekend. Really looking for the soft water bite. I will keep in touch with you guys throughout the seasons. Thank you so much for willingly giving up some info to a new guy.

Good article wakina ... I know this debate gets heated up every year and hopefully it wont get to crazy this year

I have a question, it's not about walleye but bass and how the closed season for them was started? Was it for the spawn?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bggeary

I have a question, it's not about walleye but bass and how the closed season for them was started? Was it for the spawn?

---

I believe it is for the spawn and the main difference is that bass aggressively protect their nest from predators like gobies and such.

Very good read..... I found it very informative! Thank you for posting.

Yes, Smallmouth Bass create a "nest" on the bottom and stay on the nest to protect the eggs after they are laid, and sometimes even for a time after the eggs hatch. Whenever the bass is absent the eggs are vulnerable to predation. When the round gobies invaded the Great Lakes, including Lake Erie, they became a top predator of fish eggs. They will even eat the eggs of other gobies (male gobies also protect the eggs, which are usually laid under a rock or similar surface). If a Smallmouth Bass nest is left unattended for any length of time the gobies can quickly eat all the eggs, as many as a hundred gobies at one time descending on the nest. While scuba diving in Lake Erie I have seen Smallmouth Bass protecting their eggs, numerous gobies ringing the outside area of the nest, just waiting for a change to dart in and get some eggs. The time a Bass is off the nest when being caught, even if catch and release immediately, is plenty of time for gobies to decimate a nest.

Very good information for all. Thanks to Wakina and everyone else that shares accurate info to the rest of us wanting to understand this great fisherie we have in Lake Erie.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bggeary

I have a question, it's not about walleye but bass and how the closed season for them was started? Was it for the spawn?

---

Bass actually guard their nests whereas walleye spawn and leave. Not sure how or if this matters but I'm no biologist.

Edit: I missed page two. Very informative, West Basin. I can't stand the damn gobies.

Walleyes are broadcast spawners, they drop their eggs closer to the surface in most cases while being surrounded by several jacks that fertilize the eggs and the eggs then sink to the bottom substrate to incubate, so there are no nests made or guarded. I also believe pound for pound walleyes lay more eggs that a small mouth does. This helps compensate for the lack of a nest and the guarding of such nest.

Small Mouth bass the males clear a area circular in shape and then entice as many females as they can to deposit their eggs within the confines of the nest. The male then guards the nest until the eggs hatch and the fry can fend for themselves somewhat. The building of the nest and the guarding of that nest is the main reason for the no possession limit during the time of the spawn. I do believe that large mouth and small mouth bass are actually members of the sunfish family and are not true bass as their name implies.

True bass are the white bass and white perch as well as the stripped bass and the hybrid wipers which are crossed between white and stripped bass.

Wakina is right on ! The lake is plenty busy and most of the fish are in a confined area during April. Fish can be caught fast ( on a good day )and there have been plenty of cases for people overbagging. The marina parking lots are full every morning with empty boat trailers and the gut dumpsters are full. This doesnt happen in late summer. I have no problem with the 4 walleye per day in March / April. The smallmouth bass numbers have declined over the years, simply the bass numbers are down. There are some big bass out there and if people only kept one nice big bass to mount and let the rest go, it would help alot.