I ended up at home last night… The wife shut down my idea but sure wanted to go. I dont know what it is about snow storms and those fish. Gets them all fired up.
I did get the boat in the water last night. Fished from 4:30-6:45. Water temps are at 45 degrees. Flow was up a bit but clarity is better than it was a week ago. It was super nice down there last night!! Fishing was good too. These fish should start getting fat quick now.
I will say one thing. These fish are putting up a good fight right now. I have had two eyes this last week that I would have thought for sure were a flathead cat sticking to the bottom and at times swimming upstream on me pulling drag.
I will attach a few photos. I was out solo so did not get the best pictures but can get the idea.
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Nice! I’m hoping to get out a few times over the next couple weeks.
We were out a couple of nights ago and it was nice as well. They are starting to put the feedbag on if you can deal with a little bit of cold hands.
Under 50 is when I start to have really good luck fishing blades. Were you still using live bait mostly?
I had a couple sucker minnows left so used those up but that bite is on the way out now.. They did not want crank baits yesterday. I tried a few different styles. I did have two follow HJ14’s. Was super cool. Almost got one to go on a figure 8. I dont fish blades often but will be giving them a heavy dose of big profile plastics now for the next couple weeks. Thats my plan anyways. Will see what the fish tell me to do anyways.
Here is a couple more photos. One is a big carp that ran me around for a good 20 minutes the other day. Caught him in the fin pitching plastics. The other is a little walleye that actually ate this minnow!!! I was taken by surprise. I felt him hit, set the hook and thought I missed the fish. So reeled up to check the bait and he was on there. haha..
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Nice fish Joe! Glad to see the bigger ones showing up!
I have had some bad days with the jig hookup ratio… However I have had some great days too. I have seen crankbaits do more damage to those fish then running live bait. Just dont feed them line.
For jigs… A VMC mooneye jig in 1/4 oz runs a 3/0 hook. Otherwise I mold my own and use 4/0 jig hooks. When the fish hits I let them take it till I know the fish is moving away and let him have it. So do not feed any line. When the line goes tight you hit him. They do this pretty quick most the time.
When I rig them with a 3 way I run a 1/0-2/0 hook. Offset hooks. Same deal. Do not feed them. Just let them pull the line tight and set the hook.
Little fish will get away but you usually know when its a big fish and can take them pretty quick. No counting to 5 or ten. Thats silly. Just make sure they are moving away from you and your hookup ratio will be good.
Just make sure they are moving away from you and your hookup ratio will be good.
Says the guy who I watched miss like six fish in a row… 
I have a pile of the VMC jigs. I had been using more live bait style jigs but maybe that’s the ticket. A longer shank and wider gap might work.
Matt, the ticket is to be Joe! He killed me side-by-side on the live bait maybe a week after Mike’s tourney (which I missed this year, unfortunately).
Do you like the up-sized hooks on your jigs for plastics too or just for live minnows?
Matt, the ticket is to be Joe! He killed me side-by-side on the live bait maybe a week after Mike’s tourney (which I missed this year, unfortunately).
I fack checked this and it said mostly true.. John did watch me feed 4-5 fish in a row at one point. I think it could have been the same couple fish but was a bad 10 minutes that was followed up with a 28.5 inch walleye. So had a happy ending at that spot. haha..
Boone, the only time we upsize the hooks are for big swim baits. 5-5.5 inch baits. I use 4/0 Gamakatsu Model 604 Jig Hook in my jig mold for these. I also have 4/0 mustad jig hooks and do like those for live bait. They have a thinner wire than the gamakatsu hooks. So there is a little less weight and works better if I put them in a 1/8-3/16 jig but 1/4 oz-3/8 oz jigs I use the gamakatsu hooks. John had a strong piece of advise the other day and said to bend the hook to the side so you get a little offset to it. That does help as well.
It’s snowing out there Joe, are you going to get out?
It’s snowing out there Joe, are you going to get out?
Not today Mr Rootski. I think it is a great idea but stuck here in the office today…
Thanks for all of the updates on pool 2 lately, fish are looking healthy. I joined this forum recently to get info on pool 2/4 and to start fishing them more. I live out in Minnetonka but I’m done trying to fish that (stupid) lake. My lund is usually in storage by now, but I’m planning to get out on pool 2 a few times in the next 2-3 weeks. What is the best launch to use this time of the year?
Thanks for all of the updates on pool 2 lately, fish are looking healthy. I joined this forum recently to get info on pool 2/4 and to start fishing them more. I live out in Minnetonka but I’m done trying to fish that (stupid) lake. My lund is usually in storage by now, but I’m planning to get out on pool 2 a few times in the next 2-3 weeks. What is the best launch to use this time of the year?
Welcome to the forum! Either one should be fine for a while yet. Lions is nice if you’re going alone and want to tie up to the bridge or beach while you’re parking your rig. It can be a little tricky to navigate the channel when the water is low. 494 is good too and if you’ve got an extra set of hands it can be quick and easy to get on the water.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Root wrote:</div>
It’s snowing out there Joe, are you going to get out?Not today Mr Rootski. I think it is a great idea but stuck here in the office today…
Having a job can really kill your fishing habits….I’m staring out the office window right now so I’m with you.
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Hidden falls and the Fort Snelling ramp are options also. Snelling is my favorite
Was able to get out last night for a few hours and the fish were waiting but a little finicky on bait preference! The larger one was a tad over 28”
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Was a decent day out there yesterday. Snow wasn’t terrible and there was minimal traffic (I think I saw Jason launching, but I’m not certain). We ended up with 13-14 fish all on jig/minnow, but all with small size. I threw a blade around for a while and came up empty. Water temps were around 39.
October 26th and the water temp was 39? I get the feeling it’s going to be a long winter.
SR
Francis, good to see you still have it!!!
I noticed temperatures in the low 40’s yesterday and maybe a spot or two in the high 30’s. I am guessing the temps wont go back up a whole lot but that is just fine by me. Was good to get out yesterday and catch a few as I had not been down in a long time.
Don’t know you Cody but I am guessing I might have put in right after you did.
CBMN, I have a white Alumacraft with a tiller. Was that you in the green boat with the Yamaha on it?
39 to 41 for me Saturday. I grabbed a couple on plastics but could only be aout for a few hours in the afternoon.
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