Maumee River Walleye Run

[AtticaFish]

Guy posted this video on the Ohio Game Fishing forum. Video was taken from a drone. Pretty cool view and shows the crazy number of anglers that get out after these fish.

[video=youtube]

The walleye push into a couple rivers in the SW corner of Lake Erie for spawning, usually right after ice out. Really only 2 major river systems get good numbers of fish, the Maumee and the Sandusky. The Maumee is about an hour and a half NW of me. The Sandusky is MUCH smaller and gets less pressure, but only about 45 minutes away. I do not fish the walleye runs...... just too much drama for me. The GW's have a field day when the run is in full swing as many many fish are snagged and it is illegal to keep if they are not hooked in the mouth.

 

[LedHed]

That is insane - I don't get it. They go after the fish that are going to spawn?

 

[plateboater]

Do any fish get up the river to spawn................The good is the video is cool. Similar here for the IL river run and Mississippi run. Interesting from this perspective how everybody looks lined up!!!

 

[Kdog]

OK, so who has the right of way? Guys in waders or guys in boats? Never experienced the River Runs although have seen first hand how crazy they can be. I did get snookered into fishing the white bass run 1x years ago and assure you never again.

But, if I lived closer, would love to go and watch

 

[Bucko]

I fish the walleye run every year. Lots of people. I'll keep the males for the freezer and look for a female over 10 pounds.

 

[AtticaFish]

LedHed - You got it. There are a few resident 'eyes in the deeper areas closer to Erie, but the only reason the push up river this far is to spawn. There is always a big debate on the ethics of this each year on the forum. Some people say that when the females come in, they only have spawning on their mind and not eating. They say you can get strikes just from aggressive fish, but a TON of fish are simply snagged. One of the favorite rig setups is to use a Carolina Rig weight followed by a 20"-30" leader to a floating jig head with a twister tail. A lot of people say they are simply 'lining' the fish....... waiting for fish with their mouth open to get the line in their mouth as the floater pulls it up. The game wardens sit with spotting scopes to make sure the hooks are inside the mouth. Lots of people attempt to un-hook fish below the water to get away with it.

Scientifically, there is supposedly only a small number of walleye that run up these rivers compared to the whole population of Lake Erie. BUT..... boats are non-stop out over the reefs where they spawn there in the spring too.


Plateboater - Has to be enough that make it so their young know to come back! It is amazing though with that many lines in the water. I never realized the boats lined up quite like they do.

Kdog - Everyone thinks they have the right of way. If the boats go to fast, they create wake and can swamp the guys wading really easy. The boats also get mad because they say the waders are standing in the holes where the fish are. Guys wading get pissed at the guys in the boats and start aiming 1/4oz jigs at them. Then everyone has to cast and drift practically in unison with the current or else all the lines get in a mess. Like i said, too much drama for me.

 

[AllenOK]

Combat fishing. Bleck! One of the reasons why I like fishing in a kayak.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Geez, reminds me of Black Friday at Walmart.

Don't think I'll try, but I understand the 3 mile length of the Lake McConaughy dam will look like that starting this week. At night.

 

[plateboater]

That is why I run a plate boat also......let those boys know that scratches build character. Looking at the video for the 2nd time....amazing.

 

[Lost Pole]

That is why I run a plate boat also......let those boys know that scratches build character. Looking at the video for the 2nd time....amazing.

What exactly in the hell is a "plate" boat?
I know I read it bf but must've forgotten.



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[Lost Pole]

I've been trying to get the video to go through Tapatalk. Anybody have another link.?


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[AtticaFish]

Here is the link straight to the video on YouTube......

 

[quivira kid]

I just want a big walleye on the fly rod, and the spawn is about the best chance to do it. Walleye aren't super common around here, and I'd just as soon let them spawn most of the time! That, and I hate dealing with the snagging jacklegs that are inevitably right next to you.


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[dbeam]

similar to opening day of trout season in NC. In some creeks you need to bring your own rock from home, in order to have a place to stand.

Darrell

 

[plateboater]

Dbeam.....that was funny!!!

 

[AllenOK]

I've caught a Sauger (close enough to a Walleye) on my 5wt. Little guy, hit a chartreuse-over-white Clouser. Next cast caught a small Channel Cat.

 

[AtticaFish]

I would love to hit a few 'eyes on my 5wt fly rod! Sauger, saugeye, walleye... all taste the same in my book. :icon14: They push up tight to the shore at night on some of the reservoirs near me, but trying to sling the long rod after dark can be a chore.... and dangerous to my health with my buggy whip skill level.

Lost Pole - I believe plate boat refers to simply a boat 'plated' with metal to help protect the hull. Could be wrong of course since my only boats are plastic kayaks.

 

[BucktailJiger]

A all Aluminum boat made from large solid plates of aluminum mig and tig welded no rivets .
Plateboater correct me if I'm wrong

 

[plateboater]

23ft 6ft wide....200 Verado Tiller and 9.9 tiller. Scratches build character like scars!

View attachment 7

 

[BucktailJiger]

I like that !