Early season Mississippi Pool 2 or Pool 4

Good evening guys and gals,
I have been researching both pools for the last couple years and I don’t know which one to fish.
I have a nice fiberglass boat and I am terrified of rivers. I have had some bad experiences on rivers in North Dakota and have never been on one since. Rivers change they produce hazards etc., Im not a wing dam guy and I’m just plain scared! People catch big fish on both and I know they’re plenty of factors:
Water height (Flowage)
water clarity
What baits to use
border water
etc.
What accesses are the best on both?
Would you dare go out there early season with a fiberglass boat (March, April?
Are all the wing dams on the lake master chip?
Live bait, crank or blade baits? Or is there something else I’m missing?
Key time to head out before the run off?
I’m not looking for spots just a few pointers.
Thanks,

I feel ya. Always scared going to new places with debris floating and other hazards. Pool 4 is pretty good with the lake master chip. I would launch at either Everts or one of the ramps in town when they thaw out. Just take your time going from spot to spot and you should be ok going from red wing to the dam.

the river in march is just about the last place you should be if you’re scared and inexperienced. you said yourself that you’re “terrified” of rivers. Maybe give it a shot this summer when the stakes are a bit lower.

Thanks guys! Dirtywater, Do your guys typically run into a lot of debris and or obstacles down there? Do you see people at the boat ramp with messed up props and scans etc.?

I go out in a glass ranger year round. If you are worried don’t go out there when the water is on the rise…that’s when it will kick out some gnarly stuff.

Now is a good time. Here is the St. Paul graph….low and slow! Maybe have to watch for some ice but on the upper end (p2) my guess is it’s a few weeks til she starts to rise. Once the Minnesota river opens up it usually gets pretty torn up for a week or so.

All the dams are marked and there are nav buoys. If you are careful and pay attention you’ll be just fine. If you are still terrified wait til summer.

https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=stpm5&wfo=mpx

Do any of the accesses allow to dock or beach for one guy or is there too much current?
Thanks Matt

Once baypoint is ice free, launch there. Its only a 5 minute boat ride to one of the best spots on P4! The wingdams are up towards the dam. I personally wouldn’t go for another 3 to 4 weeks, that’s when the bite should kick off.

If you are going to fish the river might need to just get over that fear of them. Yes there are hazards. Yes if you spend enough time out there you will hit stuff. They make more props for a reason. Most guys I know have smacked plenty of stuff on the river but keep going back.

Stay in the main channel until you get familiar with the river. Always keep you eyes out front of the boat while traveling. Even in the best conditions stuff pops up.

Now that Missouri river is another beast with all those sand bars and poor mapping. We mad our 1st trip out last spring. Everyone of our 3 boats hit a sand bar atleast once and almost daily watched out boats do the same. Fun time learning our way around. Hope to be back this spring.

Josh,

I’m from ND and grew up fishing Sakakawea. So trying to ‘learn’ the Mississippi after moving to SE MN has been a challenge. And I’m still learning. Some great advice from the others here. To each his own, but in your case I’d probably avoid Everts to start out. Depending on the flow, it can be a bit challenging to launch/load. Instead, if I were you, I’d pick a launch like Bay Point or Colvill on Pool 4. Both are out of the current and a bit easier to navigate I think. (Later in the season, Wabasha has a really nice, easy to use launch, too.). Early in season, again, depending on the conditions, you do have to watch for floating debris/ice. If possible, take someone with you who can help you watch for debris etc. And it goes without saying…..always wear your life jacket. Always. Also….it’s always a madhouse in the early season and late season, especially on weekends. Just give yourself some time. You’ll be fine. If your boat gets a scratch…it’s a tool. Does no good sitting in the garage! Good luck!

I would recommend going to Pool 2. Launching is straight forward. At Pool 4 you have 2 options. The ramp at Everts has current. The ramp at the back channel does not have much current but there is a closing dam with a narrow opening to drive through. The water is low right now and you would definitely not make it over the closing dam without hitting it. I nicked it the other day by not hitting the center of the opening.

