Walleyes Spawning on the Rock River

Fishing is slow right now for one reason and one reason only. Post why anglers

Those in the know, know.

…because I’ve been out of commission for a few weeks, and the eyes are going thru depression because they miss me. But hoping to change that next week. (they can’t keep going that long, can they?)

thats funny i caught my limit of keepers last night and this morning. Even Saw Ted Peck out in his flat bottom throwing dinks across the river. To many of those blessed things.
As ted said Night bite is best. I fished from 5:30 p.m. last night untill 8:30 a.m. this morning thats when Ted and Hanna bannana came up river. one pig measured 31 1/2 inches around 9:30 p.m. Rest about three foot of water just stacked on top of each other. What a riot!!! You guys fishing Jefferson Dam ought to give night fishing a try.

Well I just got home from The Gun Club shooting trap
( first time since I was twelve) I need to sleep since work is in 4 1/2 hours. Guess thats what Walleye Madness is All about.

Troy you fishing down by Janesville?

Water level is rising fast down here in Janesville, I was catching walleyes pretty consistently up until Wednesday. Havent been out since. The higher water makes for some fun shallow water fishing too!

Maybe I,ll be back down this week ,every time we fish the fishing has been good , but 1 thing they are biting so good at home here its hard to leave Puckaway. Well good luck down there , you guys have one heck of a fishery on the rock keep up the good work down there, maybe I,ll move back down there who knows! From Jeff..

Had the pleasure of being hosted by Diesel in search of elusive walleye on sunday afternoon. We lauched at Newville about 3 pm, and fished till 7 or so. No definite pattern established, except that the 10 or so eyes we caught were all males (as evidenced by the mess they left in Derek’s boat),seemed to have a preference for plastic, and were scattered. Fish were taken vertical jigging, and pitching. Ringworms picked up most of the fish, with a walleye assassin taking one, and jig/crawler taking another. Only 2 were in the 15 inch range, with rest dinks tween 12 to 14 inches. Even the small ones inhaled the plastic…very aggressive bite when we they decided to hit. Beautiful afternoon out there, and only two other boats at this end of the river. Looked like maybe a few boats fishing towrds Kosh. Water temp at 49.5 degrees. Thanks for the warmer-upper, Diesel.

No problemo Ed,

Got to fish with a buddy, beautiful day, not a lot of traffic on the water, learned some new thing, and caught a fish or two.

Ed is right about the fishing pretty scattered. Saw a couple of boats trolling up river but too far to tell if it was productive. Water temp almost 50. Who whould have thought plastics worked for walleye. Z-man continues to teach me the value of a well presented ringworm.

See you on the water in two to three weeks. Got the to list going full throttle.

Derek

Me and rancor were the one’s trolling up river by the mouth from 3:00 to 7:00, caught 8 walleyes all small but for one 16 incher. Rock bar nothing producing there that day. Fun to sit back and watch boards for a change.

Hit the Newville area on Wednesday, from 4:30 till 7:30 pm. Pretty much vertical jigged between the bridges, and tried pitching for a half-hour or so. Same results as Sunday…..got 8 eyes, with one at 17 inches, and rest 12 to 14, and most messing up the boat. This time though, they wouldnt touch pastic, and it was a live-bait bite, with minnow and crawlers getting equal attention. Water temps rose to 59 degrees from Sunday’s 50. So anyone have any ideas where in the spawning cycle we’re at right now on these waters?? Lots of small, milting males around, but no mamas? Gonna have to try to keep on them, to see what happens next, I guess….reat afternoon/evening, once the wind died down. Started out with some white caps blowing up-river, and calmed down nicely.

What, no pic’s of that 17″

Nope, sorry, but with the way the wind was to start with, would have been blown all the way up-river to Kosh by the time I dug my camera out, combed my hair, straightened out my tie, and said “cheese”. Plus, he was a skinny 17 and I know you like ’em plump. So where do you think we are in the spawning cycle, Jeff? Kind-of strange getting a scattered males only, isnt it?

Out at Newville on friday with my 9 year old and his neighbor buddy. vertical jigged most of the time, and boated about a dozen eyes, all under 15 inches. Neigbor lad got three….first time ever fishing, but he got that vertical jigging down quick, and one eye is all it took to keep him focussed on bottom contact. Boated around Kosh for a bit after a great lunch at the Anchor Inn…..saw a few boats trolling the rock pile….any reports Jeff? Good day to be out with the little guys, and seems that another lad is hooked for life.

Got 2 keepers on Friday with 10 or so shorts and Saturday a little better, watch for my report and pic’ Tuesday.

Was out Friday afternoon fishing just up from the 26 bypass bridge to the mouth. Went out a bit too early and got wet before the sun came out. Ended up with 2 sheephead and a 13″ male walleye tagged from the Hwy. 28 bridge in Horicon. Does that tell you anything about the spawn with the fish heading back down river all the way from Horicon? Packed up and headed to my aunt’s pond which produced some hot action on spinnerbaits.

Keep up the good work guys.

Geez Z-man, making up for the lost time traveling?

Gotta try to balance out the work and play, and when the sun shines, gotta make hay (or gotta fish). Just trying to keep on the pattern to see what happens next. The bite this last two times out was very similar to what you and I saw on sunday….a bunch of small males. Hopefully the next episode will bring some bigger fish into the picture. Still trying to get a full day in to explore the rock pile, and play around on Kosh some. Stay tuned….

Made it out to Newville for a few hours this afternoon, and got a big-time butt-kicking. Didn’t boat a single fish. Had two shorts on, but they fell off as I started to lift them into the boat. Tried my normal routine of vertical jigging with plastics and live bait, anchoring and pitching in various locations and depths, while drowning live bait, and tried dragging plastics slowly working them up-river. water temps dropped to 55, and the river was down about a foot from last time out. Might be time to move over to Blackhawk or Kosh.

Start trolling

Sundays outing

perch popping plugs

Ed’s afraid of trolling on Kosh. If he isn’t 20 to 40 feet down over 60 feet going through 4 foot swells pulling up drag screaming salmon he ain’t fishin .

There is always Koshkonong Salmon .

Hope to take half day on friday next weeks. Maybe see y’all there.

Derek

Cut it out, guys. I was afraid of posting my failure, for fear of getting an inferiority complex from the razzing….but then what are friends for? Was actually thinking about a picture of my empty livewell…A serving of humble pie is good for the soul, right? (As long as it’s very occasional). I guess I just like jigging and pitching too much to start trolling, but may have to cry uncle if this reccurs…..whatever it takes. Thanks for the encouragement…

Trolled for 3 hours on Wednesday…..a 36 inch nort, 21 inch nort and a nort in the 30’s bit me off boatside….not a walleye to be had today! Ever since I went bass fishing in Florida the walleyes have been hiding on me. Might have to go carp fishing to build up my self esteem

Quote:

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Might have to go carp fishing to build up my self esteem

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Now Sir dat dere is funny

Finally caught some walleyes yesterday on the Rock….fished below Indianford dam, long ride up river from Hwy 14 landing. Gold knuckleball and orange paddletail was hot, never caught a fish on minnows! Definately will be fishing there again….for cats!

Way to go, Lou…glad to see that you didnt have to resort to chasing carp to get the rythym back. I’m still a little gun-shy, but gonna have to try to get out soon. So why did you change handle from Carp King, anyway??

Long story….actually has to do with a real hippo! Also is the name of my boat. I always name my boats and I no longer use the Carpking, and the Turd has been retired! Hope to get out Tuesday if weather holds out.

Been pretty quiet lately Jeff.

Should be getting out tomorrow evening. Will report on the adventure.

Derek