Pool 2 Report (2023)

  • Jim
    Posts: 229
    #2173715

    How was the bite today?
    Could you make it to the airport or was it iced up?

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2173719

    Same as yesterday Jim. Heavy south wind made the bite challenging.

    Jim
    Posts: 229
    #2173720

    Thanks Mike. Thought about going out this afternoon and with the wind decided not to. Hopefully tomorrow is better.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2174034

    Sunday sure was better wind wise. Better boat control made for a better bite to. We fished all day Sunday for 20 fish. Size was decent with most over 20″s. Just a nice day to be out in the boat.

    Heard there was some funny business at the 494 last night. Sounds like someone tried jumping in a truck a the ramp. Watch your back and stuff down there.

    Jim
    Posts: 229
    #2174061

    Thanks for the warning Mike.
    Could you make it to the airport?
    Was there much ice floating downstream?

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2174094

    Not sure what the sun and temps did to the ice up that way yesterday Jim. We broke through to the 10 dam Saturday. If it hasn’t let loose yet its got to be real close.

    Dabears
    Posts: 21
    #2174422

    I read these posts all the time,just curious why is Pool 2 catch and release only?

    dirtywater
    Posts: 1537
    #2174454

    It gets a lot of pressure with much of the pool being directly located in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. They wanted to create a year-round trophy fishery and I think they’ve done a pretty great job meeting that goal. There was a time prior to the clean water act when this was essentially dead water that couldn’t support any significant aquatic life. When the comeback starting building there was some concern that the pressure and harvest levels would not be sustainable, and that got us to where we are now. That’s a simplified version. Lot of folks did a lot of work to get the fishery to this point!

    Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6019
    #2174457

    We all owe a big Thank You to Minnesota fresh water hall of famers Dick “The Griz” Grzywinski and Dick Sternberg for the work they did early on. A great success story for the DNR.

    Lot of info/articles out there if you start searching on those names and pool 2.

    Here is an article from 2009 to get you started. Scroll down to “Whopper Walleye”.

    https://webapps15.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer_index_api/past_issues/article_pdf?id=4836

    -J.

    Dabears
    Posts: 21
    #2175224

    Ok ,interesting reading ,thanks for the info.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2175324

    Guessing there was a good number of pissed off anglers when the pool went to catch and release. For me I’ve never known the pool to be anything but that. Spent 12 hours out there yesterday catching fantastic numbers of fish with a couple trophy size ones mixed and I’m more than happy with the catch and release regulations. The trade off of being able to fish 2 year round is fantastic to.

    If anyone runs into the Griz make sure to thank him again for his work on this.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2176129

    If you want to get out on Pool 2 better go the next few days. The wind Friday night might keep it from freezing but once the wind drops its going to lock up again. The bite the last few trips has been fantastic. We’ll over 100 fish on Saturday with over 28″s. Over 70 fish the other afternoon. The fish keep moving so locating them is key. Once found they seem to be very willing to bite. White/silver pulsar has been hot the last couple trips.

    Jim
    Posts: 229
    #2176158

    Good luck to whoever fishes! I’m done: wind today, cold tomorrow, wind on Friday then the cold sets in. Had good fishing yesterday and Monday. Amazing how they bite in the winter. It was a fun January!

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2176235

    Sure is tempting to go this afternoon. Wish I didn’t live so far from the ramp.

    Jim
    Posts: 229
    #2177907

    I read the MNDNR walleye and tracking study from 2000. For those that haven’t read it, here’s what I found interesting:
    P2 Stats
    32 miles long
    Upper is dam to 35 E bridge, 4.3 miles
    Middle is 35E bridge to upper channel Grey Cloud Slough, 15 miles
    2 major tributaries, Minnehaha Creek and MN River

    Range
    Study length was 16 months (Feb ’98 through May ’99)
    Walleye mean range 17 miles
    Sauger mean range 25 miles
    Walleye daily 114 feet
    Sauger daily 167 feet
    One sauger traveled 57 miles up the MN river and a walleye 46 miles!

    Migration up MN River
    40% average of saugers being tracked for 2 springs
    Walleyes 25%
    All fish returned to P2 by early May

    Spawning
    98% of walleye eggs collected near Minnehaha Creek
    They had egg collection nets from the dam down to S. St. Paul
    Did not collect any sauger eggs

    Sauger
    Summer: majority Lower P2 and in or near backwater lakes and areas
    Fall: limited tracking
    Winter: middle P2

    Walleye
    Summer: Lower and middle Pool 2.
    Fall: limited tracking
    Winter: middle P2

    Highest catch rates are in winter (Dec. – Feb.) on middle P2. They stage there for the spawn.

