Pool 2 Report (2024)

With these water levels I doubt it. Mississippi pub and Willies ramps should still be open. Both are fantastic high water ramps and great places to eat and grab a drink.

awesome thank you. Are these still open when the restaurant isn’t?

For reference, Hidden Harbor closed at 14.5ft back in 2014. It was at the top of the ramp and starting to flood the lot and bar.

Does Watergate still allow the public to launch? Think it was $10 or 15 last time but haven’t been there for awhile.

Deuces wrote:

Does Watergate still allow the public to launch? Think it was $10 or 15 last time but haven’t been there for awhile.

Your Boat Club got the contract to operate there last year and they were still allowing it in October. Haven’t used them this year. It was 10 for weekdays, 15 weekends and holidays.

Here’s the hot pattern right now. Get out on the river and anywhere current is swirling in 10 feet or less Chuck a crankbait or hair jig. If you don’t get bit in 5 minutes try a different swirl.

3Rivers wrote:

For reference, Hidden Harbor closed at 14.5ft back in 2014. It was at the top of the ramp and starting to flood the lot and bar.

I’m not sure they use that ramp by the bar anymore. The other ramp is much higher than that ramp. There also used to be a paybox by the old ramp near the bar door.

Mike W wrote:

I’m not sure they use that ramp by the bar anymore. The other ramp is much higher than that ramp. There also used to be a paybox by the old ramp near the bar door.

I have used that ramp on the north end of their lot in 17.5 water. She wont close down in this one. Shouldn’t anyways.

The boat ramp by the bar is open. That one is much better than the large one. The current coming down through Lions will smash your boat right into that dock. Don’t ask me how I know. The small launch is completely protected.

Bite was tough for us last night. Just a handful of small fish but plenty of other species to keep it interesting. Water levels are great, the clarity is pretty good, and the seams are setup perfectly. We were out in the evening so maybe it’s just an earlier bite. No reason they weren’t on the chew unless we just missed the bite window.

It sounds like the DNR is calling the shots for the 494 ramp and any opening date. Sort of a caught between a rock and a hard spot. City land but DNR ramp.
DNR won’t put docks in until it’s significantly lower and city doesn’t want to open without docks. Whatever happened to launch at your own risk?

Also the grand opening for the new trailhead facility there was on Monday. Nice new place to take a leak or grab a drink, but will close at 10pm each day.

3Rivers wrote:

DNR won’t put docks in until it’s significantly lower and city doesn’t want to open without docks. Whatever happened to launch at your own risk?

My guess is some numb skull launched at their own risk and screwed it up for the rest of us. That is our world today. We have to lower the bar on everything to meet expectations of the “minimum common sense” standard.

“Common sense is not a gift, its a punishment because you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it.

Got out yesterday morning for a few hours…River is in great shape and the bite was good for us. Bright colored jointed shad raps were the ticket.

Didn’t find fish in all spots but once you found them they were stacked up.

Flow is still high so look for those slower seams or seams with slack water nearby. Don’t be afraid to go shallow. With the high flow and water there are some fish in the main channel but not many.

Went out yesterday evening for a few hours. Pretty slow for us. 1 eye and a couple white bass. Lost something nicer but not sure what. Struggling to put a decent outing together. Makes a guy want to fish it more…

Prodigyboatsguy wrote:

Went out yesterday evening for a few hours. Pretty slow for us. 1 eye and a couple white bass. Lost something nicer but not sure what. Struggling to put a decent outing together. Makes a guy want to fish it more…

Seems to be an earlier bite recently. That’s what we’ve experienced.

Its going to get tough out there by or after this weekend. New high levels in the pool is going to let a pile of grass, leaves and logs move again. Just a heads up anyways. There always biting somewhere but I wont be dropping the boat down there till crest after this weekend.

Was out last night for 3 hours or so. Did find a few fish. found 3 eyes in a small area. Was thinking after the first 3 they would be stacked up since I caught them not far apart in time. A few cats and sheep head after that. Moved on and not much luck. Eyes were off and on top of a break 10 foot was the deeper end and 5-6 foot on the shallower end. Nothing big but all fat 20-23”. Probably be a week or so until I even attempt it again.

St. Paul predicted to hit major flood stage Wednesday afternoon, above 17’.

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The forecasted crest is up to 20′ on 6/26 now…

Saw this on a Facebook community page this morning.

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Wow that’s coming up fast. A couple of days ago it was nowhere near the bottom of the steps!

And now this afternoon… she’s coming up quick!

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Is that a stupid person trying to fish?

JEREMY wrote:

Is that a stupid person trying to fish?

That’s not a terrible spot.

This would be a terrible spot…

Can’t even see turnaround island any more.

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or the fisherman.

joe-winter wrote:

or the fisherman.

That’s crazy, Sharon. Guess we won’t see even close to normal water levels until about march at this rate… Just in time for it to flood again lol

On the plus side with all this water when it finally goes down all the state land along the river will be easier to hunt again. After not flooding good for a few years the normal woods with sand/dirt and patches of grass turned into everything overgrown with head high weeds. This should fix that problem. MN river that is.

I will say this.. Last time the water was up like this during the warm water Lions Levee launch was a great shore spot. I watched a couple kids clean house casting the edge of the flooded pavement where we launch the boat. Just dropping whole crawlers on the bottom. If you can find the edge of the pavement in 4-5 FOW where it meets the grass. It turns into a big slackwater right now and the fish were using it. Channels, drum and eyes.

Looks like the river will be back down in about a week. I hope the clean up crews can get the ramps open quickly!