update pool 4

[uwleagle]

How is this snow going to affect the fishing? Heading out on Wed.

[SCONASOTAN]

gonna make the shoreline white! any body have a water temp report?

thanks

be there on Sat.

[eyebjim]

I was reading 39-41 on saturday and sunday.

[Gordie]

yea I had 40 -41.9 degrees on saturday

[SCONASOTAN]

thanks guys, judging by those temps I would think we have at least a week before most walleyes drops their eggs. What do you guys think? Looking for about 44+ degrees for main spawn right? anybody caught many postspawn fish yet?

thanks

[rattleL]

i was there last week all week and i would say it was the best fishing ive had for eyes as far as numbers go and size had 10 fish over 20 inches on friday alone the biggest being a 26 incher that came on a plain jig and minnow seemed daylight hours the firecracker was the best color then when it got dark we fished live bait on bright jigs orange or bright green had limits of fish inthe 17-19 inch range smallest fish i caught in 4 days was 14 inches and didnt have many of those i fished shallower and believe i caught better fish than out deep sand was what i targeted fished with two people in the boat and averaged about 40 fish a day some of the best fishing ive ever had but good luck to everyone now i wont be back till late may college is such a bummer, couple people told me they had 80-100 fish days but i think alot of these fish are the 12-14 variety, i think the key is getting away from the crowd, but anyway good luck to all and good fishing

[fishn4kids]

Wanting to head to Red Wing this coming sunday. Just wondering what the snow and run off from melting snow will do to the bite and or water temp. Don't want to head that way and get skunked. Any thoughts will be greatly appriciated. Thanks

Duane

[peterson71]

From my past experience with the river a little rain or snow doesnt effect the fishing to much. I would stop at IKES in Red Wing and he will give you some good pointers. I would use hair jigs, ringworms, and jig minnow combo. All are very effective this time of year. Another thing is have a good map along. Look for current breaks and slack water for the big girls.

[fishn4kids]

Thanks for the input. Looking forward to this trip. Gotta have the map to stay away from the tops of those wing dams.

Duane

[mr walleye]

The ability to read the water is more reliable than the map

Look for differences on the surface like ripples that come in a line from shore, the wing dams are just upstream from the ripples.

Good Luck

[markkstanley]

Actually a little more current and dirty water helps the fishing. The eyes and sauger get a little more concentrated and are more likely to strike at something passing by with the lower visibility. Short strikes go down. Being on the current seam becomes even more critical in fast current so pay attention. If you can find seams at the proper depth range you have the spot. With lower visibility the proper depth will be shallower. I would begin my search in the 15 to 18ft depths for midday fishing. Lowlight periods will find fish as shallow as 4 to 6ft.

[EYESTALKER]

Time to stock up on stinger hooks, I guess....

[Gordie]

yesterday had a short day at work so we pulled the boat to work then left for Red Wing WHAT DAY!! started fishin at 3:45 and at 3:50 BAM fish on its the bigest eye I've ever boated 29 inches 18.5 inch girth and tipped the scales at 11lbs7ozs then caught a really nice smallie along with three fish over 23 inches and four eaters and the 14-15fow was the key on the down stream side of the holes. never even made up to the lock. caught most fish on 1/20z jig with a 5 inch chartuse power minnow and tipped with a fathead. can't wait to get back there.

Didn't have a digital camera but had a cardboard camera and can't wait to see my smile, I'm sure its bigger than the fish!

[tmoney_0206]

Is an ikes hair jig similar to a fuzz e grub?

Just curious!

I will be on the water sat bright and early!

[markkstanley]

Bucktail jig is the same as a hair jig. Fuzzy grub jigs are also effective jigs.

[Gordie]

we did very well on thursday in the deeper water 20-30ft jigging 3/4 oz jigs tipped with just fatheads and hairjigs worked well we caught 3 saugers between 20 and 22 inches and 4 eyes over 19 inches. I also caught another pig around 6pm. she was 26 inches and caught her in 11 fow on a 1/2 oz jig with a 4 inch twister style tail.

right after miss piggy I hooked into a 15pound carp and man did that get the heart pumpin.

[hhguide]

Nice Fish

[eyebjim]

Very nice fish.

[MN Greenheads]

Nice fish. Love the high end electronics against the backdrop of the camoed boat and beat up seat. You spend the money on the right stuff.

[skunked_again]

Here's my report from Friday: fished from 2 until dark, and we found it pretty slow. I guess slow is a relative term though, we ended up with 6 fish from 17 to 20 inches, and probably three times that of small fish. Slow compared to what it had been for us the past 3 weeks. We did not target big fish, but mostly fished the deeper 15 to 30 plus foot range. Maybe those fishing shallower did better, but didn't look like it to me. Also, I'm still fairly new to this river, so perhaps I didn't know what I was doing. How'd everyone else do this weekend?

