No luck yesterday

[MNtransplant]

Had heard a rumor about some walleye being caught up by Taylor so I figured so I investigated yesterday evening, sadly no results. I started off below Taylor and hiked some pretty rugged stuff downstream a ways to hit some good white bass spots from previous Springs. Good mount of flow but everything was shallow and super clear...so i headed down to the cedar bluff area....ran into a father and son launching their kayaks that mentioned they had caught crappie thru that area the night before, but I was determined to try to get on a walleye so I stopped over to check the bridge piers quickly but that was way down due to the lake being low so i headed back up to Taylor for the last hour orso of light. Again, everything lolked pretty shallow so i targetted the deeper spots with no luck. Threw jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and I just dont think I was ever around fish..

I didnt get a chance to check the water temps in the river but here's a question for those of you with more experience on the water..what is the key "event" that starts a decent number of fish running upstream? It seems like air temps have little to do with it since we've had super warm air temps for several days this winter....is it the water temp getting to a certain majic number? Or is it photo period, where the fish need longer periods of daylight that prompt them. Or is it Spring rains bringing up the lake level enough to fill up the creeks and make the path more navigable?

It seems like even when we get warm days in February I've made several trips to the river with no success...I keep forcing the "early February walleye run" to be a thing but it seems like it needs to be March or April for any catchable population to be around and I'm just wishfully chomping at the bit.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Cant wait for some warmer temps!

[Ham]

I’m going to be prospecting several rivers hoping to find some walleye congregations. Good Luck!

[snagged in outlet 3]

Tuesday Jan 23rd.  Not quite two weeks ago, the meramec, gasconade and piney rivers were partially covered in ice.   I think water temperature has to still be in the 30’s don’t you think?   I was on the meramec yesterday but forgot my thermometer.  

[Ham]

10 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

 I was on the meramec yesterday but forgot my thermometer.  

CheaterScope also has water temp built in.