Water temp – walleye spawn

Coffee talk …Looking back last year the water temp on the Croix was 53 for opener. With Lake St. Croix holding likely 16″ at least of ice over the main body I am curious to see what the opening temp will be this year. I believe the ice will be gone by opener just curious how soon the St. Croix will have “ice out.”

Water temps are 33 – 34 in Stillwater. Next week mid week the weather hits 50s.

So if the fish need 40 degrees minimum to spawn that might take more than two weeks to get that water temps up – talking north of Stillwater to Taylors falls. Spawning on the Croix could start as late as April 20th up there. Maybe later.

Who knows when the water temps will be 40 to 44 south of Stillwater?

Have a good one!

Late springs I have seen the saugers still spawning up around Osceola. When you found a school of them it was one fish after another. If by chance you hooked into a female the males would follow it right to the boat. Watched a guy in a boat next to me scoop a female and end up with two males in the net with her.

I’ve heard the snowpack is pretty good in the upper end of the watershed, hopefully that relates to higher water eventually. Really fun scooting around the islands fishing those waters leaving the main channel to the bigger boats.

I think this could be setting up to be a pretty good opener. I like the prolonged winter and cold water – it’s created pretty good conditions on P2 and P4 in my boat. Last couple of openers on the St Croix have been OK but colder water and post spawn or spawning conditions could be sweet!