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.

Recommended Posts

Myself and a friend are planning on heading down to Peppin on the 6th of August and I was wondering how the walleye's/saugers are biting? We caught a couple on cranks last year, but I saw somebody doing better on live bait. Thanks in advance for any info!

~piker

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Took a friend down saturday morning and did pretty well on saugers. We started out trolling without a lot of success. We caught 2 small sauger on a point and we marked alot of fish there so we went back there and dropped lindys and crawlers and immediately started smacking 15-16" saugers. We did have one 15 1/2" eye but that was the only eye. No sheepies which was surprising using crawlers. When we had a bite it was a sauger. And man i've never had fish hit lindys like these saugers were. They just pounded it. We caught them in 13-14' right away but as the morning went on we caught them all the way out too 20'. Then that storm came through, the wind changed a couple times, and it really seem too scatter them off that spot. I had too get off the river by 1:30 so i never had much of a chance too try too get back on them. I would probably start out trolling that 13-14' range and if you hit a couple slow down with lindys and see if they are stacked up. While trolling keep an eye on the graph too, you will probably eventually run into a good school of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was down on Pool 4 yesterday. Caught about 20 walleyes mostly on live bait rigs but some on cranks. Missed a lot more fish. Bites were very light and you had to give them some time with the live bait. They were just slurping it in. No real pigs mostly high teens in size.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great reports Mark and James. I am heading to the river in the morning. If you do not mind would you give me some places to start? Thanks, Bill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds like you had a good outting. Were you by the dam or down in Pepin? Also, what seemed to be the best depth for your live bait rigs? Thanks for the info!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fish the dam quite a bit in december and March, but have never fished pepin before. Taking next week off to go hit the river. Can I still catch fish by the (Contact US Regarding This Word) or am I better off looking for fish on pepin?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you live baiting in the river or on Pepin? Is your setup a traditional lindy like I'd use on Mille Lacs or are you 3 waying or something else? I thought cranks were the only thing going down there this time of year, is this typical for live bait rigs to outproduce cranks during the mid to late summer. Thanks for the replies

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never really done any cranking on Pepin until this year too be honest with you. I've had some success with cranks. I've always lindy rigged the main channel break and done well on saugers, sometimes you get some nice walleyes, but mostly nice saugers. What i've done this year though is started out cranking and covering water and if i hit a hot stretch or i mark a load of fish i'll stop and lindy rig them and its worked pretty well. And this year unlike some years i havent had sheepies pounding my crawlers.

Yes i have been using a standard lindy like i do everywhere else. I dont go with near as long a snell on Pepin as i will some other places like Mille Lacs or Winnie though. About 4' seems too work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We fished current breaks at the head of Pepin and the river. Anywhere from 5ft to 12ft depths. Water is still dingy. Crankbait bite seemed to be best when sun was out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To Mark K Stanley: Thank you for the information. Please keep us posted on your up coming success.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

does anybody know what kind of shape pepin is in after all that rain?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on the sippi in the cities here last night and the rain made it come up a lil, but nothing major and it's on it's way back down again. Heck I want more rain. My prop can't handle the rocks anymore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • 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.