To locate and catch fish, it is critical for an angler to understand what makes a fish tick. Today, we are going to take a look at the life of a reservoir walleye, through the eyes of a female walleye in Lake Francis Case. We will walk through every stage of life and gain a better understanding of why a reservoir walleye acts like it does!
Early Life
In this stage of life, we are evaluating the “recruitment” stage of a walleye’s life. The fish has just hatched and is navigating its first year of life in Lake Francis Case. Let’s see what it’s goal is.
Fry Stage
I’m not sure where I am right now, I just know that I’m very small. I am currently in the fry stage and everything is out to get me. Every time I see a fish larger than me, I scurry into the rocks to escape. Any species that eats fish has me at the top of their radar. However, life isn’t all bad. I have found these delicious treats floating among the water called zooplankton. It is early summer and I’m having a lot of fun growing!
Juvenile Stage
We have fast-forwarded a few months now and I am getting large enough that I am less afraid of being eaten, but I still have to be careful of the bigger fish. However, I am big enough to feed on insects and other small fish species, so I am slowly working my way up the food chain! The summer months were fun! I had plenty of food to eat and the warm water gave me a ton of energy as I grew.
It is my first winter now! The water is cold and it has made me feel very lazy. My metabolism is dependent on the environment I live in and because the water temperature is so cold it has my metabolism at a stand still. I’m not that hungry, but as the water gets colder and colder I have seen the gizzard shad dying as we go through winter. I’m not sure what is happening to them, but I know I don’t like this feeling and I hope I don’t die as well.
Year One
I thought the water was never going to get warm again, but the weird ceiling formed at the top of the water is starting to melt and the water is getting warmer again! Unfortunately, I am having a really difficult time finding food. There is not a lot to choose from, but I do have my first religious experience to report. I was searching Crow Creek flat today and saw a minnow with a bright pink head, couldn’t believe it! I snapped at it as fast as I could and the next thing I knew I was flying out of the water! I landed in this bright environment, where I couldn’t breathe. It was then I saw God, he had a “Mack’s Lure” hat on and before I knew it I heard him say “too small” and the next thing I knew I was back in the water. I’m still hungry and I’m not sure what I did to make God angry, but I’m glad to be back where I belong!
It is summer again and food is everywhere! I’m not sure what sort of miracle the gizzard shad pulled off, but I thought for sure after watching most of them die last winter they would be facing extinction. However, there were some adults that survived and they appear to have replenished the entire population! There is so much food I won’t have to eat any more pink minnows and the warm water has me feeling like my old self again! Life is good!
I am not sure what is going on here, but everyone in their boats are yelling “touchdown” and the water continues to drop. I am convinced the lake is slowly draining away and the shad are hunkering down behind the pillars in Chamberlain. The rocks I usually escaped to when I was young are completely out of the water. I believe the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers may be behind this.
Sexually Mature
The early life of this walleye was all about survival. Fry and juvenile walleye are very low on the food chain and there are numerous piscivorous species that would love to make a meal out of them. Luckily, our fish was one of the survivors that was able to grow large enough to work it’s way up the food chain. Our fish has now seen the calendar flip over a couple times and is finally sexually mature. Let’s see how she handles her first spawn and the year following.
Spring
This isn’t my first spring, but for some odd reason this year I feel a strong urge to undertake my first spawn. This is a yearly ritual for adult walleyes and I learned all about it during health class. The water is still very cold, but I am slowly working my way up to the northern ⅓ of the reservoir. There are some tributaries dumping warm water in the reservoir, I just don’t like how the water can get so dirty. I am spending some time looking for food on these flats, but there is not much to be found. When I’m not up on a flat, I have been resting a lot in the deep water when I can find a break out of the current.
The water is getting warmer and I’m feeling a stronger and stronger urge to spawn. There are a lot of males running up and down along the spawning territory. Dang they have a lot of energy. I’m pretty comfortable sitting out in this deep water until I know the time is right.
The water was the perfect temperature and the light was just right. I just completed my first spawn and I am exhausted!! I’m going to slide back out into that deeper water and take a bit of a rest. Those males are still moving all over the spawning area. I have no idea how they can do it!
