In April we counted 62 pickerel (walleye) on the shallow shoulder sand bar, finning away in the current, waiting for the Otonabee River waters to warm to spawning temperature.. There were many hundreds more below us in the river but they were not visible in the deeper, darker water. Some of the larger females, gravid with spawn, would be in the 8-10 pound range, but most fish seen are the more active smaller (1 1/2-3 lbs.) males.

 Also visible were 1/2 dozen or so huge carp, some probably pushing 30 odd pounds in size. Plus the schools of perch are in preparing to also spawn... hundreds of them. Visibility is excellent. The water is very clear - mind you Polaroid sunglasses help considerably to see below the surface glare. Water clarity is in part thanks to the zebra mussels (visible on the rocks & gravel) that have invaded and proliferated these past several years. We'd like to think it's also a factor of improved water quality overall resulting from better care of our Kawartha & Trent-Severn Waterways.

 These sightings are available from dawn thru dusk by looking over the Young's Point old Highway #28 bridge. At the darker parts of the day more fish are in the shallows darkness gives them confidence but for viewers, it's harder to see them clearly. During the bright daylight hours, there are fish always visible but many others drop back into Lake Katchawanooka or slide sideways into deeper river holes.

 Looking up river, the best viewing is on the left bank side - on both up river & down river sides of the bridge. Although not yet seen this Spring, last year at about this time, a large muskie was holding just below the schools of pickerel and perch .... perhaps waiting for an easy meal, as muskie normally spawn in still waters later in the Spring. With this cool, long Spring we're having, these fish should remain visible in the river for another 2-3 weeks. Once the Otonabee River warms, one can watch these fish actually  spawning. Usually from mid morning until nightfall the heavier egg-laden females will be being aggressively pursued by the smaller males - sometimes running right up close to the river bank, sometimes breaking the surface - as they scatter their eggs & milt into the current and stony river bottom.

 Information re the Pickerel spawning run at Young's Point can be obtained from Garry Patterson,  652-3731.