[tmoney_0206]

I can't figure this river fishing out! Skunked again! Second time i have been out this year. And zero fish. I fished from 7 to 1. Tried ever lure i would ever think a walleye would eat. Jig and minnow. Three way rig with a floater. Jig and twister tail. Shad raps. Man i cant catch a break!

Somebody help!

Feels good to be on the water though!

[fishn4kids]

With the weather forecast calling for rain all day tomorrow, I have to cancel my plans. Does anyone have any thoughts or quesses as to how long the better part of the bite will last. I was thinking of making it next sunday. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

Duane

[skunked_again]

Tmoney: just like any body of water, it takes practice! I have learned a new thing or two or ten every time I have gone out. A lot of people who report awesome catches on here have been fishing it for years and know the river like the back of their hand. It helps to read everyone's suggestions, and also to just watch what everyone is doing. You may have just hit the river on off days, honestly. I have been there five times this year, and the first three times we just nailed them, and then a week later, same presentation, and we didn't do nearly as good.

But I guess you probably want to know what is working - I would suggest to use a jig/minnow combo for numbers of fish, and use a stinger hook! I have caught many if not most on them. Even the larger ones. I would also stess boat control and lure presentation as probably the most important factor in catching/ not catching on this river. If you aren't just off the bottom, which in most cases being absolutely vertical, you aren't catching.

Anyway, that's my commentary. Perhaps a few experts can help.

[ice fishing maniac]

tmoney i had the same problem as you now i strictly fish vertical i know you dont get as big of fish but i want numbers not size the way you do it is run your trolling motor so that your line stays vertical if you are having problems finding the bottom use a heavier jig because with this presentation the fish dont care how big the jig is they want the minnow i can almost guarentee you will catch fish. Me and a buddy tried two days without a bite so we asked someone what are we doing wrong they said try staying vertical i kid you not the next time we went to the exact same spot and boated over 30 fish in 4 hrs it was a blast now every time i go out we catch fish in spots i have never seen other people even fish before so i am a true believer of vertical the key is to find the bottom and stay six inches to one foot off of it and just hold your jig there dont even jig it only time you move the jig is to make sure you are on the bottom i hope this helps

[Gordie]

tmoney paitence and practice it what it takes, Ive been fishin rivers for the better part of my life and still am learning new things and practiceing every time I go out and vertical is the key to jigging on the river.

I was out saturday with a friend and my son and yes it was slow compared to the last four times I've been down. we hit the water around 2:00pm and couldnt find any fish until 4:30 up by the lock and it was a tough bite. moved back down stream and concintrated on shallow structure and timber had lots of bites and snags ,but just couldn't hook up with anything. and on the last pass of the day I put the smack down on another pig.

only got two fish in 4 hours but I'll take two fish any day if they are like this. 1st pic is by the lock 21 inch sauger and the 2nd pic is (secret spot) 29 inch 14 and 3/4 girth and 10 lbs 5 ozs. 3rd pic is the greatest wave good bye Iv'e ever got.

[skunked_again]

There seems to be a consensus. Awesome pics. The first looks to be a spawned out female? Already? Or maybe a giant male. We got a big 19" sauger that looked the same way (flat stomach) and so we kept him, and it turned out to be a male. And yes, one walleye like that can make a day's worth of nothing worth it. I've never hooked one quite that big.

[Gordie]

I think the sauger was a male.I think the eye was full of eggs but it is defintly not as full as the 11lb 7oz er that I caught on tuesday.maybe the bite is slow because of the spawn is on. just a thought.

[ike's tackle]

tmoney to answer your question about IKES hair jigs they are not the same as a bucktail.a buck tail has a lot of hair our jigs have very little hair,the differance is when the walleye and sauger are feeding agressivly our hair jigs fall faster.stop or call the store for more information. good luck IKE.

[mr marbles]

Thats a nice pig, great picture too!I find now with digital photography it easier to let big fish go back into the water! I didnt have that great of fishin but we managed to pull out about 15 total, mostly saugers, caught one nice eye about 23" that i put back,and a few 16 - 18 " saugers kept four My bro caught a small sturgion, got on the water about 7:14 am yesterday 2 hour drive for me, fishin seems better early and slows mid day then the rain came and stuck it out till 2pm good fishin!!

[HateHumminbird]

Elwood:

Great fish! Thanks for releasing it!

Joel