Jig season

[indyfisher]

Anyone think the ice will melt by the second week in April Im starting to get a little nervous.

[bocajemma]

I am starting to doubt it myself looking at the 10 day forecast. nothing to get nervouse about though. the fish don't have a calendar so until the water temperatures get to 40 degrees the fish wont be spawning.

[Lakeerieguy]

Dont bet that water temp is the deciding factor for the spawn . The past 2 trips we have caught males that have been milting and females that spewed eggs when brought through the hole . The water temp down on the bottom in 28ft of water was 38 degrees on Sunday.

like you said no calender , but no thermometer either . As you can tell where the fish have been caught in the past 10 days, they are in the spawning areas just waiting for the mood to be right .

Not saying at all, that all of them were ready but some for sure were .

Dale

[jiginitis69]

Something to consider? River run off & ice shifting east. Doesn't need to melt. Just move & river water is warmer than lake. Just gotta hope launches open but current should do that for us. No need to run out far anymore. Buddy limited in 14 fow today.

[hot-n-tot501]

Yeah, its definitely a debate to be had whether its water temp, what the calendar says, or a combination of both that determines when the fish spawn. Me personally, i compare it to deer and the rut. Peak breeding is always around the 15th of November based on moonphases and the amount of sunlight. Yes, a cold snap going into the first couple weeks of November always helps matters, but nonetheless, the deer will be breeding at that time. The same goes with fishing. I beleive with it being soo cold and the lake being ice covered, the fish will be moving into the maumee maybe a hair later than normal, but wont be that much of a difference. Just go out and fish and you'll have to find out for yourself. just my oppinion thanks

[bocajemma]

the vast majority of the spawn will happen when the water temps are between 40-45 in the spawning areas not 28ft of water. 28ft of water would be considered staging areas for the spawn. of course this is not an exact thing as some will spawn sooner and some will spawn later but the vast majority will be with those water temps. of course you are going to see females full of eggs and will drop eggs if you pull then thru the ice. they are ready to spawn at any moment now. males are males. they know the time is soon and they are more than ready to do what they do. not surprised you would see them milting now.

[wakina]

The longer days(more daylight) draws them near into the staging areas, water temps of 40 to 45 at or near the surface as walleyes are broadcast spawner's and spawn on or near the surface, and the full moon will really set them off once the right temps are reached. If you get out shortly before daylight during the jig bite you will hear them breaking water and especially there is more spawning activity during the full moon but once it starts breaking day the spawning activity slows to almost a standstill until dark again.

[Capt Juls]

Warmer temps earlier this week, with gale force winds today, along with insulating snow coverage...with melting run off this weekend... should start breaking up the western basin pretty good.

The latest satellite pic shows a lot of open water east of the islands, so there is room for anything that breaks up to get past the islands with the right winds.

North and northwest winds today, so it's going to pile up on our shores and open the Canadian side. Then, we just need a good southwest and west winds to push it out of here.

The monthly forecast shows warmer temps coming, so I do believe that we will be fishing out of boats by the second week in April.

Hoping so anyway...fingers crossed.

[wakina]

Capt Juls: I hope you are right but with the amount of ice that was made this winter there may be a delay in the thaw in the marinas and boat ramps even if the lake would be fishable! Most ramp areas and marinas in the western basin within a couple of miles of the reefs are protected and don't receive the water flow and the resulting water current to help with melting the ice. I am talking from Magee East to Toussaint River, most are in harbors and man made areas out of the water flow of the main creeks and rivers.

[Capt Juls]

Yes, I can see those ramps staying iced in longer. I'm over here in Port Clinton and a few of the ramps have a better chance of opening up sooner.