It’s always worth getting out!
I was out today in lower P2 and there was a lot of debris but clarity wasn’t terrible. My guess is it will get a little dirtier over the next 48 hours but it wouldn’t stop me from getting out.
They were biting ok for me this morning on cranks or crawlers. Current is high for this level but that didn’t seem to bother the walleyes.
Anyone been out recently? If so how’s it shaping up? Cooler weather I have to imagine fish will start picking up and moving a touch deeper?
I’ve fished a few times in the last week from the dam to south of Lions. Caught fish pretty much everywhere on a variety of presentations but mainly live bait and cranks (trolled or casted).
Current is still moving well and fish seem to want the heavier current. I wouldn’t expect fish to be moving off current spots for quite awhile. Water is about 72 degrees.
I was north of the confluence yesterday. Everything was biting, but the surprise was 5 nice pike. I talked to some others who have been getting more pike this year too. I think they all swam out of Pickerel or Snelling Lake and never made it back during the high water! Im half kidding, I have no clue, but it was odd to keep catching them.
I was out for a fair amount of time Sunday and found fairly cooperative fish on the Southern stretch of the pool.
They weren’t fussy on the Flicker Shad color this AM. Used several different colors.
Got out today. Heck of a half day for numbers. 30-40 eyes for myself and a coworker.biggest was a 24 with about a dozen fish in the 20-22” range.
Saw some teens catching lil wallies underneath minnehaha falls yesterday. Always fun to see kids doing their thing
Pool 2 last night, decent bite, but I had a first for me…..casting cranks on a wing dam and something hammered it and took off on a crazy run then swam super fast as I was just holding on. I got excited when I saw that gold color under the water until it came closer and it was a 5 lb carp! Hooks were in its mouth, so it definitely tried to eat it. Pretty cool.
Disappointing one for me, something BIG hit later long lining, had it on for about 5 min and it was still about 50′ away when the Suffix broke. Now, it might have been scuffed/nicked or something, but still, it took a lot to break that line. It never budged, just thumped and I only made up ground drifting back to it….thinking a giant flathead, but I will never know.
Had a buddy pull in a shovel once from p2, funniest dam thing we both saw. Looked and thumped around in the current just like a fish. Wasn’t bummed at all when it eventually came up, we were both rotfl.
Had a buddy pull in a shovel once from p2, funniest dam thing we both saw. Looked and thumped around in the current just like a fish. Wasn’t bummed at all when it eventually came up, we were both rotfl.
I scratched my head when I pulled in a lift jacket that looked like it was stuck in the mud for years. Glad there wasnt still a body in it….and how in the heck did it sink in the first place???
Unless a shovel can swim, this beast was clearly a fish though
I had a 27″ carp hit a flicker shad two weeks ago on pool 4. The bait was hooked in its mouth. First time I had seen a carp bite a crankbait. I have snagged them before, but never had one bite on one before that.
I had a pretty good pike that we released boat side last week. I’d bet she was 33-34”.
Had another one bite me off yesterday so they seem to be around a bit more.
I also caught a big carp on jig and minnow yesterday. It was mouth hooked and it thumped the jig. Maybe we have carnivorous carp on P2?
Dave, I’ll bet it was a big channel cat. I’ve seen a couple monsters hooked this year on cranks.
I caught 3 pike this AM, biggest 25”. They were healthy. Once in awhile I might get one in the 494 area, but today was 3. I usually get one or two in the upper pool.
Had good action for walleyes, biggest 25”.
I’ve caught more Pike in the last two weeks than I have in the last ten years. Best one was 32 inches and fat.
I was down last Saturday and caught a pair of carp as well. Pitching jigs. Also have had a flathead hit the boat last two trips down there. I would not rule anything out right now. Everything seems to be eating baits once you find this fishy spots.. The carp are a blast!!!
What are some boat launch options that are more towards the bottom end of pool 2?
Lions Levee Park
There is also a primitive access in Spring Lake. Duck hunter use this access with jon boats. No dock, not paved. If you Google search on “Spring Lake Park River Access” You can find the location.
-J.
Made it out for a couple hours on Friday and got to meet Mr. Steve Root. You’re a heck of nice guy, Steve.
Made it out again Sunday morning for quite a few hours and had to work for them, but good size fish. The guy I was fishing with clobbered them (can’t say the same for myself).
The hot days this September have been brutal, so I’m really glad to see that temps will start cooling down. It’s felt like July/August with the mid 80s and no wind.
There’s doesn’t seem to be much current.
Made it out for a couple hours on Friday and got to meet Mr. Steve Root. You’re a heck of nice guy, Steve.
Made it out again Sunday morning for quite a few hours and had to work for them, but good size fish. The guy I was fishing with clobbered them (can’t say the same for myself).
The hot days this September have been brutal, so I’m really glad to see that temps will start cooling down. It’s felt like July/August with the mid 80s and no wind.
There’s doesn’t seem to be much current.
I agree…be good to see the temps come down. But, usually low flow and warm water temps mean a slower bite in September. The bite has been really good for me lately so I’m hoping with a cool down it’s even better.
I just heard the Corp of Engineers is planning on putting in a new island just up from Hastings Dam. New structure or are we losing some good high water spots?
I did an exhaustive 2 min search and couldnt find a news story. Does anyone have more info?
This is the only article I could find. Similar exhaustive search though.
What depths are you guys targeting right now? And how much have you slowed things down if you’re trolling? Pretty quiet couple hours for me on the upper end late this afternoon.
I was north of the confluence yesterday. Everything was biting, but the surprise was 5 nice pike. I talked to some others who have been getting more pike this year too. I think they all swam out of Pickerel or Snelling Lake and never made it back during the high water! Im half kidding, I have no clue, but it was odd to keep catching them.
I haven’t checked this thread in a while, but that is odd, and at the same time good to hear! Always good to have a few bigger predators around.
What depths are you guys targeting right now? And how much have you slowed things down if you’re trolling? Pretty quiet couple hours for me on the upper end late this afternoon.
I assume you mean above the confluence? The water is probably getting cold enough that bite is gonna slow down, especially during the day.
If you’re going to troll during the day I’d be out towards the main channel and starting to slow down. As the sun goes down I’d move to the shorelines.
Anyone have a recent report on what’s working? Taking my wife’s friend’s son-in-law fishing this afternoon and I haven’t fished P2 in 2 weeks.
St. Paul gauge water temp is 55.4 F.
Ive been catching them on 1/8 oz jigs and twister tail plastics. In shallow rocks close to deep water.
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Sad story from the River last night:
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/st-paul-park-houseboat-fire/
Got out Friday. Slow. 5 eyes. 1 massive 19” white bass and a good size pike.biggest eye was only 22”. Durning this time and later yet, do the eyes tend to be deeper? All summer i was fairly dialed. Averaging 40-60 eyes in a solid day out 2-3 guys. Now I’m struggling to put a decent day together. Tried the usual community spots but mainly tried and caught fish durning the day in 7-14 foot. Didn’t try much deeper than 16-18 yet.
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