# 2019 Spring walleye hatch and trawling survey



## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

Early reports look like another great walleye hatch.

The August trawl produced 143 fish.

The 20 year average for the trawl is 27 fish.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

dang, can the lakes bait fish sustain such a large number of fish? last yrs hatch was the largest on record with all the fish already in the lake and now another great hatch. it sure looks like the good old days are ahead of us. maybe they'll start eating goby's. I just hope i'm able to fish a few more yrs.
sherman


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## LEfriend (Jun 14, 2009)

Be glad it was that big. A lot of those little critters will disappear as food for the last two big walleye hatches....


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

well with all the fish that are spawning now we are bound to have above average hatches for a while now i would think, its just a shear number thing more walleyes spawning mean more eggs in the system...


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## rnewman (Mar 25, 2013)

Have read a lot of info on what determines the success of the walleye hatches.One factor that might be attributing to the great hatches is the higher water level.I really would not know how a higher water level would increase the hatch success.But they must somehow help spawn success.Had high water levels back in the 80s also and had great fishing then too.


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## Gringo Loco (Mar 5, 2005)

rnewman said:


> Have read a lot of info on what determines the success of the walleye hatches.One factor that might be attributing to the great hatches is the higher water level.I really would not know how a higher water level would increase the hatch success.But they must somehow help spawn success.Had high water levels back in the 80s also and had great fishing then too.





Redheads said:


> Early reports look like another great walleye hatch.
> 
> The August trawl produced 143 fish.
> 
> The 20 year average for the trawl is 27 fish.


I would trade for a mediocre perch hatch


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Walleye limits will be going up for sure


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## Snackmans Dad (May 2, 2007)

Looks like I may need to start looking for a cook book titled "1001 ways to cook walleye"


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## OPTIMIST (Sep 27, 2007)

****** Loco said:


> I would trade for a mediocre perch hatch


in a heart beat


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## captainshotgun (Jul 8, 2009)

****** Loco said:


> I would trade for a mediocre perch hatch





****** Loco said:


> I would trade for a mediocre perch hatch


No way! Not me!


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

they say the perch are there and the hatches have been good so idk ...
and the limits are not going up but they are not gonna change in the spring down to four like they have been


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

TRIPLE-J said:


> well with all the fish that are spawning now we are bound to have above average hatches for a while now i would think, its just a shear number thing more walleyes spawning mean more eggs in the system...


from my understanding the amount of fish doesn't matter that much. half the fish lay enough eggs to have a great hatch if they survive. its the conditions that determines how many walleye makes it to be fingerlings. also how many survives being eaten. there always plenty of eggs for a great hatch. but they have to be fertilized by the males, stay in place for so long, have calm water so the don't get washed away, and many other factors determines survival. a few thousand healthy females will lay plenty of eggs. I think a female on the larger size lays around 500,000 eggs. but only so many will survive to become adult fish.
sherman


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## miked913 (Feb 29, 2008)

I was able to fish Thur Fri and Sunday this past weekend, from Fairport to Ashtabula. Once you get 68' or so and deeper there are miles of bait balls out there some deep some suspended. The walleyes are fat and full of bait,. Most have smelt in their bellies but these guys definitely weren't smelt.
















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## stampman60 (Jan 12, 2015)

sherman51 said:


> dang, can the lakes bait fish sustain such a large number of fish? last yrs hatch was the largest on record with all the fish already in the lake and now another great hatch. it sure looks like the good old days are ahead of us. maybe they'll start eating goby's. I just hope i'm able to fish a few more yrs.
> sherman


instead of Goby's I would rather they eat sheepheads.


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

stampman60 said:


> instead of Goby's I would rather they eat sheepheads.


They do
Eat baby sheepheads and white perch !
Great Walleye Hatches are a good thing ! People over react ! The Yellow perch survived big walleye numbers back in the 80's and will survive again !


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Perch hatch was excellent they said. The walleye from the last couple good hatches I do not believe were sexually mature yet to even spawn (females) so the good hatch is still from fish from years prior.


