Pool 4 Walleye Warm Up April 14

[Mike Walerak]

As many of you know ther walleye season is open year round on Pool 4 of the Mississippi River. We thought it might be good idea to round up the FMer's for a day baoting walleyes when most others around the state are only dreaming of catching them.

When: April 14 at 7:30 a.m.

Where: Baypoint Park in Redwing

Joel, Mark and I will be there to help people out point them in the right direction before everyone heads out.

In past years there has been a steady bite just below the dam jigging minnows and various plastics. It is actually pretty easy fishing!

The only down side is there will be many boats out so we will need to be carefull.

Hope to see many of you there!

mw

[tunrevir]

Maybe we should tie up and raft down together in one big barge, you know clear a lane so to speak. Just kidding! Sounds like a good time if I am free that day I am definately in! I got the boat all dusted off and the batteries charged up the other day and am waiting for the snow to melt off the "Tincan" my little 12' riverboat. Can't wait to get out!

Tunrevir~

[PerchJerker]

Sounds great, I'll be there if I can.

I fished Pool 4 today, not as many boats as I expected. The bite was pretty slow, unless you wanted small saugers and walleyes and then you could get as many of them as you wanted. We managed a few decent saugers but they were few and far between. Great day to be out fishing though.

[Moses2531]

What is a typical technique out there on pool 4? On spring break a buddy of mine and me want to head down to Red Wing and get a little open water fishing in.. Just not sure how many launches there are or where to go from a launch.. Not askin for specifics, but general ideas or direction would be great!! I've heard a jig and a fathead is a quality technique.? Thanks for the help!

[Mike Walerak]

A jig and minnow is usually hard to beat for numbers of fish. The larger fish are typically caught on plastics while casting to shorelines. Ringworms are a common plastic to use for casting the shorelines.

I like to use Power Minnows for vertical jigging.

mw

[EBass]

Tonka Boy and I were down there on Sat. Slow is right, but the weather was nice.

[HateHumminbird]

Looking forward to it!

We'll do our best that morning to detail some presentations and tactics as well, as well as take suggestions and listen to the other river-rats that will be down there.

We'll take roll-call just before to see who'll be down there.

Joel

[Moses2531]

Sounds good, hopefully the bite will heat up for ya in the coming weeks and trips!

[VMS]

Quote:

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A jig and minnow is usually hard to beat for numbers of fish. The larger fish are typically caught on plastics while casting to shorelines. Ringworms are a common plastic to use for casting the shorelines.

I like to use Power Minnows for vertical jigging.

When casting the ringworms, what basic structures are you targeting? I have heard numerous stories of the big ones coming from ringworms, but have no clue where to even start fishing with them. I've done the jig and minnow thing...easy and very effective for numbers. I want to learn the ringworms though...

Steve

mw

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[Mike Walerak]

Just about anywhere you think the walleyes are. Riprap shorelines, submerged rocks, sand flats and clambeds are good areas to target. Most often this the best at dusk and dawn because you are usually targeting shallow water.

A person really has to just start casting around until you figure out what you like to do. It takes quite a bit of time to figure the pitching game out.

One also needs to remember that is is normally not a numbers game. One or two fish may be all you get, but chances are they are going to be big!

mw

[markkstanley]

Rip rap works best for pitching in spring. The best areas will have a little shelf after the shoreline break. Pitch all the way to shore and work the ringie back. Kgrubs and paddletails also work for this presentation. Go as light as you can for jighead. If we get high water like last year the willows and other wood are in play. Now is a good time to get on Pool 4 and see the structure while it is very visible with the low water conditions.

[liphooked]

Good idea for the outing. am planning on hitting the river the 13th of March (how is the water? slowly rising with the warm weather? do they have the dam only partially open or are all gates open at this time?).

looks like pitching the shoreline is what we will start with but jigging deeper for saugers for the frying pan will most likely be the route we will go. is it worth even getting minnows or just pitchint ringworms or paddle tails? that is all i did last year with very good success, even the saugers liked to hammer those in deep water.

[youngie22]

Why such a great idea on TROUT OPENER???? Come on guys, lets not plan your wedding day for deer opener! Any way to shift the date a little?

[TrollerX]

Hey guys, this sounds like a great time. I will be there for sure. Let's remind everyone that those fish are below that (Contact Us Please) to spawn. Catch and release and not jerking fish from the depths (Over 30 feet) will help make certain that this awesome time continues years from now. It seems like with the popularity of this fishery on the incline, many people are keeping limits of fish. Keep a few, if you must, and let the rest go please!

[HateHumminbird]

Quote:

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Why such a great idea on TROUT OPENER???? Come on guys, lets not plan your wedding day for deer opener! Any way to shift the date a little?

---

Sorry about that, it'll have to stand. I fish trout as well, but the better trout fishing is still ahead of you on April 14th. However, the spring sauger/eye bite on the river is close to right down the middle as far as this date is concerned.

