Night Trolling - Detroit River Walleye Spawn
Private Trip
River Fishing
Target walleye during peak annual spawn season on Detroit RiverNight fishing when walleye move shallow and feed aggressivelyLimited availability window requires early booking to secure spots
When the Detroit River walleye start their annual spawn run, there's no fishing quite like it anywhere else in the Great Lakes. This is hands-down the most productive walleye fishing you'll find all season, and we're talking about a fishery that's already world-class. The window is short, the action is fast, and spots fill up quick because word gets around fast when the bite is this good. You're looking at a night trip that consistently delivers limits, and I mean that - we're not out here hoping for a fish or two.
We'll meet up right before dark because that's when everything changes on this river. As the sun drops, these walleye move from deep structure into the shallows to feed, and they're aggressive about it. You're fishing prime spawning areas where generations of walleye have been coming to do their thing, and the concentration of fish is just stupid good. We're talking about a boat limit of four anglers working water that's holding thousands of fish. The bite windows can be intense - sometimes it's non-stop action for two hours straight where you're barely getting your line back in before the next fish hits. Other nights it comes in waves, but during spawn season, those waves keep rolling through all night long. Plan on being out there until we get our limits or until you're too tired to reel anymore, whichever comes first.
We're trolling crankbaits and body baits through specific depth ranges where these fish stage before moving up to spawn. The Detroit River has unique current patterns and structure that funnel walleye into predictable areas, and after years of running this water, I know exactly where to put the boat. We'll be pulling deep-diving cranks in the 12-18 foot range most of the night, adjusting speed and depth based on what the fish are telling us. The gear is all set up and ready - you don't need to bring anything except yourself and whatever snacks or drinks you want for the trip. We run inline weights and planer boards to spread the lines out and cover more water, which is key when you're working areas this productive. The current does most of the work for us, and the boat positioning is everything. One pass through the right spot can put three fish in the boat, then we loop back and do it again.
The walleye we're pulling during spawn are some of the healthiest, fattest fish you'll see all year. These are pre-spawn and spawning females loaded with eggs, so they're thick and heavy. Most fish are running between 18-25 inches, with plenty of keepers in that sweet spot where they're legal but still prime eating size. The bigger females can push 26-28 inches and weigh close to eight pounds, which is a hell of a walleye on any water. What makes this fishery special is the sheer numbers - it's not uncommon to boat 20-30 fish in a night, keeping your limit and releasing the rest. The bite can be so consistent that you'll have multiple lines going off at once, and that's when things get fun in a hurry. These aren't finicky fish either - when they're feeding, they hit hard and fight like they mean it.
Detroit River walleye are something special, and during the spawn they're at their absolute peak. These fish spend most of their time in Lake Erie, feeding on the massive baitfish populations out there, so they come into the river system fat and aggressive. Spawning typically runs from mid-March through April, depending on water temperature, and this is when you'll find the highest concentrations of fish in the shallowest water. The males move in first to set up on the spawning beds, followed by the big females carrying eggs. What makes walleye so popular with anglers is that they're absolutely fantastic eating - firm, white, flaky meat with no muddy taste like you get from some river fish. They're also fighters, especially the bigger ones that will make decent runs and try to wrap you up in structure. The spawn timing means these fish are programmed to feed heavily before and after spawning, which is why the bite can be so aggressive. You're targeting fish that are following millions of years of instinct, and when they're in that mode, they're not thinking twice about crushing whatever looks like food.
This trip books out fast every season because there are only so many nights when conditions line up perfectly for this kind of fishing. Water temperature, moon phase, and weather all play into when the spawn peaks, and once word gets out that they're biting, every serious walleye angler within driving distance wants to get out there. We only take four anglers per trip to make sure everyone gets plenty of action and room to fish comfortably. The spawn window might last three weeks, but the absolute prime fishing usually happens over just a few nights when everything comes together. Don't wait on this one - if you've never experienced Detroit River walleye fishing during the spawn, you're missing out on some of the best freshwater fishing in North America. Give us a call and let's get you out there when these fish are doing what they've been doing for thousands of years, and we just happen to know exactly where to find them.
Lake Erie