In Colorado, that's particularly true in late March and early April, when stout, gravid female walleyes and their male suitors come to the shallow rocks to spawn in mid- to upper-40-degree water.

In the past few days, the smoky-eyed predators have been doing just that for biologists and volunteers working the spawn-taking nets at Cherry Creek, Chatfield and Pueblo reservoirs. The net results should keep devotees of Colorado's splendid warm-water plains fish bowls happy, indeed.

Once again, the haul has been impressive.

"We took 4 million eggs out of Chatfield today," wildlife commission chairman Rick Enstrom said on snowy Tuesday morning as the Division of Wildlife wrapped up its annual spawn take. "The goal is 100 million, and I'm pretty sure we'll get 110 million."

Colorado's warm reservoirs foster poor walleye reproduction because of fluctuating water levels, so the fish need -- and get -- a little help. The ripe spawners are milked and released unharmed. Biologists fertilize the eggs in basins, stirring with goose feathers, then truck them to state hatcheries in Pueblo and Wray, where the hatchlings are kept for a while. But not too long.

"After three weeks they start eating each other," Enstrom said.

"They're all eyes and teeth."

After a few days, fisheries workers return the fry to warm and cool waters throughout the state, with emphasis on eastern plains reservoirs. A few stay in the hatcheries until they reach 1-3 inches long, for an additional survival edge.

The walleye program also produces a popular hybrid, the saugeye, using sauger milt flown in from Tennessee and Arkansas. The program is one of the division's brightest stars -- devoid of controversy in a time when other fields are beset by whirling disease, chronic wasting disease and disputes among user groups.

The result is high-caliber walleye and saugeye fishing, good enough to humble many traditional walleye states -- especially in the trophy-sized fish category.

Colorado's state-record walleye, which Scott Regan caught in Standley Lake in 1997, weighed 18 pounds, 13 ounces and was 34 inches long. Rocklyn Beise of Las Animas caught the state-record saugeye from shore at John Martin Reservoir last April; it weighed 10 pounds, 14 ounces and was 281/2 inches long.

Needless to say, the program gets wide support -- especially from members of the Colorado Walleye Association, including Enstrom, who help with the spring spawn-taking ritual. Volunteers in rubber boots and rubber gloves work alongside biologists partly to perpetuate the superb fishing and partly out of curiosity.

You get to see what kind of leviathans are swimming out there.

"I personally witnessed two fish that were 14 and 15 pounds at Cherry Creek," Enstrom said. He saw another female walleye as big or bigger at Chatfield. Gives you something to shoot for.

"It isn't easy to catch an 18-pound walleye," aquatic biologist Dave Nesler said. "You've got to commit some time to outwit a walleye, which are known to be strong, clever and elusive."

"They're very well educated," Enstrom said. "They're like a 20- year-old herd cow (elk) in the dark timber."

(Albeit a little more vulnerable at the moment.)Even though spawn-taking operations are finished, the wildlife division will continue the 4 p.m.-9 a.m. fishing closures along the dams at Cherry Creek, Chatfield and Pueblo reservoirs through April 15 to protect spawning fish.