Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Mississippi River Fishing Reports Pools 2 & 3


Recommended Posts

I have been fishing pool 2 hidden falls/minnehaha area for the past year or two and have caught quite a few walleye and pike and some smallmouths, however they have been mostly on jerkbaits and a few crankbaits; I have never been a live bait type and rarely a softbait type and apparently I suck at softbaits/jigs as I haven't caught one off a softbait/jig, I have mostly stuck to Ripple Shads in black and in black and white, and the Berkley Gulp Alive minnows same colors, varying from 2"-4" with 1/8 jig head and 1/8 hair jig. I usually jig it such that it jumps from the bottom a few inches and drops back down and then pause for a second or so.

So any advice from anyone would be helpful - anywhere from presentation to lures.

I am also usually from shore.

Last I checked within a few days, water temp was 42.5 up by the dam

One from within the last couple of weeks (if I posted right)

full-46541-44397-img_0008.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

River is way up and rising. Current went from 9000 cfs to 19500 cfs in two days. Very little fishable water by the locks. Caught 1 small walleye at the confluence, but the wind and current made boat control a challenge. Not much for fishable current seams. Unless Red Wing tempts me, pre-spawn walleye fishing is over for this guy. Good Luck and be careful if you go out. Ole Miss is really rollin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

River is way up

What? Not even close.

Using the footbridge at Minnehaha as a guide, it's down for this time of year. A lot of times you need a pair of rubber boots to cross that bridge, now you can almost cross the creek with rubber boots.

I've seen that bridge totally underwater before too. That's easily 10-12 feet higher than right now.

I'd say it's down compared to the average spring. Here is some reference from a few years ago, granted that was a high water year: http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubb...ely#Post2560703

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm pretty sure he means "up" relatively speaking to the last couple days not "up" as a whole - plus it seems the current is really ripping for the river level right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went out today, I know I've been out in worse current and I am kind of a wuss when it comes to the river. Forcast looks like it won't come up much further any time soon. I wouldn't be scared to go out, glad I did, the posts before almost scared me out of going.

Forcast:

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=mpx&gage=stpm5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad you enjoyed yourself. My goal in giving fishing and condition updates is not to scare people off. It is to provide information so others can make an informed decision about heading to Pool 2. Kind of disappointing to pull in to the ramp, planning on some nice,relaxing vertical jigging, to find out most of your favorite spots are in flood. Here is a link with more current data. www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/projects/Lock1.shtml

ps. Ole Miss current increased 4000 cfs in 24 hours. It is currently at 23500 cfs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[using the footbridge at Minnehaha as a guide, it's down for this time of year. A lot of times you need a pair of rubber boots to cross that bridge, now you can almost cross the creek with rubber boots.

I've seen that bridge totally underwater before too. That's easily 10-12 feet higher than right now.

I'd say it's down compared to the average spring. Here is some reference from a few years ago, granted that was a high water year: http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubb...ely#Post2560703

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can anybody comment on how treacherous it is out there? Going to take the boat or for the first time tomorrow, Just wondering if I should drop it in a small lake or try fighting the current

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The current went from 5ooo cfs around April 1st to 33600 cfs today. Island by the dam is almost underwater. You be the judge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm actually going to launch out of Watergate today for a couple of hours. If you are further south then head down to St. Paul Park and launch out of Willie's Hidden Harbor. There is no current back there and you can fish back there and maybe get some action.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The current is moving along pretty good and the water level is up but not as much debris floating around as last week.Did pretty good yesterday on the walleyes.Biggest was 19" but plenty of fun to catch a bunch.Water temps was around the 39.5 mark most places I went,found one spot that was 40.2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Expl,

