Was wondering if anyone could tell me about this area at all? I know it is going to be the site of the BFL regional this year and was wondering if anyone could give me some ideas as where to look up what this area is like. I am assuming it is on the Miss River? I have looked a little just to see locations and such, But have been unable to locate much as of yet. Thanks
Darin
Bassman- The fish populations in #19 have come back very nicely in the last couple of years. It used to be very popular and then dropped off for a few years. If you’ve never been there, find the corp. maps and look for an old fishing hot spots map of that pool. This will give you a good overview of where to start. This area is called or at least was called Lake Cooper. If you do an internet search this might help a little. Guys will fish both 18 & 19 in most of the larger tourneys. Try to begin looking at old tourn results and correlate this to the water level. Level is very important on those pools because of accessability to some areas. It looks to be a very busy summer in Ft. Madison. There are a couple of other larger tournaments there this summer. Good luck and have fun learning a very unique but productive body of water.
The Stren Series will be down there as well. Might be worth fishing that one 
Well, The fishing is comming back but its a long way from the good old days. I would honestly say that you will be in for some bumper boats. The pool fishes small. I’ll tell ya a little secret…. They have smallies down there and I can count on one finger the guys that know about them… I spent a couple days over yonder last year and honestly never thouht I would see 3lbrs on this streatch of the river.
jc
You’re correct that it’s going to fish small, especially if the water’s low. Smallies have been the key to some good weights for a few guys in the know. Like you said though, the populations are nowhere as good as you guys up north are used to. It’s too bad it’ll get pounded so badly this summer. Someone always figures them out though so the outcome will be interesting. If you’re comming down from the north, you’ll have to spend a little bit of time because it does fish a little differently than you’re used to.
That pool is going to be very busy next year. I think BASS is there 4 times. 3 times in Bassmaster series and once as Northern Tour stop. Now FLW Outdoors is there twice? We (ABA) had the pool pretty much to ourselves last year. I guess the secret got out that the good fishing has returned to that pool. I doubt it will fish as small as some might think. Last year we found fish in many areas. It was not at all as small as it seemed a couple of years ago. This pool has the ability to become the best pool below 10 within a couple of years if all keeps improving.
Well anyway I’ll be running 5 tournaments there next year. I’m happy to help anyone that wants it. I’m not a Pool 19 expert yet but I can let you know what’s been going on if you want to drop me an email next summer or check the East Iowa ABA site below for our results.
The BFL is making an attempt to keep the regional qualifiers as close to home as possible. I’m all for this because I never understood why 3 years ago us qualifiers had to travel down to Beaver Lake, Arkansas and compete against the Arkie division 
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I think this will be good as well, it will be nice for those who qualify to not have to travel nearly as much. i hope I get the oppertunity to fish this. Either way, is it a body of water that is worthy of a fun trip to the area? Is the water going to be brown during normal water levels, or will it be cleaner? I also appreciate what people have added. I like to look at maps of anything I might fish over the winter. It helps to keep me in the right frame of mind. From what I have found so for, it seems to have a lot of areas like the west side of pool 9, or goose. Is this the pool I have heard so many people talking about having a bad silting in problem in the back waters, causing die offs for the Large mouth populations?
Bassman
I was at Water Werks II in Warrenville last Thursday, they had Hot Spots maps of Pool 19!
Thanks for the info, I will have to check that out. Zombywuff, do you go to the fishing show over at the Rosemont in Jan? I have not seen any info on it yet and was wondering if you knew when it was? I went two years ago and would like to make the trip again.
Bassman
This is the oldest pool on the river by the way. Tha dam was built in 1913 and since then I read that the pool has lost 58% of its volume due to silting. I bet this is similar to many other pools but it just has more time to do so. Due to this when the water is high in the spring there is much more to fish than there will be in the fall. It will be all main river for the regional but I’m sure that is expected.
It is probably a good thing the pool is about 50 miles long. If I’m not mistaken that makes it the longest, right? This should give room for a large number of boats.
I went a couple years ago, too. Not sure if I’ll make it this year or not. I’m usually broke that soon after Christmas! 
I’m seriously thinking of making it to the Madison show though. I need some more of those Brovarney Swim Jigs.
Here’s the site for this year’s Rosemont show.
http://www.chicagolandsportshow.com/app/homepage.cfm?moduleid=1868&appname=100282.0
You can see where every show in the world is from here…..
http://www.great-lakes.org/sports_shows.html 
I decided to do a little reading on the river also. Info is harder to sort through than I thought it would be but interesting anyway.
