Mississippi River spots

Curious of some good spots on the river (other than the backwaters by the Alma dyke, Wabasha marina). Anyone fished the Indian Slough area?

I’ve fished the entire stretch of the Mississippi from the cities all the way to Houston, MN. I’ll tell ya, there’s no other area in MN where the locals and even non-locals hold tighter lipped than in Wabasha-Winona stretch of the river. Please don’t take offense if no one has much for replies.

Those areas can be good and they can also be complete crap. One day they’ll be on fire and the next it’s a ghost town. The depth can be so variable in certain areas that it almost seems pointless to check for fish. But keep this in mind, there’s no such thing as too shallow. If there’s water below the ice on that river, there could be fish right under your feet.

desoto bay, cassville, sny mcgill, mud lake, dubuque harbors, sunfish lake, bussey, bertom, etc.

I think the problem is that these places change so much for year to year and day to day that you just gotta pick a general area, hit as much ice as you can and be happy with the outcome. I fish some backwaters in my area a lot and travel to fish others – its amazing how tight lipped people are, like the own the darn ice or think you’ll fish out a backwater lol! There are several spots up north I’d love to know more about but it seems no one wants to share any info. Itd be nice if people would at least be more informative with things such as where to park, where to access, which areas are ‘safe’ (no current) to generally walk on, which areas are not safe, etc.

Mat Peirce wrote:

its amazing how tight lipped people are, like the own the darn ice or think you’ll fish out a backwater lol!

It’s too bad, but that’s exactly what happens in a lot of those areas, even when they are tight lipped.

25 fish limit(with a WI license) of sunfish can do terrible things to a small backwater area. I witnessed it one year down there, lotta old school freezer fillers down there. Not that it’s much different in other areas, but there’s plenty down there.

Something about big sunfish just makes people greedy.

I’d love to see smaller limits or a slot, min length, something put in place. But a lot of the larger backwaters could be pounded pretty darn hard and not take a hit on total population.

I don’t need people to tell me how to fish, or give gps coord, or anything along those lines. It should would be nice to know where its ok to go and not ok to go.

Mat Peirce wrote:

I’d love to see smaller limits or a slot, min length, something put in place. But a lot of the larger backwaters could be pounded pretty darn hard and not take a hit on total population.

The larger areas will take a pounding as well up here. See it all the time.

I don’t need people to tell me how to fish, or give gps coord, or anything along those lines. It should would be nice to know where its ok to go and not ok to go.

Take a drive and see where people are fishing and join the crowds. You’ll most likely be safe then.

The reason for the relatively tight-lipped locals are that the river and hundreds of miles of backwaters are really the last “secretive” spots available. With modern technology and mapping, there’s really not a “secret” spot on any traditional lake. The river offers the remote opportunities which bring quality sized fish and the satisfaction of working for them.

All I can really offer is that you need to be mobile and put in a lot of time. If you think you will be able to drive along the highway, walk 50 yards, and punch holes to catch quality fish…you’re mistaken. 99% of those super convenient spots are kicking out dinky panfish and the occasional snake northern. The more time you put in away from the crowds, the better. Look for any significant depth changes or the potential for current (at least during high water periods). Some of the best backwater spots I’ve fished are no bigger than a 2 car garage and could be fished-out with ease.

Last winter a good friend and I put in a full 2.5 mile walk south of Alma on the WI side, dragging sleds early ice trying fishy spots and found an 18′ backwater hole with a little current that wouldn’t ever have caught our attention (and we have fished the area from Winona to Red Wing on the river for ~20 years). We assumed it was bugs or shiners when we dropped flashers down to see it lit up top to bottom. After about 30-40 minutes we landed 25+ 12-14″ crappies and headed back before dark. We each kept 5 despite the limit being 25 per person. If that spot was within eyesight of a road or showed up on any river contour map, it’d be just another community hole of dinks.

Best of luck, stay safe, and try to fish with someone. Exploring the river is great, but it brings some significant risks.

philtickelson wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mat Peirce wrote:</div>
its amazing how tight lipped people are, like the own the darn ice or think you’ll fish out a backwater lol!

It’s too bad, but that’s exactly what happens in a lot of those areas, even when they are tight lipped.

25 fish limit(with a WI license) of sunfish can do terrible things to a small backwater area. I witnessed it one year down there, lotta old school freezer fillers down there. Not that it’s much different in other areas, but there’s plenty down there.

Something about big sunfish just makes people greedy.

The 25 fish limit on the MN-WI border waters is ridiculous. During first ice and late ice, it’s saddening to see some of the old school bucket fillers day after day in the same areas. Until that rule goes, people in the productive areas will continue to stay extremely tight-lipped.

DNR does not want to do a slot on sunfish because it does not want some kid on a dock to have to worry about measuring a pumpkinseed-Sunies for most are the gateway drug.

philtickelson wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mat Peirce wrote:</div>
its amazing how tight lipped people are, like the own the darn ice or think you’ll fish out a backwater lol!

