Spring Fishing Opportunities

panfish in a wash tub

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Spring is on the way and that means gearing up and planning for one of the most productive times of the year to fish the Great Lakes region.  Fish of nearly every species become easier to catch this time of year.  There are many reasons for this, but a couple of them are major factors.

First, after the cold water environment that they lived in through the winter, the fish’s bodies are depleted of energy and nutrients.  As their metabolism ramps up, so does their appetite. Because food is concentrated this time of year, so are the fish and they tend to be more aggressive due to their hunger. 

Second, spring is the time when many species of fish spawn.  This is true for bass, walleye, steelhead, perch, crappie and bluegill.  Spawning means that there are a lot of fish concentrated in relatively small areas which increases success rate dramatically. 

That said, here are some of the most popular fish to catch in the region during this time.

Steelhead​

Spring fishing often kicks off for many in the region with the pursuit of river steelhead.  Some steelhead are present in rivers throughout the winter, but as the water begins to warm in early spring, loads more run upstream to begin spawning.  Although the streams can get crowded with anglers in some of the more popular locations, with countless miles of streams in the region, there is room for anyone looking for these “silver bullets” to find a place to fish.

Perch

As the ice comes off of the lakes and the water begins to warm, perch also get more aggressive. March through May can be good times to target them as their metabolism ramps up and they begin to gorge on food.  While minnows are always a popular choice for perch, don’t overlook alternatives.  Wigglers (mayfly larvae) are prevelant in the water this time of year and are a favorite of perch! 

Walleye

Probably the biggest attraction to the Great Lakes fishery, the spring walleye runs here are the things of legend.  Walleye begin their spawning rituals when the water temps reach the mid-40’s.  Depending on the year, this can happen as early as mid-March, but April-May is typically when the run hits its peak, depending on location and water temp.

During this time, walleye fisherman from all over the country flock to the Great Lake’s major rivers to get a piece of the action.  On a Saturday trip last spring on the Detroit River, we waited idling in line for over 2 hours at the boat ramps to get off of the water.  There was a line of boats nearly a half-mile long waiting to get trailer their boats after a morning of fishing.  Of course, a weekday trip will reduce the liklihood of a long wait. 

As always, be sure to check your local regulations while planning your trip as many rivers, especially smaller tributaries, are closed to walleye fishing during the spawning season.

Salmon & Brown Trout

Although salmon and brown trout are not spawning during the spring, many of them do move into shallower water to take advantage of the smorgasboard of baitfish that congregate in the warming, nearshore waters of the Great Lakes.  This makes them accessible to both small boat anglers as well as beach and pier fishermen.

Trolling along shallow water beaches is one very productive method, especially when spreading the offerings out with planer boards.  One place to concentrate your efforts would be anywhere that warm water is found.  This could be the mouth of a tribuary or near a power plant discharge.  

For shore fishermen, the pierheads at rivermouths are popular locations. They are often lined with spring anglers casting spoons and/or spawn bags.The beaches around these pierheads are also popular places.

Crappie

In many parts of the country, especially in the south, crappie are the main attraction in the spring.  As they move into the shallows to spawn, they become easy targets for shore fisherman and boat fisherman alike.  They tend to be concentrated, so once you find them, you can usually catch a bunch from that same location.  

Crappie spawn when the water temps rise to the upper 50’s.  For the Great Lakes, this usually doesn’t happen until May or even June.  That said, some of the region’s inland lakes will warm much faster, so you will need to tune into the conditions on each body of water to get the best prediction on when the spawn starts. 

Bluegill

Last, but certainly not least, is spring panfish.  As the water warms in shallow weedy areas of the region, bluegill and other panfish will begin to move into the shallows to take advantage of food.  As insects become active, bluegill will begin to hit the surface.  As the water reaches the 70’s, many will begin making beds for spawning.  While a bobber and worm are the most popular way to catch bluegill, these fish can be even more fun to catch on a fly rod or a fly setup made for a spinning reel.  Popular flies are poppers or rubber spiders.