Report 11/11

Tried the Blackdog area aging over the weekend. Not much happening at the Cedar Ave outlet, but the 35W produced some fish. Nothing big, all the fish I caught were 16-18 inch range. They wanted minnows on a 1/16 black thumper jig and nothing else. Most action occurred on the inside of the washout reef right on the current seam.
I imagine if you have a boat, you could try the deeper edge into the channel.

How deep have you found the fish to be relating to in your areas that you have been having your luck? Have you found the best bite during the day or night or lowlights?

Thanks for the report. Nice to know there are fish going there too.

The action has come at night. Dusk/early eve was usually the best, but now they’ve started to be a little more active later on.
The backside of the 35w washout comes up real shallow… I would say 2 ft. It’s out directly from the discharge… about 30 ft.
If the flow is really strong, I’ve had better luck on the upstream side, closer to shore. They seem to chase the jig up to shore and slam it.

RippinPigs,

You have got me intrigied with the bite up there. I was thinking of making a run in that direction for an evening. Is there a public access between 35W and Hwy 77 on Black dog road somewhere? Is this water navigable by boat? I have never been down to this stretch and might take a field trip one of these evenings.

Thanks for any info

DeeZee-

Yes…. there is a launch, but it’s on the opposite side of the river. I’ve never launched there, so I’m not sure as to how to get there, but it is on the east side of 35W. I can see while fishing that outlet. It looks like a nicer launch, and it’s a public one. I did see some boats heading in right before dark last weekend (little did they know that’s the time time to head out!)

If the outlets aren’t producing, the creek mouths are worth a shot. Just go along, you’ll see them. Fish the underwater deltas and the channels on them,(key spots on these will be where the creek current dumps into the deeper water in the river and/or the upstream side of the delta) then work your
way up into the creeks after the bite has slowed outside of the creek or spillway.The creeks with deeper water in front of them will hold more fish.Not all the creeks will have a delta in front of them so work the first drop right at the mouth.

If you have an open seat, I’d be more than happy to join. I’m not a giude by any means, but I would like to try from a boat as then you have the advantage of trying out further on the outside of the washout reefs/bars.

I will take you up on that sometime soon!!
I will throw you a private email soon and we can hook up for an evening outing!

Thanks for the info.

THe 35W launch is on Lyndale Ave in Bloomington- if you are on 35W take the 106th St exit – go east about 2 blocks and then turn south on lyndale. Lyndale dead ends and turns into the parking lot. I have never used it but it looks like a nice launch.

There is also a launch near the other cooling lake outlet.(There are two outlets for the Black Dog Power plant) It’s right under the Hwy 77 (Cedar ave) bridge. Its part of Ft Snelling state park so there is a fee. Exit 35W on Black Dog road and you will go past the outlet Ripp is talking about and then just continue until you see Cedar bridge – hard to miss. You can also exit from Cedar on Hwy 13 North and then take a left onSilver Bell Rd.

Headed up the Minn a little on sat. Got as far as the Mendota bridge. Looks like a nice landing under the bridge. Must be in the state park. Checked out the creek mouth just down river from there. The delta in front of it is pretty shallow them drops into 25+ feet of water. Didnt find any fish there.
The upper part of pool 2 was pretty slow for me on sat. Caught one 23″ eye. Spent some time throwing ringies to the small wing dams around the lillydale landing. Tryed pulling up on one at dark with no luck either. Doesn’t seem to be alot of current on the outside of these dams. The ones up stream from the landing seem to have a little more flow to them.
I will give you a shout next time I head out rippinpigs. Not sure what this weekend is going to bring. Might head for the apple river part of the croix.

Thanks for the info on the landing guys. I would like to get up that way soon.

Mike W,
How far up the Mn from Pool 2 did you come accross the mendota bridge, I suppose I should just take a peek at the map quick. Right?

Thanks, now I have to try to peel myself from Pool 2 to get up there and that is not going to be an easy task!!

Steve,

I used to put in on both these landings then travel down the Minnesota to the confluence. I would guess it’s about a 10 -15 minute boat ride, at 40mph. Both are good landings so you shouldn’t have any problems. I think the landing under the cedar ave bridge is slightly better. I never saw any signs about paying to park, so I never did……You may want to keep an eye out though.

The Mendota is just around the corner from the conflueince. The channel down stream is the outlet from the channel that is just north of watergate marina. Clear water coming out of it.

Dee Zee:

The ramp under the Cedar Bridge is a State Park ramp. If you have a State Park sticker on your truck it’s no problem. They do go through and will put an envelope under your wiper charging you $5.00 if you don’t have the State Park sticker. It doesn’t happen often but it has happened to me once. If you don’t pay the fine they will do something about it. I don’t believe the Lyndale Ave ramp is a State ramp. I’ve never launched from there but it’s newer and looks very good.

Thanks guys for the heads up on location here. Hope everyone is still reaping the rewards of cool November lonly nights!! I have yet to make it up the Mn River to join you guys. Pool 2 remains too good for me to leave.

Any reports from over the weekend?

Where is Pool 2? I’ll be trying some river fishing this year, and am collecting knowledge now, since there isn’t much else to do in the winter.

Fishface, if you go to the ‘sippi General Forum, then go to the bottom of the page, there’s a chart there that lists all the pools.

P2 runs from the Ford dam in Highland Park to the Hastings dam. It includes the confluance of the MN and Mississippi rivers.