Dennis Williams wrote:

I would recommend going to Pool 2. Launching is straight forward. At Pool 4 you have 2 options. The ramp at Everts has current. The ramp at the back channel does not have much current but there is a closing dam with a narrow opening to drive through. The water is low right now and you would definitely not make it over the closing dam without hitting it. I nicked it the other day by not hitting the center of the opening.

I fish Pool 4 constantly because I live a mile and a half from it. With that said, I’d go to Pool 2 first. You will have substantially less traffic both on the water and on the launch to get the hang of things. I also think the debris can be substantially worse on Pool 4 than 2 if water is on the rise.

In really high water be very careful of submerged navigational/ channel markers. Regardless of aluminum or glass, hitting one of those will hurt. Having said that, heading out before the water gets high will help you get oriented with where they “usually” are.

Take it slow.

FDR

You could go in someone else’s boat a few times or take someone who knows the river with you. You don’t have to figure it all out yourself. Request a trip swap or buy a case of CBD gummies for the other guy.

j

I’d consider hiring a guide. That will give you such a head start that you will get comfortable.

Josh Provo wrote:

Do any of the accesses allow to dock or beach for one guy or is there too much current?
Thanks Matt

Pool 2 has several protected accesses, most of them cost money and they tend to open later in the season since they’re out of the current. On the upper end, Watergate Marina is the easiest and most protected. On the lower end, Lion’s Levee and Willie’s Hidden Harbor are good options.

Josh Provo wrote:

What baits to use
etc.
What accesses are the best on both?
Would you dare go out there early season with a fiberglass boat (March, April?
Are all the wing dams on the lake master chip?
Live bait, crank or blade baits? Or is there something else I’m missing?
Key time to head out before the run off?

I wouldn’t be scared, there’s literally hundreds of big fiberglass boats that fish it every spring, just need to be cautious. Here’s my answers to your questions:

Tough to beat jig and a minnow on current seams. Jig and Plastics are great in the spring too. Blade baits/rapala’s/3 ways all have their place, but you will probably make a couple donations to the river gods regardless of what you do, I prefer jig donations over more expensive setups.

Evert’s and the WI Back Channel are the only options, until Colvill and Baypoint open. Colvill and Baypoint are super nice and easy spots as they are basically back channel marina’s with no current.

I would have no problem going there in a glass boat.

P4 wing dams are marked on the chip, and depending on water level may or may not be a risk. Generally you want to just drive in the main channel until you get to the area you want to fish. Don’t fish the scour hole. And in general I prefer staying away from the crowds.

There is no best time to go, as the river changes by the hour and can go from good to great to terrible and everything in between in a short period of time. IMO the best fishing is once there is some flow and the river’s muddied up a bit. It’s slow and clear now, and I know a couple guys that really struggled last weekend. If you want to keep fish P4 is the only option of the two, but you can pretty easily get on either one if you stay in the area.

Most of us River guys have ruined props of shucked lower units at one time or another. You are right, the River is dynamic. I still get nervous running backwaters or new areas. Stay in the Channel as much as you can and you should be good to go. Eyes on the water, not your electronics for the most part. Stainless Prop is a must for the River in my opinion, especially if you are going to run at much speed. For the most part, with a stainless prop I do not worry about hitting wood much, but rocks YES. That said, I avoid hitting anything as much as possible. Stay between the Cans when you are able to. And NEVER follow anyone unless you absolutely trust them and their knowledge. And when you have to leave the Channel, do as the Tortois, not the Hare. Same thing as running a new rocky lake up north. Until you know, you do not know where that next reef, rock pile, or boulder is. That said, I have found a couple great pieces of structure by “Big Mistake”, that paid off on later trips as far as finding/catching fish. No fish is worth injury, death, or damage.

I’ve always wondered, why are the wingdams not marked with a can or buoy? At least the very front end. I’ve found all of them on the upper part of P4 just by drifting a bit. Anybody know?

eyeguy507 wrote:

I’ve always wondered, why are the wingdams not marked with a can or buoy? At least the very front end. I’ve found all of them on the upper part of P4 just by drifting a bit. Anybody know?

