Are the current conditions normal?

This is my second season of fishing the Kawarthas lakes and it seems to me at least that the fish are a bit off kilter. What I'm wondering is are the "normal" patterns of the fish actually thrown off a bit. With the current conditions (high water levels, increase water flow from the dams causing a visible current in some of the lakes, low water temps), is the regular patterns of all the fish that we're chasing different from previous seasons? Have the walleyes finished their spawn and they've returned to there early summer areas? Have the bass been seen on beds recently? Are the sport fish in their post-spawn haunts?

It is my understanding that the reason for the "seasons" for each of the prime sport fish (walleye, bass and musky at least) is to allow the fish to spawn and recover before we anglers start targeting them. If they're in the middle of the spawn because of the conditions, are we doing any harm to these spawning fish?

Just wondering.....

As someone who's fished Rice Lake his whole life, I'd say that everything seems pretty normal to me all things considered.

Walleyes are well setup on their usual late spring/early summer locations, I've seen a lot of bass (both LM and SM) on their spawning beds over the past 2 weeks, and the muskies I've caught looked to be spawned out.

I'm sure in more concentrated flow areas, it's made a big impact. But on the bigger water, all SEEMS to be ticking along...

if anything everything is back to normal the last two years water levels have been low I've also seen bass on beds and now they're starting to move off the pike have left the northern bays and have become a##holes again

I don't have allot of experience fishing the Kawartha s in the spring but something seems a little off this year to me anyway. I know the water is up a bit more than normal but I'm thinking it could be more of the cooler water temps and the slow weed growth might be a factor. It's hard to figure out what could be affecting the "typical" spring bite but I'm sure things will get back to normal soon. Sorry I can't help much but maybe someone else can expand more on what could be affecting the bite.

That's a good point.

Weed growth is much slower.

Not on Chemong. The weed beds are full and protruding out of the water already. They are also a lot bigger than last year at this time. I was very surprised at how much growth there has been over the last couple of weeks.

Not on Chemong. The weed beds are full and protruding out of the water already. They are also a lot bigger than last year at this time. I was very surprised at how much growth there has been over the last couple of weeks.

Me too and they seem to be a different type of weed. Brown instead of green.

I find the weeds on Sturgeon pretty thick....lots of 9' weeds to the surface. Lots of a this red weed too that's really thick, cant get any lure through.

That's what I'm seeing on Chemong