Red Wind Dam

[CaptainJack]

Anyone still fishing open water?

I heard some people still were...

Would running a boat motor in this cold weather hurt the motor?

[markkstanley]

Fishing is still good. Actually it stays good all winter - just a question of how much cold you can stand. YOur engine will be fine in cold weather. Make sure your battery is fully charged and let the engine warm up before heading out. I usually wait to make sure it's spitting a good stream of water. When you pull out make sure to drain all the water. Lower it all the way once you are off the ramp, start the engine and let it run for a 30 seconds or so to clear all the water out. This has worked for me and I have fished every winter month on Pool 4. FYI my minimum is 20 degrees with less than 10mph wind.

[Mike Walerak]

We need to get out Mark it has been a while since I have fished the river. They're talking warm weather you know. I missed all of December and it can't happen in January. I will have to get my boat pulled back to town.

mw

[markkstanley]

My boat is ready to go. Saturday is actually looking good right now. Might have to wet a line.

[krinkle]

Was down there twice last week and fishing was good. Dean has the ramps at Everts all open and in great shape as he usually does.

[mnz71hunt]

Fishing was decent on Saturday. Fish are snapping at superdoo's right now, color doesn't seem to matter to much, white, sour apple, chartreuse all worked.

Mostly smaller males right now. The dusk bite produces a few fish on the rocks.

To all: please let your trailer drain into the river and not on the boat ramp. This makes like a lot easier for everyone by keeping those ramps as ice free as possible.

[jwink]

I'll be heading down on Saturday. Fishing in an old ProCraft 16'. Drifted down the west side below the dam with good success in October. Probably start in the same place this time. It sounds like a great day for fishing.

[sjburnt]

.

[MidCoast]

I was out there this past wweekend.. Man, was it cold, but long story short, we did very well with the walleyes..... Who needs ice fishing, when the open water bite is still great?

[Mike Walerak]

"Who needs ice fishing, when the open water bite is still great?"

AMEN!

I was too sick to venture out today. I bet they were snappin!

[markkstanley]

Mike we need to get out soon. Maybe a weekday next week?? Let me know.

[harvey lee]

I'm about to get the boat out of storage as my early eye fishing on the river looks to be not far off.

[gotcatfish]

 Quote:

early eye fishing on the river looks to be not far off.

It's here

[markkstanley]

I'm headed down either tomorrow or Friday. I'll post the results but I am hearing the bite is almost at full swing. Tom, we should hook up with Walerak sometime this spring.

[bimbo]

Right on!

and man are those eyes bitin

[harvey lee]

Anytime you would like to go, let me know Mark and I will more than likely be there. Always willing to hit the river.

[Team Otter]

Me too, me too!

[markkstanley]

If the temps are above 20 and wind is 10mph or lower I will be heading for Pool 4 again on Monday the 18th. WIll have an open spot.

[walleyecaber]

Im allways looking to hook up go fishing with some of you other FMrs.Im about a hour south of Redwing but man if someone has a open seat wants to get out i would be willing to split the cost for the day and meet some fellow eye hunters.Sorry my boat is in storage for some time it kinda got put in back of some big boats thinking i would have the will to hit the open water so soon LOL what was i thinkin.Anyways happy fishing to all fellow fishermen & ladys.

[SCONASOTAN]

If you don't mind Mark, could you give a report if you go down the 18th? I can't make it this weekend but iam making it priority #1 to get the boat ready for next weekend. thanks

[markkstanley]

Fished Sat. Location shifted a bit but the big sauger were still on the chew. Dragging ringworms on 3/16 jigs upstream in 18 to 20ft put fish in the boat. The sauger are very color specific and the color of the day changes so either chat with Dean before going out or be ready to mix it up. I started with the last trips favorite oyster shell with a chartruese tail but the fish didn't want it. Green with an orange core was by far the choice, followed by fire and ice with a chartruese tail as sun went down. Usually a dragging bite is just a light tick but these sauger were just slamming the jigs. GReat fun.

[Loves-Fishing-Guy]

Mark, glad to see you had luck. By the way nice to meet you, I was the guy sitting on the stool in the bait shop talking to Dean when you guy's came in when you where done.

[SCONASOTAN]

Was there many boats when you were there? thanks for the report. MINN or Wisky side producing better? be down on sat or sun. will report back. thanks

[SCONASOTAN]

another quick question Mark, What time-of-day has been best? Does it pay to get up early? thanks

[markkstanley]

Wisconsin side has been better. Third wing dam and downstream from there. Sunup to ~9am and then 2pm to dark are the best times but you can pickup fish all day. Counted around 15 boats on Sat of which six were working the dragging bite. The rest were vertical jigging above the second and first wingdams. DOn't know how they were doing.

Hey Loves-fishing good to meet you. Next time we can compare notes. Checked my boat when I went out and I have the Gulp you mentioned and you were right that stuff freezes solid. I'll give a whirl next time I am pitching. I had a mind to try it instead of KGrubs.

[Sportland_Bait]

Hi Mark, I have never been down there to experience the Red Wing bite. I'm thinking about loading up the boat and heading down there sometime soon. What kind of numbers can an angler expect right now? Also do you ever use minnows? Thanks.

Jason Erlandson

[markkstanley]

I never use bait there strictly plastics like BfishN ringworms, Power minnows, Kgrubs. ALso use blade baits. If I use hair jigs I just use the back end of some ringworms to tip them. I'd guess half the boats do use live bait but it isn't necessary. An average day is 30 to 40 fish for the boat for an entire day of fishing. I can usually scratch out at least 10 on the off days. Never been entirely skunked. For example, two trips ago we had 29 fish smallest was 16" largest was 24". My last trip on Sat was a half day and we had 11 none smaller than 18" largest was 23". And it is not quite prime time yet. Let me know when you might head down and maybe we can hookup.

[Sportland_Bait]

Thanks Mark, Sounds like it is worth a trip. Now we just need a little cooperation from the weather. I'll be sure to pick up some ringworms. What type of jighead do you prefer? Do you use a standard ball head or a stand up model, with the plastics?

Jason

[SCONASOTAN]

stop in at everts and get some precision H2o jigs made by BfishN tackle. they work awesome with any plastics and nightcrawlers in summertime. BfishN also makes dragging jigs you can tip with waht ever you want. Mark, have you been useing these or the precision jigs? good luck Pool 4 has been great to me, and I have only fished it for 4 years, unfortunately not enough time to fish.

[markkstanley]

I have a very large collection of precision jigs from 1/16 to 3/4 oz size. Great jigs for river and lake. I don't use the standup jigs on the river as you don't want the jig on the bottom but a foot or so up. Going to try some Reel bait walleye flasher jigs this spring just to mix it up. A stop at Evert's is always worth it. Dean even has demo St Croix rods and so on to try out on the river and he'll rig you up. I left my 3way rod at home last fall and Dean not only lent me one to try out, he rigged it with the hot lures and a new Daiwa twitching reel to test out too. It would be worth it to buy from Dean even if he charged a premium price for the service but his prices are as good as any big box store.