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Detroit River Vs Upper Niagara


Fishtracker

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I'm just waiting for the temp to increase around 40-45. Then I'll be jigging the mouth. But I will be in Detroit in 1.5 weeks, had many 100 fish days when the conditions are right on the D

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So I moved here quite recently from northwest Ohio where I fished the Maumee River walleye run annually, which is one of the largest runs in the great lakes region if not the U.S. My thinking at first was that I have left the walleye behind by leaving the western basin but what I have found is there is a great population of them within the Niagara river region. The difference between the Niagara and the western basin runs is that there is a substantially larger biomass and abundance of walleye populations in the west. With that said, the individual size of fish seems much larger here where as the western basin populations are comprised of younger fish. I have never fished the Detroit River but have heard they have a good run and would assume the Niagara does as well, just less fish than the western basin to run up and spawn in these rivers. The Niagara is also a big river system making it a bit tougher to fish. So you need to know where they are to really hammer them, whereas the Maumee is smaller in comparison and millions of fish stack up within shore casting distance. just my 2 cents

-Buckeye

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Your right on the nail there Buckeye....Guy's are already hitting them on the D River and will do so right up until the last week or 2 of May, then most guys seem to move out to the Lake... To chase the Walleye's there...... Niagara River is the same, but you need to know were they'll hold in and out of the fast current, I know a few NY guy's that fish the US wall and shore lines and do very well... And then move out to the lake more so near 2 - 3rd week of June.....

My self will be fishing off Peele 1st week of June, before heading to the wind mills off Buffalo......

Cheers Bic......

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Recent literature suggests that the walleye spawning stock in the Maumee River is generally between 1 and 1.5 million individuals annually, which is well below the above stated estimate in the Detroit River. Although the D has a clearly larger migratory population, it also is 35x bigger than the Maumee when comparing average water discharge. This means that there is much more river for these fish to run up and spawn. That's why the Maumee is so popular for its walleye run, its not the biggest as far as annual population size, but per cubic foot of water it has more walleye during the spawn than any other watershed in the Great Lakes maybe even the U.S. Anyways, both rivers are productive for walleye spawning and we have a large and quite healthy population of western basin walleye to prove it.

-Buckeye

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Buckeye, I've just moved back from Ohio to the Niagara. I've fished the Maumee too. That place is nuts during the run. I personally don't enjoy standing shoulder to should with other anglers, but the fishing can be spectacular!

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Yakfish, I have stood in the Maumee and the Sandusky many of times during the run and have pulled alot of fish out of those tribs as well. I also don't enjoy the line of 200 people shoulder to shoulder, but the fishing can be so good some days you can limit in 20 mins. Its a neat experience and if you go on the right days when the crowds are down it can be a blast. Hate snagging so many fish though. I'm glad NY closes the season during the spawn, but they have to if they want to rebuild what little population they have compared to western lake erie. In fact, the biggest eye I have ever caught fair was in the upper river. Crazy considering all the ones I have caught back home during the runs. With that said, the biggest eye I ever landed (snagged & released) was a slob at least 12 lbs. out of the Sandusky during the run.

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The biggest walleye come out of the Niagara river 25 pounds it was released because it was snagged that's is what I've read, some big ones in their

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That would tie the IGFA world record. Was there any pictures taken of it or was just the weight recorded? I want to believe it but if that story is true it would have been everywhere, whether it was released or not. I'm glad it was released though, not worth killing a trophy fish for a record. Personally, I believe that a walleye of that size could be in the Niagara River. A 25 lb. walleye is unimaginably huge, a freak among the species. You would think if one of that size was in the Great Lakes, it would have been caught by now. The IGFA record, although from the 60's, was caught in Arkansas I believe, a climate where walleye can literally grow year round unlike here.

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Detroit Vs Niagara..............the Detroit has a huge sustainable spring run numbering in the millions that tolerates a big harvest, is made up of many different years classes, and is open on both sides. The Niagara is a smaller run, comprised mainly of large spawners which congregate in certain areas of the river, with a closed season on the US side.

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