Early Season Forage?

[riverrat56]

So, I got to thinking tonight at work, what does a walleye's forage consist of for the early part of the season?

Is there baitfish that are already hatching and they are eating these smaller fish? Or are the walleyes still feeding on the larger fish that hatched the year before, like in fall?

I'm wondering if using larger baits, like small redtails or river shiners could be effective around the time of opener, or if everyone using fatheads and leeches are right on the money?

Any ideas?

[b1gf1sh1]

minnows. i hate em but leeches work for some. shallow rocky bays are warmer. hmmm i wonder what lives in them there rocks? really after a short rest they'll chase but finnesse is the key durring that rest. durring rest, basicly it's just ''food'' they want, with little effort to get it. crankbaits trolled at 5 miles an hour aint finnesse. but you might snag one up. or a sterile fish that did'nt spawn.

[PerchJerker]

I love using big shiners early in the year, I usually prefer them over fatheads. If you can find light pike sized sucker minnows try tipping a jig with them and see what happens

[hhguide]

The bigger the better in the early going! Thats what I do for the early season.

[Team Otter]

Your assumptions are a good start Nick.

[Nick Kuhn]

Last year's hatch of perch and such won't be very big even in early spring. I would think the size walleye you would want to target wouldn't even be looking at YotY fish until at least fall. Even my very well fed (read growing as fast as southern strain fish) bass I have in my aquarium wouldn't even be much of a meal for a 15 inch eye, as it's only 4.5" long right now. There's no way a baitfish is going to be as large.

[Kyle Sandberg]

Last springs perch hatch are about 2-3" long. I would start my search using larger profile minnows as well as leeches and go smaller if your not getting bit.

[Team Otter]

I'm more apt to slowing a presentation down before going smaller when not getting bit.

[riverrat56]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, I guess this means some more bait in the boat next spring.

[UncleKes]

Leeches won't work in cold water. They tend to curl up on the hook and I doubt they have come out of the mud very early on, say till the end of May in most northern waters. Minnows or small prey fish like perch, shad, shiners, etc. are probably what they are feeding on.

They will be attracted to the north side of the lake since that is the side that gets the most sunshine this time of year. The sun hatches the plankton which draws the minnows and other prey fish and the walleyes and other predator fish are drawn to the minnows and prey fish. It is all a feeding response.

[Team Otter]

Leeches on Mille Lacs opening weekend really has never seemed to be a problem...

[kato wall guy]

number one bait i use on opener

[riverrat56]

I'm more apt to look for walleyes adjacent to spawning areas on opener, if there happens to be deeper water, adjacent to shallow rocks/gravel, and the area has some new weeds starting up, thats where I'll be.

Or any areas with current flow in an otherwise standing body of water.

Or a windswept point with some weeds and adjacent deep water.

Or the first break off shore.

Or a hump adjacent to shallow water, geez I couldn't even decide what walleyes eat, how will I know where they are ?

[Northlander]

#1- Jigs and plastics

#2 Jigs and minnows if I have too

#3- Jigs and part of crawlers (power crawlers are great for this)

#4- Lindy and minnow or crawler

#5 - Jigging spoons and sonars

Then a few weeks later I may break out the leeches but I use more crawlers and minnows than leeches in my neck of the woods. Some guys swear by leecehs and they are the best in some waters.

I just dont use many unless I see/find out they are working better than what I got. Mid June and into July I use more.

[Turk]

 Originally Posted By: riverrat56

... what does a walleye's forage consist of for the early part of the season?

Is there baitfish that are already hatching and they are eating these smaller fish? ...

Forage species (like minnows not fish) have multiple spawns in a season, shad for instance will spawn at least twice a year. Right now in the Mississippi you can see lots of two to three inch shiners in the water.

Keep catchin'

Turk