Walleye Spawning Habits
To better understand early-spring walleye fishing, an angler must have a thorough understanding of the walleye's habits this time of year. Water temperature is an issue throughout the year, but probably most important in the spring because of the spawn.

Typically, walleyes spawn over rock, rubble or gravel in areas where there's current from a river, inlet or shallows that receive ample wave action. Water depth of spawning grounds tends to run 1 to 6 feet deep.

Male walleyes move into the spawning grounds first almost immediately after ice-out. Some late ice-anglers looking for panfish in the shallows will actually catch some of these early arriving males. After the water warms to about 40 degrees, the larger females begin arriving with peak spawning occurring when water temperatures vary from 42 to 50 degrees.

The magic temperature for walleyes leaving their spawning grounds seems to be 50 degrees, according to fisheries biologists. In areas where the spawning grounds are immediately adjacent to deep water, the water is slower to warm and the walleyes stay close by. In areas where the spawning grounds are on a gentle sloping surface, the walleyes might head out pretty quickly because the water warms quickly.

Bryan "Beef" Sathre of Fathead Guide Service is one of the top guides in the upper Midwest and said water temperature is the first thing he pays attention to in the early season. It's not the only thing, however.

"I'm very happy when the water temperature is in the 52- to 55-degree range, but there are other factors to consider, including time of day, wind direction and weather," Sathre said.

Choose Your Locatio
Sathre fishes in northern waters where the spawn typically occurs in late April, although it can still be going hot and heavy when walleye season opens in mid-May. He tends to focus on traditional areas, such as windswept shorelines.

"I also like to find the emerging green cabbage beds and other weeds that are holding baitfish." In either case, Sathre said his spring hotspots are similar to what he fishes in the summer.

Sound familiar?