Not needed for commercial navigation. Remember on Pool 4, any water north of the “Y” (on the Dam side) is not the navigation channel. You are on your own there.

If they put a can on every wingdam on pool 2 you would have a higher probability of hitting a can than a wingdam – LOL !

-J.

One thing you did not ask about. There are Slow – Now Wake zones on both pool 2 and 4. Pool 4 Red Wing from Baypoint access to the High Bridge and Pool 2 all through downtown and up past the confluence at Watergate marina. Blowing a no wake can get spendy ticket wise. Also just pisses other boaters off. Always own your wake no matter where you run. And be very mindful of tuna boat and barge wakes. They can catch you off-guard when you least expect it.

Also consider learning the St Coix from Hudson to Prescott. Pretty tame as far as rivers go.

Make sure to have all the coast guard safety equipment needed for your boat. Spring seems to be the time of year you have a good chance of getting checked.

-J.

Go to Pool 4 if you want to catch fish, they aren’t in Pool 2

Thanks for all the feed back! Much appreciated. This forum really took off on something I didn’t expect. If your wanna know about Kabetogama, Mille Lacs or Clearwater PM me LOL!

Josh Provo wrote:

Thanks guys! Dirtywater, Do your guys typically run into a lot of debris and or obstacles down there? Do you see people at the boat ramp with messed up props and scans etc.?

I was out last week and there wasn’t much for hazards then other than the wing dams and such that are always there. That being said now that the melt has started I would expect there to be some ice sheets coming down the river which you will need to watch out for. As the river rises towards flood stage then you start seeing trees and all other sorts of debris coming down and you don’t want to out there. Lakemaster chips do show the wing dams on Pool 4.

Josh Provo wrote:

Do any of the accesses allow to dock or beach for one guy or is there too much current?
Thanks Matt

Everts has two docks but if you go this weekend with the way the weather forecast is and you tie the dock up for very long you will tick off the other 14,906 boaters that will be trying to launch the same time you are. Also if you have never tried getting your boat on the trailer with current it can be a little tricky. (Hint: angle the trailer a little downstream, makes it much easier)

Here is a hint for P2 and p4. Both spots are pretty solid with in 2 miles of the launch. There is really no reason to go on plane on the early trips and you will have virtually zero percent chance of hitting something (maybe submerged can but that means you are not in the channel) When I fish in the dark I rarely go on plane or if I do it’s pretty limited. You can barely see logs/ice in the day and at night it’s really tricky.

LOL! I like fishing rivers and have had great success however the rivers I have been on change in a heart beat. One trip can be good until the river changes or floating debris. I took my Prop out on the Missouri and had to travel back 3 miles against the current and a 30 mph head wind. Almost didn’t make it back and that was the last time. Anyone I can go with or who wants to go along? LOL! I’m not going to do the trip swap forum thing.
Not looking for spots and I don’t tell anyone. Easy to say when you don’t know a guy.
Thanks,

If you do decide to hire a guide, may I suggest Mike westman(Mike W on here). I’ve heard nothing but good things, and the guy really knows his stuff out there.

Thanks Lab. Its been a number of years since Ive guided pool 2. Got to busy at my other business. Just fun fish now. I will be open for mooching an open seat for the next month or so. Brought my boat in for some upgrades yesterday and its going to be down for a month or so.

Denver from Movingwaters guides pool 2, 3 and 4.

Great thread, I have been thinking of trying the river but had some of the same worries. How far out into the river do wing dams typically extend?

Most newer mapping chips show the dams. Some electronics now even come with a pre loaded map.

Don’t worryaboutit wrote:

Great thread, I have been thinking of trying the river but had some of the same worries. How far out into the river do wing dams typically extend?

It varies from 10′ to 100′. If you run the shorelines, there are also some big boulders or rock piles that can be just under the water line. Great for fish (and fishing), but tough on boats and rookie river rats.