How Deep is Too Deep of a Mid Lake Reef for Spawning?

[TroutYammer]

My Question: Will waleyes use mid-lake reefs covered with rock to spawn if the reef tops out at 4ft or 5ft of water? How about 6ft or 7tf of water?

I was readng an old fishing book that stated Walleyes will spawn on mid-lake reefs covered with rocks as long as the top of the reef is 3-feet or shallower. The book further stated that if the top of mid-lake reef is deeper than 3-ft that walleyes will not use the mid-lake hump for spawning. Then the book goes on to state that walleyes spawn in depths of 1-ft to 10-ft of water?

Any help on this subject will be greatly appreciated.

[hhguide]

I think that it would all have to do with how clear the water is and the amount of sunlight that reaches the bottom the more clear the deeper "they can go" the less clear the shallower "they can go". Thats what i think but I might be wrong.

[Vexipro]

im pretty sure it has something to do with oxygen. the deeper they are, they wont get enough wave action, the water gets stale and the eggs suffocate.

[Team Otter]

Water depth for spawning is dependent on light penetration, regardless of the location and/or structure on the lake.

[tunrevir]

The substarate of the reef will also dicatate whether or not there is spawning in that location. If the top areas have gravel to fist sized rocks it is better then if it has large bowling ball to volkswagon sized rocks. Depth, like Otter and others have said, is dependent on water clarity which equates to sunlight penetration. Typically, your shallower shoreline reefs will produce earlier then the midlake structures. Where things get really tricky is in stocked lakes that don't have any rocky or gravel substrate, here you will have to look towards shallow sand flats and then any primary or secondary current areas. Fish will make mock spawning runs into the shallows near feeder creeks, sandy flats and riprapped shorelines. Ideally, you are looking for a shoreline that has rocky banks that drops quickly into a couple feet of water with nearby current rather then slow tapering shoreline areas. Just my .o2.

Tunrevir~

[TroutYammer]

Thanks for the quick response folks...really appreciate it. I never thought about sand flats...I have always imagined spawning at feeder steams and rock shorelines. Might have to chek out a sand flat on one of the "no-rock" lakes I visit.

[JohnMickish]

The books I have say it has to be less than 3 feet. There has to be either wave action or current along with a prefered bottom of rock rubble, gravel is ok and sand is the least favorite.

[fishgutz77]

If you take a look the Garrison reef on Mille Lacs this is a well know rock reef well away from shore and the eyes will spawn from 5-12 fow. But there is current and lots of wind to drive the water that is very clear.

The DNR set nets there every year I think to tag fish for the latest study going on pertaining to fish spawning grounds and their return to the same areas year after year.