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## Rob Fitch (Jul 31, 2014)

sherman51 said:


> dang, can the lakes bait fish sustain such a large number of fish? last yrs hatch was the largest on record with all the fish already in the lake and now another great hatch. it sure looks like the good old days are ahead of us. maybe they'll start eating goby's. I just hope i'm able to fish a few more yrs.
> sherman


They do eat gobys


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

sherman51 said:


> from my understanding the amount of fish doesn't matter that much. half the fish lay enough eggs to have a great hatch if they survive. its the conditions that determines how many walleye makes it to be fingerlings. also how many survives being eaten. there always plenty of eggs for a great hatch. but they have to be fertilized by the males, stay in place for so long, have calm water so the don't get washed away, and many other factors determines survival. a few thousand healthy females will lay plenty of eggs. I think a female on the larger size lays around 500,000 eggs. but only so many will survive to become adult fish.
> sherman


yea I know that but my point was the more eggs that are out there the better the chances even under less than ideal conditions


K gonefishin said:


> Perch hatch was excellent they said. The walleye from the last couple good hatches I do not believe were sexually mature yet to even spawn (females) so the good hatch is still from fish from years prior.


yea I believe this next spring will be the first year they will be mature enough to start. believe they reach mature spawning age at 3 years if I remember right


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Perch are being devastated by the walleye population and the eggs by both the Gobi and the white perch population.


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## tambora (Jun 15, 2008)

Popspastime said:


> Perch are being devastated by the walleye population and the eggs by both the Gobi and the white perch population.


COMORANTS!!


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## caseyroo (Jun 26, 2006)

TRIPLE-J said:


> they say the perch are there and the hatches have been good so idk ...
> and the limits are not going up but they are not gonna change in the spring down to four like they have been[/QUOT





TRIPLE-J said:


> they say the perch are there and the hatches have been good so idk ...
> and the limits are not going up but they are not gonna change in the spring down to four like they have been


not true, Spring limit is going to 6 just like rest of the year.


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## JCsHOOK (Apr 18, 2004)

Lets just hope the Asian Carp can be stopped before they get in to Erie. It's unreal what they have done to Kentucky lake.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

caseyroo said:


> not true, Spring limit is going to 6 just like rest of the year.


i said they werent going down to four like they have been so it was true


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## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

JCsHOOK said:


> Lets just hope the Asian Carp can be stopped before they get in to Erie. It's unreal what they have done to Kentucky lake.


Been creeping their way up for sure.

Not the urgency to stop them as i would like to see but im hoping something is happening.

God knows are DOW is reactive vs proactive.


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## walleyeseizure (Jul 26, 2008)

K gonefishin said:


> Perch hatch was excellent they said. The walleye from the last couple good hatches I do not believe were sexually mature yet to even spawn (females) so the good hatch is still from fish from years prior.


We caught some in the 18-20” range last spring that had eggs not sure they all did or not, or if their eggs were viable. Over the past few weeks all the fish we have cleaned are forming egg sacks in their belly’s and they are eating very well.


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## OPTIMIST (Sep 27, 2007)

****** Loco said:


> I would trade for a mediocre perch hatch


I would trad also but it really doesn't make much of a difference. As soon as we get good perch fishing the DNR will let the netters double again (they did it for 3 years when they banned netting in the western basin.


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## baitguy (Dec 17, 2013)

was out last weekend, caught maybe a dozen walleyes that were 7-8", are those this year or last years fish? lol those rascals have sharp teeth already at that tender age


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## cheezman (Jul 4, 2011)

Here's the article !!!
https://www.cleveland.com/sports/20...ZcJw5_uAPItn-oSkCc65CGzONQs0Od6wMRjl_TjGW91-Y


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

baitguy said:


> was out last weekend, caught maybe a dozen walleyes that were 7-8", are those this year or last years fish? lol those rascals have sharp teeth already at that tender age


Those would be this year's hatch.

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## Seaturd (Apr 14, 2004)

I've had walleyes yack up white perch a couple of times this year. We've not caught the usual numbers of the annoying little gluttons and most of the ones we did catch were big enough not to be eaten by your average walleye. I think pretty much anything that swims and will fit in their jaws is on the menu.


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