Pre-spawn, Spawn, Post-spawn

It would seem that now would be a good time for a River Walleye Spawning 101 Primer for those of us who are new to the river gig.

I’m wondering about fish location and movement on the river during the different spawning phases. Do the fish usually hang in the same structure and depth or do they disperse and setup in different structures or depths based on what phase they are in. Generally speaking, when does the spawn usually occur and what triggers it? Does water temp play much of a factor or is it the length of the days or river flow that triggers spawning? Do they have the feedbag on the entire time or do they shut down at certain points? What tactics might one use during the different spawning phases. Enquiring minds (or just me) want to know. Any and all info is appreciated. Thanks.
Clark

From everything I have read or been told walleyes begin their spawn when the water reaches a certain temperature. Not all walleye spawn at the same water temp but the water has to reach a certain temp for the spawn to start. I have caught females walleye still full of eggs long after people have told me the spawn is over. You can find walleye several ways during the pre spawn. The males seem to move up near their spawning areas before the females do. They migrate to these spawning areas along the edges of the current flow feeding as they move. Prime spawning areas can be found all up and down the river and are not just located below the main dams. Many of the best spawning areas I know are several miles below the big dams. Pre spawn walleye can be caught along the edges of the channel, on or near wingdams and rip rap and in some of the shallower areas below the big dams. I have always had good luck fishing the edges of the current flow at a certain depth in the pre spawn rather than locating the fish on structure. However, night and low-light fishing on wingdams and other shallow structure can be killer pre-spawn.

During the spawn you can find numbers of male walleyes on the spawning areas if you happen to know where some of the spawning areas are located. I have been told that the females will move up to the edges of these spawning areas within a day or two of releasing their eggs. When they do spawn the females will move into the spawning area, release their eggs and move back out all within a matter of a few hours. They do not make “spawning beds” but instead they just release the eggs (broadcast) to go where the current takes them. Then the females begin to migrate back to where they came from starting their post-spawn feed as they go. The male fish stay in or near the spawning areas until the last female has relased her eggs. The females are only in the vicinity for a short time. The entire spawn can linger on for a while depending on the water temperatures.

Post spawn walleye really put on the feed bag and seem to be a little more structure orientated that pre-spawn fish.
Post spawn you will find walleye feeding all day long on the wingdams.

Eyehunter