Skip to content
Bield:Fish
Regional spawn calendar

Midwest Rivers and Natural Lakes spawn calendar.

18 species with documented spawn timing in Midwest Rivers and Natural Lakes. Spawn timing is driven by water temperature — these calendar windows reflect the typical years when water reaches each species' threshold.

Spawning now — May

  • Smallmouth Bass
    Mid-May – Late June

    Smallmouth bass nest abandonment causes complete egg/fry mortality from invertebrate predation within hours. Repeated catch and release of nest-guarding males during peak spawn can…

  • Spotted Bass
    Mid-April – Late May

    Spotted bass populations have replaced or hybridized with native bass species in some Western waters; some states encourage harvest of spots in non-native waters during spawn for p…

  • Walleye
    Mid-April – Mid-May

    Spawn-run walleye in dam tailwaters concentrate in small areas and are exceptionally vulnerable to harvest pressure. Many states impose closed seasons or slot limits during spawn; …

  • Muskellunge
    Mid-April – Late May

    Muskellunge are large, slow-growing apex predators — their conservation depends on careful catch and release year-round. Most states close muskie season during spawn (April–May in …

  • Yellow Perch
    Late March – Mid-May

    Yellow perch populations are robust in most waters; few states impose spawn closures. Perch are short-lived (5–8 years typical) and reproduce prolifically.…

  • Bluegill
    Late May – Late July

    Bluegill populations are robust and reproduce prolifically — overharvest is rarely a concern in public waters. Farm pond context differs significantly: in private ponds, bluegill o…

  • White Crappie
    Mid-April – Late May

    Same conservation context as black crappie — high catchability during spawn warrants angler restraint during peak weeks.…

  • Blue Catfish
    Late May – Late July

    Blue catfish populations have expanded in some Eastern systems where they are non-native (Chesapeake Bay tributaries). Some agencies actively encourage harvest there. In native ran…

  • White Bass
    Late March – Mid-May

    White bass populations are robust and reproduce prolifically — generous bag limits in most states reflect this. Closed seasons during spawn are uncommon.…

All species — Midwest Rivers and Natural Lakes

  • Largemouth BassMicropterus salmoides
    Typical window: Mid-April – Early June
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-April – Early June

    Driftless region and northern Midwest waters peak May.

  • Smallmouth BassMicropterus dolomieu
    Typical window: Mid-May – Late June
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-May – Late June

    Driftless region and northern Midwest streams peak in June.

  • Spotted BassMicropterus punctulatus
    Typical window: Mid-April – Late May
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-April – Late May

    Ohio River and tributaries peak May.

  • WalleyeSander vitreus
    Typical window: Mid-April – Mid-May
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-April – Mid-May

    Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, Mississippi River pool walleye peak May.

  • SaugerSander canadensis
    Typical window: Late March – Late April
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Pre-spawn — water rising toward 38°FMarMar — Peak spawn (43–48°F)AprApr — Peak spawn (43–48°F)MayMay — Post-spawn — water at 52°F+JunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Late March – Late April

    Mississippi River pool sauger peak April.

  • Northern PikeEsox lucius
    Typical window: Late March – Late April
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Pre-spawn — water rising toward 36°FMarMar — Peak spawn (40–48°F)AprApr — Peak spawn (40–48°F)MayMay — Post-spawn — water at 52°F+JunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Late March – Late April

    Minnesota and Wisconsin natural lakes peak in early April after ice-out.

  • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy
    Typical window: Mid-April – Late May
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-April – Late May

    Wisconsin Northwoods muskie spawn classic — peak in early to mid-May.

  • Yellow PerchPerca flavescens
    Typical window: Late March – Mid-May
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Late March – Mid-May

    Northern Midwest natural lakes peak shortly after ice-out, often April.

  • BluegillLepomis macrochirus
    Typical window: Late May – Late July
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Pre-spawn — water rising toward 65°FMayMay — Peak spawn (70–75°F)JunJun — Peak spawn (70–75°F)JulJul — Peak spawn (70–75°F)AugAug — Post-spawn — water at 80°F+SepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Late May – Late July

    Midwest natural lakes peak in June.

  • Black CrappiePomoxis nigromaculatus
    Typical window: Mid-April – Mid-June
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-April – Mid-June

    Northern Midwest natural lakes peak in mid- to late May.

  • White CrappiePomoxis annularis
    Typical window: Mid-April – Late May
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-April – Late May

    Midwest reservoirs peak May.

  • Channel CatfishIctalurus punctatus
    Typical window: Mid-June – Mid-August
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-June – Mid-August

    Midwest waters peak late June–July.

  • Flathead CatfishPylodictis olivaris
    Typical window: Mid-June – Mid-July
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-June – Mid-July

    Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers peak late June.

  • Blue CatfishIctalurus furcatus
    Typical window: Late May – Late July
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Pre-spawn — water rising toward 70°FMayMay — Peak spawn (75–80°F)JunJun — Peak spawn (75–80°F)JulJul — Peak spawn (75–80°F)AugAug — Post-spawn — water at 84°F+SepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Late May – Late July

    Mississippi and Missouri rivers peak June.

  • White BassMorone chrysops
    Typical window: Late March – Mid-May
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Late March – Mid-May

    Mississippi River, Lake Erie tributaries peak April–May; Detroit River and Maumee River runs are iconic.

  • Brown TroutSalmo trutta
    Typical window: Mid-October – Late November
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-October – Late November

    Driftless region wild brown streams peak November.

  • Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
    Typical window: Mid-September – Mid-November
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-September – Mid-November

    Driftless region brook trout streams peak October.

  • Lake TroutSalvelinus namaycush
    Typical window: Mid-October – Late November
    JanJan — Outside spawn windowFebFeb — Outside spawn windowMarMar — Outside spawn windowAprApr — Outside spawn windowMayMay — Outside spawn windowJunJun — Outside spawn windowJulJul — Outside spawn windowAugAug — Outside spawn windowSepSep — Outside spawn windowOctOct — Outside spawn windowNovNov — Outside spawn windowDecDec — Outside spawn window
    Typical window: Mid-October – Late November

    Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes peak November.

Midwest Rivers and Natural Lakes spawn alerts.

Bield: Fish ties USGS gauges in your area to species spawn thresholds — get notified the day water temperature hits pre-spawn for your target.

Download Bield: Fish
← All spawn calendars