It’s too bad, but that’s exactly what happens in a lot of those areas, even when they are tight lipped.

25 fish limit(with a WI license) of sunfish can do terrible things to a small backwater area. I witnessed it one year down there, lotta old school freezer fillers down there. Not that it’s much different in other areas, but there’s plenty down there.

Something about big sunfish just makes people greedy.

As much as it sucks it’s the truth. I had a small gem of a lake in the Chisago area that barely anyone fished. I found it on google maps, then checked the fishing surveys on MN DNR. It looked pretty solid so I went out there a few years back. 8-9 inch sunfish and 10-12 inch crappies for most of that first day. Went back all winter that year and had the same days. The next year there was more people fishing it, then the next year there was even more, etc, etc. Now you’re lucky to find a 10 inch crappie and a 7 inch sunfish. With the amount of people ice fishing these days, and the amount of panfish anglers are allowed to take, it’s tough for bodies of water to sustain quality sizes when word of mouth gets out.

tim hurley wrote:

DNR does not want to do a slot on sunfish because it does not want some kid on a dock to have to worry about measuring a pumpkinseed-Sunies for most are the gateway drug.

Agree 100% on the slot. I know there is talk of bag limits on the river which I think the majority of people would support. I don’t believe I have ever kept 25 fish in one outing. 8-10 is more than enough plus who wants to clean 25 panfish.

A few years back 4 guys I know used an airboat to hit a slough on the Iowa side south of PDC. They went and filled their buckets 7 times in 11 days. Complained the rest of the winter that it was overpopulated because all they could catch were small ones. They never figure that they are the problem. It is always someone or something else that causes the fishery to go to crap.
I call it the “Not me syndrome”.

mxskeeter wrote:

A few years back 4 guys I know used an airboat to hit a slough on the Iowa side south of PDC. They went and filled their buckets 7 times in 11 days. Complained the rest of the winter that it was overpopulated because all they could catch were small ones. They never figure that they are the problem. It is always someone or something else that causes the fishery to go to crap.
I call it the “Not me syndrome”.

And there is absolutely no enforcement of possession limits. There are full freezers and no fear. If I were a warden, I would simply interview people when I checked them coming off the ice. After counting their fish, I’d pull out a pocket note book, note the name, date, time, number of fish, tell the angler to have a nice day, and walk away.
Duke

Take a drive and see where people are fishing and join the crowds. You’ll most likely be safe then.

I have several times….but there are plenty of other places that get mentioned and no one offers a bit of info. Its crazy cause when ppl ask about backwaters (or other places to fish) in this area myself and several others are more than willing to get down to specifics. It just blows me away that with all the backwaters in the northern pools, theres so little info out there on fishing them. Down here there is one accessable backwatwr to ice fish on the pool i live on, one, and theres more info on it online than several in the ne iowa pools lol! Maybe ppl down here are just more willing to point a fellow ice fosherman in the right direction

Loose lips sink ships … It’s not very hard to find any one of theses Areas to fish …buy yourself a sportsman book from fleet farm if u buy the right book it should have everything u need to know including which spots are best at which times of year . Apart from that my advice is to actually get boots on the ground i have multiple books i use to point me in right direction once i find the spot its totally up to me to find fish , and reasons for people to be tight lipped around here well come spend a season ice fishing or open water on the miss in this area there are more then enough people around fishing already I don’t invite anyone to the party . Ice fishing specifically has become like a phenomena around here everyone’s doing it . My advice is follow the crowds to get started but spread out from them when u get more comfortable

What Duke said.

but how is the river different than any other body of water….people share info about darn near any other body of water around the mid west but once you get to the miss river its hush hush. I can make a post on here and ask where a good starting point would be on mille lacs, detroit lakes, IGL’s, bitter, and so on and get great info. Ask about backwaters and get crickets lol

My buddies and I will travel to ice fish at least once a year, we never keep any fish when we travel, just looking for a fun new place to catch some fish and explore. If any of you head down this way and want to fish some backwaters, hit me up

Lake spots can be huge, “hey go try 3mile reef for eyes”, that reef can be the size of 4 football fields. (Have no idea how big it is just example)

River spots are spots on spots. Closing dam is only so big, the hole in a backwater may be only 15yds wide, that sweet spot on a back channel not much larger. It’s not that the river isn’t huge and long it’s just much of the time those spots can easily be taken over by just 2 guys. My spots in the metro above the falls would be overrun if just one other person was on it. Reason I don’t even tell my own family about it.

