Best time to fish pool 4

I got a question for those of you who fish pool 4 often for bass. I was wondering what others thought was the best time of the year to chase bass down there. I’ve got 20 guys in our bass club, and most have never given it a shot, and frankly, I think are scared to. I’ve had many of them in my boat chasing walleyes, and they have allowed me to schedule a tourny down there. Thanks for your input.

Pool 4 has good populations of both species. Time of year will only affect where you fish and how you catch them. Go ice free and you cannot go wrong.

Mike, I have fished mostly the lower end of lake pepin and down to Alma in late summer-early fall. I have had good results pitching jigs to the rip-rap shore lines. Some real nice football shaped smallies will hit like crazy if you present your offering to them right. And I think it’s pretty hard to mess up your presentation. You’ll even pick up a few stripers and maybe a walleye. I think for the most part, any place with the rip-rap shoreline will produce. Also the wing dams will hold huge numbers of fish at certain times. Good luck! JLK

I’m with topwater on this one. Last spring I’de have told you that Spring was the best time to fish the pool. Last fall i’de have told you last fall was the best time. Either one you won’t be dissapointed.

Mike,

I do a lot of smallie fishing on the north end of the pool and just about anytime is good if you are looking in the right spot.

Late in the year the when the water temps drop down pretty good they will school up in the deeper bends of the main river and remain there until spring. During the summer they will spread out and can be found just about any where you can find rip rap. Getting the bigger fish can sometimes be a chore. Take a lipless crank, hit the shorelines and you are sure to get a few fish.

The only way to fail is if you do not go its good the whole year.

Good luck

Bigeyes

Ya Hey-MFO, I’ll cast my vote for Fall also. 3rd week of Sept. or after the first few frosts. In my Tourney days I won

lots of $ from Lansing up to RedWing, keying on Sept to Oct

tournaments.

Gofish

Kensyl Reading EFN ProStaff

Ol’ Miss Guide Service

My personal favorite time on Pool 4 is mid – late May out on Pepin. Loads of BIG smallies….every day we seem to CPR at least one true 4 Lb fish and everthing is on light gear and small jigs/plastics or leeches. Numbers are out of this world. Average size is impressive. I do love the fall bite but the pre-spawn deal on Pepin is a real dandy experience.