# Kalamazoo river walleye Populations



## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Hows it going guys? When i get the itch i normally drive all the way to Allegan. I live in Kalamazoo am i missing out on potential walleye opportunities closer to home? Is there a good distribution of walleye above the Morrow Dam? I know most rivers in SW Michigan have uear round walleye residents but im not sure since the zoo has so many impoundments throughout its length. Getting sick of driving so far to target the same little spots amongst so many other fishermen, always just had the impression that a lot of the upper zoo was pretty low key this time of year if not frozen solid.


----------



## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

The river around Galesburg and down into Morrow Pond does hold Walleye.... and lots and lots of smallmouth. Probably frozen pretty solid right now. Drove over 35th st in Galesburg and there was lots of shelf ice on the upstream side.

BTW, you will learn that driving 45 minutes to go fishing is an extremely short trip. To me the Kzoo below Allegan is what I would consider really close.


----------



## EdB (Feb 28, 2002)

> BTW, you will learn that driving 45 minutes to go fishing is an extremely short trip.


For sure, 1-1/2 hrs is a extremely short trip for me and I go almost every weekend. Wish I was 45 minutes away, then I could go after work!


----------



## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

I love my local smallmouth but i cant seem to have luck finding them in the winter months. Plus ive become obsessed with the thought of landing a trophy walleye. But yeah im not really complaining about the drive but this is also many many ppl favorite fishing hole. Looking to get away from the upcoming march madness of walleye fishing and hit the stretches closer to home that are bound to be pretty lonely in terms of boats and fishermen maybe a few more hobos Ha


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

quest32a said:


> BTW, you will learn that driving 45 minutes to go fishing is an extremely short trip. To me the Kzoo below Allegan is what I would consider really close.


Ya know, there is one nice thing about living just 3 minutes from downtown GR... 



Catfish keats said:


> I love my local smallmouth but i cant seem to have luck finding them in the winter months.


 

_I don't think I have ever caught a SM bass from about the 1st week of December to about the first week of April. _


----------



## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Ive never personaally cougt a walleye but right in comstock at the park ive seen a buddy of mine catch a 16 incher on a crawlerand have seen some guys fishing there with curl tails gettin them here and there..ive never targeted them in this area because i wont eat them..but i do fish the zoo from there to galesburg everyother day in the summer since it runs through my backyard there in comstock and as faras smallies go its a hundred fish a day kind of place for em
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Btw i make the drive to allegan almost every weekend catfish from 4am to about 10 and steelhead fish for the rest of the day
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

steelheader32 said:


> Btw i make the drive to allegan almost every weekend catfish from 4am to about 10 and steelhead fish for the rest of the day
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Probably will see you down there i plan to do some over night catfishing there this summer as well


----------



## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

I have never stayed over night..we fish for channel cats and usually get our limit within a few hours all between 15 and 25 inches...i toss back the huge ones..tend to taste better when there not so big...the flatheads we get are pretty big also
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Last summer blue gill heads worked decent for me. Your cat bait of choice there?


----------



## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Alewives..if u can get them lol..some guys use cast nets some guys just use tiny flies n catch em one a time...i cut them in thirds and they work awesome..ive used blugills even small crappies but best bait was the alewives
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## JFritz (Mar 10, 2009)

Where around there can you toss cast nets for the alewives?








steelheader32 said:


> Alewives..if u can get them lol..some guys use cast nets some guys just use tiny flies n catch em one a time...i cut them in thirds and they work awesome..ive used blugills even small crappies but best bait was the alewives
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Ive seen some guys toss them right off the east side wall at night..they hangout right next to it...they say its legal to use them as long as your so many feet from the dam but idk..ive always just used small flies with a tiny peice of work on it...even cought them before drifting flies on the west side
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