I think you bring up a good discussion point though Mat. How obligated are fisherman to tell others of spots, or even general areas? Perhaps if we lived in a post apocalyptic world where families are starving and need fish to live I can see, but that is certainly not the case. It is sport, and those who succeed in it after years of boot stomping have no reason to give up such info. Access points can be just as good as spot giving imo. If you even give people a sniff they eventually will find it through their buddies, then their buddies buddies, then buddies bud buddy buddies…..

There’s a lot more info available on big lakes, but it’s generally walleye information. Ask anyone for their secret big crappie or sunfish spot and I guarantee you will get next to nothing usable.

You might get stuff like, ‘good perch fishing on winnie, or nice sunnies sometimes on Otter Tail’. Like nhamm mentioned too, backwater areas are small, tell someone to go fish 12-mile reef on LOTW for walleye and it can be great! You will also have 300 other people fishing near you.

Tough part is, the DNR doesn’t stock or protect panfish like they do walleye. A small group of people can have an immediate and lasting impact on a small fishery if they harvest a lot of big panfish in a short time frame.

Maybe less of a problem, but if I had a super secret backwater spot that required a long walk from the road, I’d also be a little afraid someone wouldn’t quite understand the directions correctly and end up in the water. It’s easy to get turned around in those areas and you never know where there might be some current. My FIL has fished down there his entire life and he ended up falling through in the middle of a slough all by himself. He couldn’t get back on top as the ice would just break, he had to break his way all the way to shore.

I’ll just leave this here. https://www.fieldandstream.com/wisconsin-man-receives-25000-fine-for-hoarding-2500-panfish

That guy would love for you to share your secret panfish spot with him. Would taking 2000 sunfish out of a small area really have much of an impact?

The other thing I’ll say, I think it’s a lot more rare for people to fish C&R for panfish than any other species. People view them as dinner and that’s about it.

That guy ended up losing his license for 12 years (max allowed in WI). Fine was reduced to about $5k and he also lost his boat.

Sounds like a real gem of a fella, this one.

Does the court system truly think taking the license away from a guy that blatantly has no regard for possession limits (and recites racial slurs and hatred for law enforcement) while being interviewed is really going to matter?

Does anyone truly think this guy will go 12 years without fishing?

pool2fool wrote:

That guy ended up losing his license for 12 years (max allowed in WI). Fine was reduced to about $5k and he also lost his boat.

Sounds like a real gem of a fella, this one.

12 years at age 74 is basically a lifetime ban, that’s good. I’m sure he’ll still go out and fish.

“I hate game wardens,” Paalksnis said. “The only thing I hate more than game wardens is (racial slur for African-Americans).”

Yup, seems like a real stand-up guy.

I have a thought exercise for everyone. If somehow it was possible for DNR do to a freezer check on every fishing license holder in MN, how many freezers would they find just like that guys? How many with 2x a limit? 5x? 10x?

I think it would be pretty harrowing…Hopefully that freezer filler mentality goes away at some point.

philtickelson wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>pool2fool wrote:</div>
That guy ended up losing his license for 12 years (max allowed in WI). Fine was reduced to about $5k and he also lost his boat.

Sounds like a real gem of a fella, this one.

12 years at age 74 is basically a lifetime ban, that’s good. I’m sure he’ll still go out and fish.

“I hate game wardens,” Paalksnis said. “The only thing I hate more than game wardens is (racial slur for African-Americans).”

Yup, seems like a real stand-up guy.

I have a thought exercise for everyone. If somehow it was possible for DNR do to a freezer check on every fishing license holder in MN, how many freezers would they find just like that guys? How many with 2x a limit? 5x? 10x?

I think it would be pretty harrowing…Hopefully that freezer filler mentality goes away at some point.

Great thoughts to ponder. To simplify it even more:

What percentage of anglers have knowingly exceeded a daily bag limit or a possession limit at some point?

I’ll go with a low estimate of 25% or 1 out of every 4 anglers.

that stuff happens everywhere

I don’t think anyone was or is asking for specifics either

Here is my thoughts on this topic. People are always going to complain about rules and regulations. Decisions need to be made in favor of protecting and maintaining our resources. With input from anglers and the DNR, there needs to be a middle ground where each side gives a little on making a decision. (which in today’s world is hard) We are caught up on living in a world where we want immediate satisfaction, and tend to forgot up our future resources.

I think we should lower the limit to 10 bluegill, crappie, or perch, but in any combination, without exceeding 10 or more of the same species, keep 25 panfish per day.

Just my thoughts.

Mat Peirce wrote:

that stuff happens everywhere

Once again, this is the reason we are so tight lipped. Why for any reason would we want to exploit and give out information when we know what can happen to a spot with a good bite?

We do share the spots, but we do it amongst a few close friends or family members. These group’s are pretty close and they don’t share outside of the group. If they do, they usually don’t get included back on a bite or new spot.

I don’t think anyone was or is asking for specifics either

Stay away from current areas, and if you think the ice is safe on the river think again.

Good luck in the quest to get the info your looking for. It’s out there.