According to FWP biologist Heath Headley, the annual walleye spawn collection at Fort Peck is currently underway, though Mother Nature has recently slowed the pace of operations. According to a recent update on April 17, crews have successfully gathered 18.6 million eggs to date, despite being sidelined by high winds over the last 48 hours. Fisheries biologists are now looking toward a stretch of favorable weather to trigger the next phase of the spawn. As Headley noted, the team is anticipating a surge in activity as temperatures rise:
“We’ve been held back by the wind the last two days. We’re hoping that some Female walleye will get ready to release their eggs in a few days as the water warms up.”
With warmer water on the horizon, the hope is that these conditions will encourage more females to ripen, allowing the team to reach their seasonal conservation goals.
