May 2020 – Pool 4

Figured I’d start a new thread as a couple others were getting pretty long.

Hope folks have had a chance to get out lately. I had mostly been concentrating on Red Wing area with mixed success. Tried there on Friday and no luck. So Saturday figured I’d try further downstream. Launched out of Hok Si La in Lake City (be warned, there’s road construction around Lake City, so a bit of extra travel). It was a bit ‘breezy’ to say the least on Saturday. Tried a bunch of areas without a ton of success. Finally managed a couple nice 18″ sauger in 25 feet of water on plastics. In hindsight, think I should have tried minnows a bit. Will see how next week goes what with the cooler temps and forecast rain. Good luck if you get out. Still debris in water so be careful and wear your life jackets.

What did you see for water temps?

I think mine showed about 57 as I recall.

Did you troll at all?

well, I was trying to slowly vertical jig at 1 mph, and that was a bit challenging in 25 mph winds. Heh, heh. But no, I was not pulling cranks etc. Did see many people doing that, though.

How do you vertical jig at 1 mph? That much current?

I just ‘troll’ at about 1 mph. Technically it’s not straight vertical. I was using a 3/4 oz jig, too.

Slow going today. We mainly pulled cranks. Water temps were 58-59. We didn’t find any real schools of fish. Most were scattered. Today’s wind was nothing like the past few days, but even at 10-12mph blowing directly up river, it gets old in a hurry. We did have a bonus channel cat that was well over 30″ and willing to test the drag on a new trolling set up.

This week could be tough with water temps really plateauing and the cold forecast.

Shockers!! I was mainly above red wing bay point on Fri landed 14 50/50 wally saug mix Dubuque and vert. Plus landed a 10 lb 🐱 sat tried running raps at bay city flats only caught 2 10″ walleye

I knew I should have just followed the SCRATCHA!

I went out Saturday . I tried from dam to can line and in the back channel. I think I had a bite. The wind was bad and I got out late. Cranks and Dubuque rigs.

Lots of boats at the head of the WI Back Channel
Few catching just down stream of Hay Creek
As always, folks at the dam
4th cut was packed.

I was on an eagle tour (no rod along).

How fast does the current move in Lake Pepin usually? I know there will be a million variable, just looking for a ballpark. I’ll be there on Saturday.
Dan

On the lake I would guess in the middle 1 to 2 mph, but where I usually fish it’s a non factor the wind pushes more than the current along the shore.

wind/current two different entities. current seams shift all the time so you need to pay attention or you will go in circles. you can find a nice drift at 1mph then get blown around in seconds………fun times! good luck this weekend.

Once you get much below the can lines or Point No Point on the upper end of Lake Pepin, I don’t really consider any current into my fishing until I get to Camp Lacupolis at the foot of the lake. There are spots with current, but there are spots with none as well.

Wind is a far bigger factor considering how large and open Pepin is. Wind dictates where forage is, how you position your boat, what tactics you use, or if you even want to be out there far more than any current. I’ve had days where the wind will allow me to drift UP the channel against the current with ease at both the foot of the lake and the head of the lake.

The wind was def a factor Thursday. Fished Frontenac thru LC. Only a couple half hearted bites. Tried minnows, trolling, even my go to jigging raps and not one fish. Marked lots of fish on points but the wind/waves just blew me off in seconds. Was a real treat launching out of Roschen solo! I wish they would just extend the tiny dock……
Looks like I’ll be back in the river for a bit longer.

Fished out of hoksila again today (Saturday). A bit nippy but at least wind was tolerable.

Cold kept crowds down so that was nice.

But… I think my son and I caught 20 identical 13” walleye. No keepers for us. Tried crawlers and they were biting but all small for us.

Was on 4th cut Friday had a good time 9 fish 4 hours launch out of colville ran lead core biggest was 19 inch eye

I put in at Colville Thursday. Coming in at around 6:00 PM there was a guy with a Redwing Fire Dept. hat at the landing that was taking a picture of one of the biggest walleyes I have seen on the river. Well over 30″ and thick. He had a red Lund. They dropped someone off and went back out fishing with the fish in the livewell. I would love to know what that fish measured and weighed.