How were you catching the walleyes? I tried last weekend but only caught leaves and sticks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jig and fathead,9-17 ft current seam areas bounce bottom once pull it up 3inches and hold it there.They sometimes smack it or just barely hit it,somedays they are aggressive and some days not but they dont like to much jigging action it seems.I didnt see another boat catch anything last weekend and if one saw me catch one they came rite over and crowded me out and still didnt catch anything as I continued to pull fish in.There are alot of followers on Pool 2,if a boat sees me fishing or catching as they are cruising by they allmost allways stop and get real close and screw up my drift.Sometimes I fish where i havnt caught a thing just to lose the followers.Was down on Thursday 4-24 for the evening and picked up 9 walleyes biggest 23" along with a couple bonus Mooneye.Was down there Sat.4-26 again from noon till dark,I tried a few different areas and picked up a couple walleyes at each spot.Along with a few crappies and smallies,which kinda caught me offguard,the wind made it a pain in the @

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Any comments on the river lately? Flow, Debris, Bite, Ect....

I only live 1 mile from the 494 launch and I'm ashamed how infrequently I go out there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was out last weekend and the current was really ripping, but there wasn't too much debris. I would not try to fish in the main channel right now.

As for the bite we managed 3 decent smallies and missed several more in just a couple of hours while fishing cuts downstream a ways of Lions Levee. Probably could have managed some more if there weren't boats all over the areas that we wanted to fish, lots of guys out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hidden Falls ramp is open. Walleye are hungry! We were out today from 9:30 am - 1:15 pm. Lots of walleye caught. 11.5 fow -12.5 fow. Water temp 73.9 degrees F. Lots of mayflies hatching. Crank baits through medium to slow water. Not a single sheepie, catfish or smallmouth caught. Go get em ladies and gentlemen!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I'm going to hit the river tomorrow in search of some smallies, Anybody having any luck on the bass out there lately?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Found a couple little smallmouth on riprap. Missed a nice one and got this Walter on a DT10

IMG_20140802_154324_zpsbios0xl0.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I caught a bunch of Smallmouth yesterday trolling amd throwing a #4 crayfish hornet up to the rocks,most were small but did lose one monster that had to be well over 18" trolling.Did good on walleyes and sauger also caught some white bass,sheepshead,and a bunch of channel cats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday was a slower day for bass,but after a little searching and fine tuning of presentations I did lock onto a consistent walleye and sauger bite.They wernt interested in crankbaits trolled or casted,but a jig and leech or crawler did the trick as did a 6foot crawler harness with a silver or blue blade tipped with a crawler or leech,put the leech on the back hook as the fish dont seem to know theres a hook with no bait,lol.Pretty slow for everything else minus a few sheepshead,they didnt seem to give a dump if you casted,trolled,or rigged livebait they still bit, not as many as previous outings tho.Satuday wasnt the same story,tried a few different areas and not a whole lot going on,walleyes seemed more scatterd out but when found were biting cranks trolled or casted,jigs,and rigs with leeches or crawlers it didnt seem to matter,you would only get two or three per spot and then move along cuz youd be wasting your time if you stayed and tried to pull more out.Friday you could catch as many as you wanted to from the same spots.Fish are weird and no matter how hard I try,I know I will never figure them out completely,I guess thats why I love fishing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Were you on Pool 2 or 3 Expl? I was on 2 saturday and caught some walleyes. Couldn't get more than 2 from one spot either. I blame the northeast wind for the tougher bite. Still fish to be caught, but they were biting lighter than usual. Some would just grab the jig/bait and run rather than pop it like a walleye usually does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry didmt see your post.I allways fish Pool 2,never fished 3 before.I do hit Pool 4 but only early when the ramps are not open on 2.Havnt been down to 2 simce that last report,probably this weekend I will be down there tho.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The flow and levels are both up some this week. I was on the paddleboat for lunch yesterday and noticed several nice logs coming down river

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did pretty good on Sat. aftn/even. trolling and casting cranks,I'd say between the two of us we caught around 25 walleyes/saugers and numerous other species.Sun. was a bit slower but fish were caught trolling,casting and some jigs/rigs and minnows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took my mom out last saturday for a boat ride. Current was moving pretty good. Found a bunch of little smallies in any eddies I could find. also got a nice whitebass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Nope not me.  May want to go nextdoor and ask around?  
    • smurfy
      Looks to me like Leech brought his chair home!!😅😆
    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.