02-17-2006, 12:09 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I can't answer for other walleye fans, but my experience has been that the "early" eyes can be caught in the same areas that they will be spawning when the water is warmer. However, I have never done especially well at the mouths of the tributaries they use for spawning. It seems like they cruise around the lake, eating what they can, and then when conditions of temperature and moon phase are right they shoot up the streams.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Right now, water temperatures can be a big factor in finding willing wallies. There are lots of springs around Utah Lake, but they have not been flowing as heavily as in years past. I don't know whether agricultural use has dropped the water tables or whether the recent drought years have been a factor, but there is simply not the amount of warming water coming into the lake as in past years.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you can locate a spring, and it brings the surrounding water up even a couple of degrees, every species in the lake will gravitate toward it during cold water periods, like ice out. That means that the white bass, bluegills and other smaller species will be there. The walleyes will follow both for the food and the added degrees of warmth.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If the daytime temperatures start climbing again next week, and the lake temp does too, every degree increase can make a difference in walleye activity. That's why the best fishing this time of year is often late afternoon and evening. That's when the water temps are the highest for the day.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The short answer? You will find fish scattered all over the lake, but the most willing biters are likely to be close to traditional non-flowing spawning areas. These include the rock dikes around harbors, brushy and rocky areas along the west side and along the Lincoln Beach areas. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Once the actual spawning run is underway, you can sometimes intercept "staging" walleyes or those actively moving toward the mouths of streams, by fishing just off the outlets into the lake.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are a few fish being taken daily, by "dedicated" wallieologists, but the angler success ratios will go up after about March 1.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Right now, water temperatures can be a big factor in finding willing wallies. There are lots of springs around Utah Lake, but they have not been flowing as heavily as in years past. I don't know whether agricultural use has dropped the water tables or whether the recent drought years have been a factor, but there is simply not the amount of warming water coming into the lake as in past years.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you can locate a spring, and it brings the surrounding water up even a couple of degrees, every species in the lake will gravitate toward it during cold water periods, like ice out. That means that the white bass, bluegills and other smaller species will be there. The walleyes will follow both for the food and the added degrees of warmth.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If the daytime temperatures start climbing again next week, and the lake temp does too, every degree increase can make a difference in walleye activity. That's why the best fishing this time of year is often late afternoon and evening. That's when the water temps are the highest for the day.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The short answer? You will find fish scattered all over the lake, but the most willing biters are likely to be close to traditional non-flowing spawning areas. These include the rock dikes around harbors, brushy and rocky areas along the west side and along the Lincoln Beach areas. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Once the actual spawning run is underway, you can sometimes intercept "staging" walleyes or those actively moving toward the mouths of streams, by fishing just off the outlets into the lake.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are a few fish being taken daily, by "dedicated" wallieologists, but the angler success ratios will go up after about March 1.[/#0000ff]
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