01/06/2026
WALLEYE Spawning Facts....
The other spawning diagram I mentioned by then In-Fisherman illustrator Edwin Lee Huff. This one also appeared on the back cover of one of the issues in 1978, the next issue following the bass spawning one. The biology has changed very little since these were first published.
✅ Walleyes are spring spawners, beginning as early as mid February in some far southern reservoirs or as late as the end of June in northern Canada. The actual timing depends on water temperature. Walleye spawning activity generally begins at about 42°F and is largely completed by the time the water reaches 50 °F.
✅ Where available, a gravel or rubble bottom is the prime choice. Each female may be accompanied by one or more males as they expel eggs and milt across the bottom. The eggs are widely broadcast and adhere to the irregular bottom surface.
✅ No parental care is exercised by walleyes. Sufficient wave action or current is required to keep the eggs clean until they hatch.
✅ Male and female walleyes look much alike, except that the female is usually much larger. Females are also deeper and much more rounded in shape, due to the bulk of the eggs they carry, The white tail spot that is so characteristic of walleyes is also generally much less distinctive on these larger female fish.
✅ Males are the first fish to approach the spawning areas. Females tend to hang back in deeper water until the water temperature approaches 40 °F.
✅ Walleyes often move many miles upstream to spawn. The white glow of their eyes will reflect a flashlight beam in shallow water at night.
✅ Walleye eggs generally hatch in 12-18 days, although they may hatch sooner with a rapid rise in water temperature. Larvae are usually 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch long when they hatch.
✅ Summer finds most young walleyes to have grown to the 2-4 inch range (6-8 inches in southern reservoirs) and to be feeding on small fish.
✅ The yolk is absorbed in 4-5 days, and fry are at the mercy of wind and current to carry them into areas where food is available.