    Walleye Most Common Habitat
    Winter: wing dam, main channel, channel border
    Spring: Channel border, main channel; wing dam
    Summer: wing dam, backwater, main channel
    Fall: Main channel, wing dam, channel border

    Most frequently found over sand/silt, walleyes also use gravel and cobblestone

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2177968

    Will have to see how accurate that report is next week.

    Matt Moen
    South Minneapolis
    Posts: 4257
    #2178253

    Report summary….there’s a ton of fish all over all the time on P2!

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2178296

    I agree Matt. Might be quicker to list where they are not at.

    Steve Root
    South St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 5623
    #2178314

    I saw blah blah blah wingdam blah blah wingdam blah blah blah wingdam, and concluded I should fish some wingdams LOL

    SR

    Escape Outdoors
    Elk River
    Posts: 18
    #2178703

    Is there any opportunity to fish from shore this time of the year?

    gimruis
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17346
    #2178708

    98% of walleye eggs collected near Minnehaha Creek

    Wonder if this is because there’s more flow coming in from Minnehaha or the inflow there has more oxygen, or simply because its a better area for spawning? I only raise that point because Minnehaha Creek has completely dried up the past two years as a result of severe drought.

    Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6019
    #2178712

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jim wrote:</div>
    98% of walleye eggs collected near Minnehaha Creek

    Wonder if this is because there’s more flow coming in from Minnehaha or the inflow there has more oxygen, or simply because its a better area for spawning? I only raise that point because Minnehaha Creek has completely dried up the past two years as a result of severe drought.

    Probably just the location they chose at the time. A vast majority of pool 2 spawning occurs up in the Minnesota.

    -J.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2178734

    Is there any opportunity to fish from shore this time of the year?

    Not this week but next week there should be plenty. Other places to look are Monticello and Black Dog road.

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20324
    #2179033

    Mike did the river open up ? Did you guys get the launch opened ?

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2179041

    From Saturday. Let me know if you get down there today to check it out.

    Attachments:
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    2. 20230204_132257-scaled.jpg

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20324
    #2180272

    This time of the year are you just pitching and dragging plastics? Mike I sent you a pm.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2180319

    Fishing a little bit of everything. My approach this winter has really been to scan areas for fish with the side imaging. Then go back and fish the fishy looking water with whatever you think they want or whatever fishes well for the conditions, area you are in. I’m guessing if you are fairly new to running side scan on the river this time of year one of the first things you may come across is the huge schools of rough fish. Just massive schools at times. If you have a camera it’s interesting to drop it down and check these out. Many times I think the walleyes are using some of the same areas as these schools.

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20324
    #2180343

    Fishing a little bit of everything. My approach this winter has really been to scan areas for fish with the side imaging. Then go back and fish the fishy looking water with whatever you think they want or whatever fishes well for the conditions, area you are in. I’m guessing if you are fairly new to running side scan on the river this time of year one of the first things you may come across is the huge schools of rough fish. Just massive schools at times. If you have a camera it’s interesting to drop it down and check these out. Many times I think the <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleyes are using some of the same areas as these schools.

    Thanks Mike I appreciate all the input. I’m new to running p2 for sure. Only done it a handful of times. I have been very successful late season on the Croix but never this time of the year.

    DaveB
    Inver Grove Heights MN
    Posts: 4469
    #2180615

    Fishing a little bit of everything. My approach this winter has really been to scan areas for fish with the side imaging. Then go back and fish the fishy looking water with whatever you think they want or whatever fishes well for the conditions, area you are in. I’m guessing if you are fairly new to running side scan on the river this time of year one of the first things you may come across is the huge schools of rough fish. Just massive schools at times. If you have a camera it’s interesting to drop it down and check these out. Many times I think the <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleyes are using some of the same areas as these schools.

    I guess you need side imaging when there is 2-4″ of ice covering the hot spots!

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13294
    #2180723

    Yes. Little frustrating to scan those fish hanging out under the ice.

    Was hoping the river would open a little faster this week. Still only about 2 miles of river open around 494. Sounds like the sunkin barge is as far north as you can go without busting ice. Refinery to the south.

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