Maumee River Report-March 3 ,2018

Sunrise 7:05

Sunset 6:28

Wading to Bluegrass is not possible.

Well I know your getting tired of hearing it cause Im tired of saying it but -the river is running high and fast. The water came up to 587  with the clear forecast we should be able to spread out and get to some fishing areas other than Orleans and White street.  The spring rise and fall of the river is all part of the natural spring cycle and this years weather pattern is shaping up to be a bout as “normal” as we can ask for.  I looked at the lake erie temps and out front of Toledo the water temp is up to 38 degrees,  36 degrees off Cleveland and 33 degerees off Erie PA. This means all the warm water (40 Degree ave) dumping in from the Maumee has the western basin(our part of the lake) warming steadily, which means the spawning juices for the walleye are starting to flow. Walleyes like to spawn on rock rubble — gravel to fist sized and sometimes larger rock. The fish often spawn at night  , depositing eggs into the nooks and crannies between rocks. Current attracts them because it oxygenates the water. Thus shallow rock rubble areas, current flow (feeder rivers, creeks, inlets, and narrows), and windswept shorelines or shallow reefs tend to attract early-season fish.

Have fun, be safe and good luck fishing.