Not surprisingly, that s exactly where you ll find the fishermen wading and waiting, rods clenched in their hands, landing nets tucked in the back of their waders. It s the natural order of things. To the uninitiated, the Spring Run is a strange spectacle. On West River Road, a scenic drive through Side Cut Metropark, vendors hawk jigs made of lead balls attached to hooks with colorful plastic tails. Cars mostly trucks, actually line both sides of the road, the overflow spilling into the surrounding neighborhoods.
Bystanders stop to gawk at the anglers spaced an arm s length apart in each direction.
Early walleye are typically caught after the first of March, with the spawn generally peaking in early April and tapering off by the end of the month. White bass then move into the river to spawn in May. As of March 10, it was already 54 degrees. By then, dozens of anglers were already easily crossing to Blue Grass Island, where they were catching the first of the fish to move up the river. Then came the sleet and snow to cool things off a bit.