Pinicon Ridge (Wapsi)

So…anyone have any experience fishing out on the ice at Pinicon Ridge over by Central City?

I was reading that the DNR+ local sportsmans group typically has an ice-fishing clinic up there each winter; so that leads to me think that there must be something worthwhile in there. Some co-workers have also fished it, but that was some 20 years ago. The dam in central city sorta makes this portion of the Wapsi into something of lake, but being a river, I’m always just a little more nervous of the ice than on a lake. I know there are some deep holes in there that every now and give up a nice walleye or two-or so the stories go at the local tackle store banterings.

So…anyone been out there and know the current scoop on this body of water?

Joe

The area by the canoe rental is very shallow <5 feet and the only thing I got there were green sunfish…I explored quite a bit and didn’t find any deeper water in there. I know in that slack water up by the dam its 20 ft deep, I have boat fished there in the fall with very limited success. Not much structure there and when I looked recently there were no tracks. Could be safe but I’ll stick to still water and backwater rather than water in close proximity to the main channel. Maybe someone knows how to fish it successfully and the ice is fine but not this guy, to me there are a lot of other safer and better bets.

there is a big backwater north of there called camp wapsi Y. This is a boy scout camp and I have caught some nice northernpike there in the spring also there is some crappie ther also. Just go north on 13 to the tracks and take a left and follow the signs.

Good luck’

Kory

Kory,

I’m away on travel, so I don’t have my maps handy. Is there a bridge or something back there to get access on the river, or is there some sort of public right of way to gain access?

I might try to head out there on Friday if I make it out. The Wapsi is a long river, and we have been told that there are crappies in there…just a matter of locating the best hardwater spot.

My son wants to get out on the ice this Friday after school. We’ll see, it will depend on how well he does on his spelling test.

I’ve caught some mongo northerns in the mile or so stretch of water below the dam in Central City really early in the spring…

Joe

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to the tracks and take a left and follow the signs

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Joe..I am not terribly familiar with the area that you are asking about. But, if you can find bridges…fish under them, or next to the pilings, or walls. On the downstream side. They create (in most cases) washouts. So there will be “stucture” in the sense of fluctuating water depths. I have yet to see a deep hole in the wapsi, not hold fish. JUST BE CAREFUL…especially if you don’t river ice fish much.

Also, I wouldn’t access any river from railroad property. Big no no, I know…