Instead of waiting for spring, I made the 3 hrs drive to Newton Lake in Newton, IL and fished both days this weekend. Air temps were 32-42 but water temps in the high 50's due to the hot water discharged from the power plant. Mid-winter cabin fever is fixed for now.
There is an Ice Fishing season; walleyes are closed in spring through spawning.
We (Vermont) don't have an extensive walleye stocking program so natural propogation is protected since they are concentrated and can be vulnerable to heavy harvest.