When it comes to fishing the spring spawning runs in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers this year, remember a mythical chapter and verse from the Fisherman s Bible - Walleye 3:15.
Translation: Three walleye, 15-inch minimum.
Those are the lead items in a package of new conservation regulations instituted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, effective tomorrow, the same day that a new fishing license is needed.
The daily three-fish creel limit will be in effect March and April, and is one fish fewer than a year ago for the period. The limit returns to six fish for the rest of the year, come May 1. The 15-inch size is the minimum keeper length, year-round, and all shorter walleye, sauger, or saugeye must be released immediately.
The new rules apply to Lake Erie, its bays, and all tributaries to the first dams. In addition, a special rule banning the use of treble hooks in March and April on the Maumee, Sandusky, and Portage rivers has been extended into Maumee and Sandusky bays.
Thus only a single hook, not larger than a half-inch width between shank and point, may be used in the following areas during the period: The Maumee River from Grand Rapids/Providence Dam to Maumee Bay, the outer limit being a line from Little Cedar Point to Turtle Island; the Sandusky River from the power line crossing at the southwest corner of Rodger Young Park in Fremont to Sandusky Bay, the outer limit being from the Marblehead Lighthouse to the tip of the Cedar Point breakwall. The existing single-hook zone remains on the Portage, from the dam at Elmore down to State Rt. 19.
As in prior seasons fishing is prohibited in March and April between sunset and sunrise. It also remains illegal to keep foul-hooked, or snagged, walleye or any other fish except forage fish such as carp or suckers. Any fish not hooked inside the mouth is considered foul-hooked and must be released.
The main reason for extending the single-hook rule into the bays is that wildlife lawmen found that some anglers had been snagging walleye on the “mud humps” in Maumee Bay and in the lower Maumee River near the Coast Guard station at Bay View Park, said Terry Sunderhaus. He is law enforcement supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2 at Findlay.
He noted that keeping snagged walleye was the most frequent violation ticketed by wildlife officers during the 2003 spring river runs, constituting 120 of 248 tickets. Other top violations included stream litter, 40, and fishing without a license, 38.
The law supervisor added that it is legal to continue fishing for walleye after an angler has caught a daily limit of three, as long as the angler immediately releases any additional walleye. It also is legal to sort or cull, that is, release a live fish from a livewell or lip-hook stringer and then keep a newly caught fish. Release of a dead fish, however, is subject to a ticket for being over-limit.
Marty Baer, state wildlife officer in Wood County, also reminds anglers that the closed possession season on smallmouth bass, set for Lake Erie waters from May 1 through June 25, includes the rivers to the first dam. So river anglers fishing the walleye and later white bass runs must remember to release any smallmouth caught during the closed period. It is legal to catch them, but they must be released immediately. During the open possession season, the minimum keeper length for smallmouth is 14 inches and the daily creel limit is five.
A further explanation of all the fishing rules is provided in the digest of 2004-2005 fishing regulations, a pocket-size fold-up available free wherever licenses are sold or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
Rich Cherry, ranger at Side Cut Metropark, said that the metropark again will maintain signs warning fishermen when the Maumee River water level is too high to safely wade to Blue Grass Island, one of the favored fishing venues. Anglers who fail to heed the warnings and have to be rescued will be charged for the rescue costs.
Generally the river is considered unsafe at a level of 582 feet above sea level, as measured on a gauge on the I-475 bridge.
The metropark again will maintain a walleye action hotline, 419-893-9740, once the run gets near. Other pertinent information and a sunrise/sunset chart is scheduled to be posted on the Metroparks Web site, www.metroparkstoledo.com.
Across from Side Cut Metropark, the Wood County Park District again will maintain the highly popular Buttonwood public fishing access, a camp store, and campground, said Greg Genzman, chief ranger. The store sells hot drinks, food, lures, and other equipment.
As for the actual runs, don t expect much for another week or two, according to Jan Lowry at Maumee Valley Bait and Tackle. She and her husband, Gary, are daily river-watchers during the spring season. Warm weather predicted this weekend should help ice break up, she added.
While the river is open in the popular Side Cut-Buttonwood areas, ice was still jammed in the lower river in the Towpath-Orleans Park area at mid-week. Lots of ice remained above the Grand Rapids Dam as well, and it must break up and pass downstream before fishing is deemed safer.
Lowry noted that a few anglers already have been down to the riverbanks to try their luck, seeking mostly carp or suckers. “As soon as the ice is out they ll be after northern pike.” The river below the dam usually is a good pike fishing zone.
The Lowrys expect to have a Web site up and running in time for the runs at www.maumeetackle.net.
The walleye runs should be very good again this year, said Larry Goedde, fish management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2.
As usual the larger run and most attention is expected on the Maumee - the Sandusky River run remaining stable but at low levels, mainly because of the destruction of spawning grounds caused by the Fremont floodwall and channelization project, done some 35 years ago by the army corps of engineers.
In any case, Goedde expects some walleye to be caught any day now, though the fish, usually jacks or young males, may be few and far between. Any females caught this early likely are resident fish, he added.
A combination of increasing water temperatures, longer day-length, and river flow trigger the walleye runs, which may come in several waves, peaking when flow conditions are ideal and water temperatures are in the 40s.
Anglers can expect to see few smaller two-year-old fish, say in the 13 to 15-inch range, inasmuch as the 2002 year-class was very weak. Most fish will be from 2001, 15 to 18 inches, and 1999, 18 to 22 inches, with the occasional much older 10 to 14-pound trophy.
First Published February 29, 2004, 11:23 a.m.