Longest Pools:
1. 19- 46.2 miles
2. 4- 44.1 miles
3. 26- 38.5 miles
4. 13- 34.2 miles
Surface Area
1. 19- help me out ???
2. 4- 36,300 acres(Looks like it’s about 64,000 when Pepin is included so this is probobly the largest pool on the river?
3. 13- 28,100 acres
4. 26- 23,700 acres
Does anyone know of a website where is info might be easier to find??
Bassman,
Pool 19 has bounced back in the recent past. You may want to look at ILL. Federation results from last year. I think 16.8 was leading after first day. Pool will take a beating next year and by the time BFL is here in October it will be fishing tough. As far as water color goes you can look for cleaner water south of Ft. Madison due to the grass growth, and pad fields. The only benefit to the extra tournaments next year is that the two big ones are here in July and August so the catches should not be all that great, thus leaving more fish for the fall. And Yes, the smallies are here. What used to be a southern pool fish has made its way up the length of the pool, 4.9 is biggest I have caught and it was just in November in the northern part of the pool. Water level will play a factor, but even in low water, the fish will stay in the backwaters, if you can figure out how to get to them.
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And Yes, the smallies are here. What used to be a southern pool fish has made its way up the length of the pool, 4.9 is biggest I have caught and it was just in November in the northern part of the pool.
ummm. I am calling bs. Smallies are native to northern environments. Transplanted in the south. And as you all may say this pool has”come back” It is still no where close to anything experienced from pools 11 on up.
jc
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Water level will play a factor, but even in low water, the fish will stay in the backwaters, if you can figure out how to get to them
I got first dibs on AlvinMacks rig!!! 
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– d-nort
I can pretty much tell you the 3 areas that are a heck of a ride and pray you make it out. They are the summer classic spots and yes they typically win in the summer. If you want a boat ride to them let me know. I personally know they gues who discovered these areas so I and no one else should take the credit.
jc
I’m not sure about the area of 19 but I’d guess upper 30’s to mid 40’s by comparing it to pool 13.
Hey guys, Pool 19 is on the rebound but as JC said navigation can be difficult. In th southern end of the pool you better stay in the channel or you could very well get stuck. Siltation is a big problem . Grass cover is governed by the spring rains and water levels.Water clarity and hebicide runnoff can really hamper the grass. This year was dry and water levels were low and grass and water clarity were very good.As for Daves(Fishin 4 Five) comment on the smallies was related to this pool only.Southern end of this pool had lots of rock and rapids before the damns were built. Smallies were easier to find in the lower end of the pool.Now they can be found through out the pool. Our club had an excellent 2 day tourny there in July and we had a real horse race. It took 80″ of fish each day to win 
I really hope we have similar conditions this summer.It will rock 
JC? You want all the credit for spots down here?There are lots of guys who have been fishing tournies on this pool since 78. The old Midwest Bass Pro Am and Suzuki Scholarship Tournies would have 80-120 boats . There are not alot of secrets left to be told.
Ummm. You might want to re-read my comments.
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I can pretty much tell you the 3 areas that are a heck of a ride and pray you make it out. They are the summer classic spots and yes they typically win in the summer. If you want a boat ride to them let me know. I personally know they gues who discovered these areas so I and no one else should take the credit.
jc
Not sure where you got the
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JC? You want all the credit for spots down here?
I will take credit for pointing out what should have been obvious.
Let me say it again just so you are clear. I know many of the “old timers” that have done well over the years and that they they have told me of the ecesystems that produce.
jc
As Spinner Dave mentioned, When I was speaking of the Smallmouth in the south I was talking about the southern part of Pool 19, not the south in general. In no way is pool 19 even close to what we experience in the LaCrosse area when I come up that way. JC, if I really cared what you thought, I would be offended that you thought I was throwing out some BS. Just given you the business.
Being my home pool I am looking forward to regionals down here but it does concern me with all the pressure we will have throughout the year. Unlike the upper pools there is not a lot of areas that will hold winning fish so the extra tournaments starting in April will make things tough.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
jc
When the Wind blows 30mph from the south it will be a good time.
I guess it was the way it was worded, “I and no one else should take credit” seems like “I should take credit”Sorry if I read your intentsions incorrectly.
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