Place we met it's either matted up with weeds with herring and fish popping or no weeds and devoid of herring and predators. Surface weeds this time of year versus last are a lot higher so conditions have become tough but still battling it out.

Personally in my limited time chasing walleye I think it's as you said a combination of factors starting with a mild winter compounded by an April that felt more like February. It impacted the perch spawn, the crappie spawn and even the bass spawn. Haven't even been up there this year but have read reports the shad run on the Big D hasn't been the best either. Snow and frost alerts in April don't bode well for spring fisheries especially when temperatures in March were more like May's weather. Fish are still there and have to feed so just need to figure it out.

Good luck and keep a close eye out for Eddie!