What’s your thoughts on walleye spawning habits

Depends on how hot the females are and what theyve had to drink… K, no seriously now…water temp.

It’s photo period eg. the amount of day light.

Water temperature has less to do with it when compared to time of year, at least on Pool 14. I can set my calendar each year that they’ll be flowing between the 10th and 12th of April each year. That’s without us injecting them at the hatchery. Of course the males are ready to go a month ahead of time!!!

Water temp! Warming water in the spring causes the walleyes to become more aggressive and move towards spawning grounds and makes for some very hungry and protective fish!

I believe Tim is correct that the amount of daylight has the biggest influence on the spawn. But since I than vary a little bit from year to year (days, not weeks), I’d guess that water temp can influence it a bit. I don’t think moon phase has much to do with it. But these are my thoughts and beliefs. Any facts out there?

When Chuck Norris tells them they can spawn.

I think it is a combination of everything, good, gooder & goodest times

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When Chuck Norris tells them they can spawn.

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Dumb as it sounds, I kinda agree! Think about this, if your magic water temp comes 30 days late, do they hold onto the eggs and wait??? Or vise versa?

I bet daylight and weather systems make a bigger difference. Not to say water temp isn’t a factor. I bet it’s a major factor.

I bet it’s a combo of all of them. They gotta be in the mood, you know how that goes!

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I think it is a combination of everything, good, gooder & goodest times

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I believe this sums it up, that is why we have good and bad year classes of all spawning fish.

I’ve noticed on River Systems it’s much more temp dependent and on Lake Systems timing is more stable and happens around the same time every year (probably more temp/light/weather combo based).

I tossed this out here to see what varying opinions would be, and why. Nearly everything I have read over the years from various fish biologist have concluded its a combination of the photo/and water temps (which usually coincides with the similar dates each year) The last few years, I’ve been paying a lot more attention to the moon phase in relationship to the water temps. As mentioned above, it seems there has been years when they have held their eggs for an extra week or so; even though the water temps were “right”. By the same theory, I’ve noticed years when the major spawn was happening earlier in the season and the water temps were at the cooler end of the spawning range. So with the water temps within the preferred range and the amount of light being correct; why the variance of earlier or later? I know the years when lakes have ice coming off the last weekend of April or in some cases the first week of May, the light penetration is much less and the water temps are cooler. But yet, once the ice is off, look how fast a lake can rise in temps within one sunny day.
I really believe the moon phase is the third element in triggering the vast amount of spawn activity. I’ve only tracked it the last couple of years, but it seems to have some validity.