It has been a few days and I think it is time to eat! The water is warmer, my metabolism is getting faster and faster and I’m ready to go back on the prowl! I am slowly working myself downriver just stopping at a variety of flats to feed on the way down there. I am slowly starting to find more and more food, this food web is starting to fire up!
Summer
Summer is the best! The shad continue their improbable run of facing what I swear is extinction every winter and being all over the place in the summer! I have no complaints, they are the perfect size to eat and so delicious! Every spring is so terrible, but gosh dang does summer make up for it!
This warmer water also continues to give me a ton of energy. I have worked my way down to the lower third of the reservoir because I have found some deeper, cooler water that has been just perfect for me! It was a long journey down here, but I did enjoy some delicious food along the way!
Fall
Well you know what they say, all great things must come to an end. The water is getting colder and I feel the urge to stockpile on calories for that cold, awful period they call winter here. I am slightly worried about my figure, but I’m told fish exhibit indeterminate growth, these means as long as we have food we keep growing! Guess I better continue to chow down on these shad!
I have found that every fall the water level significantly drops to make room for winter. When this happens, those delicious little shad drop out deeper and start seeking refuge out of the current and I’ve found that if I hang out near bridge pilings and other obstructions they are absolutely loaded! The shad are getting bigger too, they’re not the tiny snacks they were earlier this summer!
Winter
Ugh, I hate this time of year. I am sliding out to the deeper water on the lower end of the reservoir. I have found there is slightly warmer water down there. This cold water always just drains me of energy and takes away my appetite. Have I ever mentioned I hate winter! I just can’t wait until the water begins to warm and I can explore the reservoir on my way back upstream to spawn next spring and start the year again!
Wrapping It Up
As we learned from following our walleye through her life, the first year is a fight for survival. Walleye are vulnerable to predation from other species and have not grown into the predator they will be as an adult. They are feeding on zooplankton, which are tiny invertebrates, before reaching sizes their diet is able to expand.
Walleye exhibit fast growth throughout the summer and into fall as the food web is in peak production. However, all good things come to an end and winter brings colder temperatures, which lowers their metabolism and a lack of food.
Spring is an interesting time for a walleye. Early in their life, they search for food that is in very short supply. However, as they reach sexual maturity they move to the upper end of the reservoir as this is where the prime spawning habitat is and spawning becomes top of mind. Their timing of spawn is dictated by water temperature and photoperiod, they know when the time is right! Once the spawn is complete, after some time to recuperate, it is time to focus on food and comfort once again.
Summer is the perfect time for this. The food web is in full swing and there is an abundance of forage available for them. Gizzard shad comprise the vast majority of their diet on a reservoir like Lake Francis Case. Walleye will often work their way down to the lower third of the reservoir for summer as this stretch acts more like a lake than a river. The deeper, cooler water keeps fish comfortable and there is still an abundance of prey to select from.
When the water begins to cool, the fish feel the urge to move up the reservoir to feed heavily knowing winter is coming. The forage supply will begin to dwindle over the winter months and the colder temperatures will bring a slower metabolism. Fall often brings an aggressive feeding window as they prepare for the cycle to begin again. Good fishing!
Related Articles
One of the most discussed topics is the walleye spawn. While it is one of the most discussed topics, it is also one of the most misunderstood. Find out everything you need to know about the walleye spawn in Understanding the Walleye Spawn.
The key to strong walleye populations and growing trophy caliber walleyes is abundant forage! While forage is vital for fish to grow and survive, anglers need to understand the various types of forage walleye feed on and how that can impact their bait selection and presentation. Learn all that you need to know in What’s on the Menu: Walleye Forage.
Lake Information
One of the most popular walleye destinations in the country as spring rolls around, Chamberlain becomes a destination for boats from all areas as soon as the ice gives way to boat traffic. While popular in the spring time, good walleye fishing can be found all year on Lake Francis Case!
Stretching from Pierre to Fort Thompson, Lake Sharpe offers a spectacular numbers fishery. Consistent reproduction results in a steady supply of walleye each year for anglers to catch. If you’re looking for action, check out Lake Sharpe!
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