River Walleye

[BigBassin144]

The walleye run is on here in Toledo in the mighty muddy Maumee river. I usually don't go cause it gets to be a mad house down there.

But my friend and his roommates were planning on fishing this year so I picked up some walleye stuff and broke out my waders.

The first day I went was Good Friday, and man was it busy. Because pretty much everyone out there is there to catch food and not for the simple fun of the sport, there's not much courtesy. It gets to be really annoying when some guy keeps snagging your line, then cutting YOUR bait off to untangle everything, and then keeping your bait...

Anyways, the river was up and cold from snow melt over in Indiana and the days haven't been too warm here, so the fishing was still slow. My friend got one, I got skunked.

We went out Thursday as well. Was on the river by 7:30 and in the middle of the week it wasn't too busy. We were able to fish a good 12-15ft apart. My friend and myself each got one, his roommate didn't that day.

He went about 20"



My friend and his roommate went Friday after class, I didn't have my gear in my truck, so I didn't go. They both caught their limits (4 each) in about 6 hours on the river.

So when they said they were going back this morning, I decided I'd meet them down there. It was a brisk 33-34* when we met on the river at 6:45, which turned out to be 45 minutes too late as there were already people and boats where we wanted to fish. We got stuck in a bad spot casting between two boats right into some rocks. I broke off my whole rig (15lb braid and 10lb leader) instead of just my leader like three times...

My friend forgot his gloves and his fingers were numb in about half an hour. His roommate's wader sprung a leak and his was fishing with ice cold water up past his right knee. After about an hour and a half with no bites, lots of retying, and a wet leg, we decided that was enough of the weekend walleye run for us.

We were stuck between this guy:


and this guy: (and the calm water you see was quite shallow and rocky) He looks farther than he was; I could've casted into his boat.


Some people. Insert 1-2 more people between each one picture and you've got a busy day on the river during the walleye run.




I think we'll be sticking to fishing during the week when we don't have class or have class later in the day.

BB

[bassboogieman]

That's the way the trout streams look here the first week of the season and for a couple days after each additional stocking through April, minus the boats. I quit that 40 years ago but my nephew really wanted me to go with him for trout, so I did last Wednesday. NOTHING'S CHANGED, I wasted $9.00 on the trout stamp. Like you mentioned, it's not just the numbers of anglers crowding around a hole, but they are clueless as to courtesy and I find that much more of an issue with "meat" anglers than recreational anglers.

[joedog]

Boy do the Walleye spawns bring out the wanna be's.
In LaCrosse at the dams it's wall to wall boats during the Walleye runs.
I swear you can walk from the dam wall to shore and never get your feet wet.

But like you said, it's not so much the crowds but the lack of respect and common courtesy. Not to mention how many once a year fisherman are out.

But hey...you got to fish.

Thanks for the share.

[Jrob78]

It gets like that here during the white bass runs. I've done it a few times when I was a kid, you couldn't pay to get me out there now.

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

It gets like that here during the white bass runs. I've done it a few times when I was a kid, you couldn't pay to get me out there now.

That's hilarious because they're not much more than an annoyance here, especially during the walleye run. If you're fishing the run and catch a white bass, it might as well be a carp.

BB

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

That's hilarious because they're not much more than an annoyance here, especially during the walleye run. If you're fishing the run and catch a white bass, it might as well be a carp.

BB

Yeah, it is kind of funny, they aren't anything special to eat. I guess they're just the only fish we have that run up the creeks and rivers in droves to spawn.

[MallenManson]

Nice to see you got out there!
The only time we get a bunch of pain in the neck anglers is during free fishing weekend.
Not a problem anymore, since I no longer fish from shore

[bassinbob]

What compels these people to come out only for the runs and the first day. Glad I quit that (trout) a long time ago.

[keithdog]

That's the way it is here at the pier on Lake Michigan when the steelhead start to run. Shoulder to shoulder, people casting straight out in front of themselves, over and over. It's more like a job.

[BigBassin144]

Keith, you're right. When it's like that, it is more like a job.

We'll be going tomorrow morning if it's not pouring rain. And if it's sprinkling, all the better for keeping those once a year fishermen off the water.

BB

[WatterBoy]

Good luck tomorrow, Anthony. You couldn't pay me to get out there when it's as crowded as it is in your pics. Hope it's not like that for you tomorrow.

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by WatterBoy

Good luck tomorrow, Anthony. You couldn't pay me to get out there when it's as crowded as it is in your pics. Hope it's not like that for you tomorrow.

It won't be near as bad during the week. And it's supposed to be drizzling on and off. That should help with the fair weather fishermen.

BB

[BigBassin144]

No rain this morning, but no fish for me. The fishing is still slow. A nice rain would help to bring the temp and water level up a bit.

My buddy caught a nice one, and his roommate got a little guy. I hooked up with two fish, but lost them both. I think I need to lay off the bass style hooksets with the small light wire hooks we're using.

There were maybe a dozen people on our side of the river in the area we were fishing, it was so nice. Definitely gonna keep going during the week and leave the weekend river fishing alone.

BB

[WaffleJaw]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

It gets like that here during the white bass runs. I've done it a few times when I was a kid, you couldn't pay to get me out there now.

Joe the difference is most of those Michigan guys probably have a license and I noticed arent throwing cast nets:/....Yea are Sand bass runs are annoying as piss.


Nice Wally Anthony!...I recently found out theirs a lake about an 1.2 hr away that have them.....Definitely on my list!

[MississippiBoy]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

It gets to be really annoying when some guy keeps snagging your line, then cutting YOUR bait off to untangle everything, and then keeping your bait...

I might would let him do that once, maybe, not realizing what he was doing. But if he tried that again, I'd set that hook in his hand, then claim I didn't see him with it and thought I had a bite.....