10-01-2018, 12:45 PM
[#0000FF]DWR does not do sample nettings or otherwise keep tabs on population numbers on any species in Utah Lake. The only species anyone seems to care about are the June suckers. It is tough to know at any given time just what the numbers are. But, based upon personal observations and input from a lot of different anglers, I'm guessing that walleyes are not nearly as numerous as they have been in the past.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There is a hardcore group of "walleye warriors" who show up at various points around Utah Lake when the fish are "in". You can see them wading and casting at all hours...at Lincoln Beach, the mouth of the Spanish Fork River, American Fork River inlet and around some of the harbor dikes. If anyone is catching walleyes it will be these guys. And this last year the catch rate was lower for all but a handful of these diehards...and there were more trips with few or no fish brought to net.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There are not as many knowledgeable anglers who chase walleyes around the lake from boats or other floating craft. But there are a few. And Utah Lake was not very nice to us/them during the past year. A fish caught here and there but I don't know of anyone who ever caught a limit.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The annual abundance of white bass younglings is a big part of the ecology for all Utah Lake predators. Even white bass rely on having lots of their own young to grow on. In years when there has been a poor spawn for white bass, those fish that rely on them for groceries do not do well.
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[#0000FF]At the end of the drought in 2005 there were greatly decreased numbers of white bass...after a couple of years of poor spawns...and the walleyes were skinny and hungry. Everybody caught lots of walleyes but many of those fish were seriously underweight. And there was a heavy starvation dieoff under the ice that last winter.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The walleye I have seen recently...in personal brag reports...have looked healthy. I don't think they are in imminent danger of starvation. But I also think that their numbers are down to a level where they can survive on less food availability.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Walleyes are notorious for being difficult to catch, at least for the "average" angler. Utah Lake walleyes can be especially difficult. They are a species from deep cold lakes...that rely on having spawning streams with heavy flow each spring. That does not describe Utah Lake...a shallow mud hole with few suitable spawning tributaries and little rocky shoreline for alternate spawning sites.
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[#0000FF]Walleye anglers in the upper midwest are able to fish with live bait. We can't. They will pick up dead minnows and even pieces of cut bait fished for catfish. But in murky water their sight-feeding abilities are reduced. And even though they do hunt well in darkness and murky water by using their sensitive lateral lines to pick up vibrations, lure anglers do much better under good visibility conditions. Those do not happen often on Utah Lake.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The cycle of life for walleyes is strongly dependent upon water temperatures. They spawn early...when water temps reach about 45 degrees. Then they go on the chew postspawn while water temps are from about 55 to 65 degrees. After that, they feed only briefly...at different times each day...depending upon water temps, clarity, food availability, heavy boating activity and other factors. And they tend to move around a lot looking for food and comfort.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Walleyes do start to feed more actively as soon as fall temps begin to drop. And you can find them chasing the feeding baby whities at numerous locations around the lake...especially right at daybreak. But they are very efficient feeders and can usually fill their stomachs quickly...with no need to chase anglers' trinkets for the next 24 hours.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The upside of all this is that even well fed walleyes will sometimes have a "reaction bite" response to something presented to them the right way at the right time. One of the biggest walleyes I ever caught...in American Fork Harbor...took a small silver and blue spoon being fished for white bass. I took it in to have a resin cast mount made and when the guy had made the cast he ate the fish. He reported that it had three 10-inch white bass in it's gut when he filleted it. Maybe that walleye was just using my small lure as a toothpick.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Bottom line? You have to first find where the fish are hanging out...and feeding. Then you have to keep changing up your tackle and techniques until you find something the fish will vote for. And you may have to still keep changing up to keep catching fish.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Walleyes are frustrating...but worth the challenge.
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[#0000FF]There is a hardcore group of "walleye warriors" who show up at various points around Utah Lake when the fish are "in". You can see them wading and casting at all hours...at Lincoln Beach, the mouth of the Spanish Fork River, American Fork River inlet and around some of the harbor dikes. If anyone is catching walleyes it will be these guys. And this last year the catch rate was lower for all but a handful of these diehards...and there were more trips with few or no fish brought to net.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]There are not as many knowledgeable anglers who chase walleyes around the lake from boats or other floating craft. But there are a few. And Utah Lake was not very nice to us/them during the past year. A fish caught here and there but I don't know of anyone who ever caught a limit.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The annual abundance of white bass younglings is a big part of the ecology for all Utah Lake predators. Even white bass rely on having lots of their own young to grow on. In years when there has been a poor spawn for white bass, those fish that rely on them for groceries do not do well.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]At the end of the drought in 2005 there were greatly decreased numbers of white bass...after a couple of years of poor spawns...and the walleyes were skinny and hungry. Everybody caught lots of walleyes but many of those fish were seriously underweight. And there was a heavy starvation dieoff under the ice that last winter.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The walleye I have seen recently...in personal brag reports...have looked healthy. I don't think they are in imminent danger of starvation. But I also think that their numbers are down to a level where they can survive on less food availability.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Walleyes are notorious for being difficult to catch, at least for the "average" angler. Utah Lake walleyes can be especially difficult. They are a species from deep cold lakes...that rely on having spawning streams with heavy flow each spring. That does not describe Utah Lake...a shallow mud hole with few suitable spawning tributaries and little rocky shoreline for alternate spawning sites.
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[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Walleye anglers in the upper midwest are able to fish with live bait. We can't. They will pick up dead minnows and even pieces of cut bait fished for catfish. But in murky water their sight-feeding abilities are reduced. And even though they do hunt well in darkness and murky water by using their sensitive lateral lines to pick up vibrations, lure anglers do much better under good visibility conditions. Those do not happen often on Utah Lake.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The cycle of life for walleyes is strongly dependent upon water temperatures. They spawn early...when water temps reach about 45 degrees. Then they go on the chew postspawn while water temps are from about 55 to 65 degrees. After that, they feed only briefly...at different times each day...depending upon water temps, clarity, food availability, heavy boating activity and other factors. And they tend to move around a lot looking for food and comfort.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Walleyes do start to feed more actively as soon as fall temps begin to drop. And you can find them chasing the feeding baby whities at numerous locations around the lake...especially right at daybreak. But they are very efficient feeders and can usually fill their stomachs quickly...with no need to chase anglers' trinkets for the next 24 hours.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The upside of all this is that even well fed walleyes will sometimes have a "reaction bite" response to something presented to them the right way at the right time. One of the biggest walleyes I ever caught...in American Fork Harbor...took a small silver and blue spoon being fished for white bass. I took it in to have a resin cast mount made and when the guy had made the cast he ate the fish. He reported that it had three 10-inch white bass in it's gut when he filleted it. Maybe that walleye was just using my small lure as a toothpick.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Bottom line? You have to first find where the fish are hanging out...and feeding. Then you have to keep changing up your tackle and techniques until you find something the fish will vote for. And you may have to still keep changing up to keep catching fish.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Walleyes are frustrating...but worth the challenge.
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[signature]