You'll get another chance to crowd banks and cast spinners. You might not get another chance to pick the brains of guys like Mike and Mark who spend so much time down there they have their mail forwarded to Red Wing. There are many other FM'ers that'll be attending who are very much "in-the-know" as well. We hope you attend!

Thanks,

Joel

[Moses2531]

Sounds like some enjoyable fishing, thanks for the direction... When you mention jigging for the Sauger deep, are you targeting the main river channel or the deep holes in the outsides of river bends? Not too often that I get to catch Sauger in the cities so targeting them could be a great time!

[youngie22]

I know you are right about time of the year. but I think I will have to have the boat hooked up at the trout hole. I know there is only one place to be at sunrise that day. but only worth a couple few casts. I will be about 3o miles away so I'll get down there after that. you guys have a "shore" lunch or anything planned? or only gather together before and at the end?? I was down yesterday and did well. What a beautiful day it was.

[EBass]

A bunch of Saugers will be had in the scour holes below the dam. You'll see them on the finder. Getting them to bite is another story.

I'll prolly be there that weekend to and a couple in between. I'm done with ice fishing.

[markkstanley]

Very basic location is sauger in 18 to 30ft of water, walleyes generally 8ft to 18ft. Target the channel breaks for sauger, rip rap and sand flats for eyes. Low light periods will find the walleyes moving very shallow. The bite by the rollerdam is mostly a vertical jig for sauger although a lot of walleyes frequent the area too. Downstream you find more walleyes. By April I am into full walleye pitching mode. I do very little vertical jigging.

[Moses2531]

I see, thanks alot for the help, sure am anxious for next week to get here so I can try it out!!

[Liar]

I'll be there. I need some help when it comes to moving away from the dam. I have fished that area with jig and minnow for several years now. Time to start using some plastics and learn to pitch shallow.It will be nice to get some help from people who know the river. . My goal is to CPR a double digit walleye this year.

on another note. Fish taken from the scour hole will most likely die if released. I myself stay away from there just for that reason. If you take fish from the hole, please keep them no matter what the size, they wont survive the trip back down.

Dan

[ike's tackle]

mike if you guys want to meet at my store that morning id be happy to supply free coffie and doughnuts.just give me a count of how many are expected to show. ikes bait and tackle ike.

[tunrevir]

MMMMMMMM.......doughnuts!(my best Homer Simpson voice!) Ikes, looking foreward to meeting the folks there and thanks for the posts and updates!

Tunrevir~

[nytelyter]

looks like ill be stopping at ike's for bait. my dad and me are as of now planing on attending. ... paul

[Mike Walerak]

Sounds like a few people are interested! Great! I was talking to Dean at Everett's resort today and it sounds like the bite has been a little tough for most people lately. These fish will be putting on the feedbag any day now. The only way to make sure that you are there when it starts to be on the water jigging away!

mw

[tunrevir]

MW I'm hoping to get there in the next week or so....that being said, will I be able to fish out of my 12' with the spring flows or am I going to have to go with the 17' boat? I like the idea of the little boat for the heavy weekend stuff but I'm not sure I'd like to "bumperboat" with my bigger rig. If I don't end up down there with you all, I'll be on Superior fishing for coho and loopers on the 14th. Ringies in the 1/8th-3/16ths range work with the heavier flows or do I need to upgrade to the lizard and 1/2 oz and bang that around? Curious, do you do much trolling once the ice gives way a bit and you don't have to fish the crowds? Never met a walldad that didn't like a crank presented in the right fashion. The batteries are a charging and I'll be charging that way soon too! Good luck and tight lines!

Tunrevir~

[markkstanley]

I doubt you'll see Mike or me up at the rollerdam or even the Y. Plenty of walleyes downstream and a lot fewer boats. Plenty of guys fish out of 14ft boats in the spring. It really boils down to how much running you plan to do. As for jig weights I'd bring everything from 3/16 to 5/8. Hard to guess how much current you'll be dealing with.

[tunrevir]

Thanks for the reply Mark, I appreciate it! Any color advice on pitching plastics? I got both boats all liscensed now and will take one or the other depending on if it will be just me or me and a couple friends. I have chartruesse, pink and white(dreamsicle) chartrtruesse and green/yellow and sherbert for brighter plastics and rootbeer, black and black and grey for colors both ringies and twisters and some blue fleck lizards as well.

Tunrevir~

[Mike Walerak]

a 12' is a little small although you will see them down there. With all the boat traffic I would reccomend the bigger boat. It would be much safer as there can be some massive boat wakes to deal with while you are running up the river. Plus it is probably more comfortable to fish out of.

You will not be actually bumping into people unless you are very poor at boat control. the colors tend to vary from day to day. The traditional orange and chartruse are normally safe bets. As Mark said you will want to bring jigs to at least 3/8 ounce if you plan to vertical jig.

mw

[Mike Walerak]

You will have a hard time pulling crankbaits up near the dam unless you are using 3-ways or handlines.

mw