Pool 2 Report (2025)

Planning to get out Sunday but have only ever used Hidden Falls and never in the winter. Are Snelling and lillydale viable for an 18 ft walk-through aluminum or is 494 the only usable ramp?

FinickyFish wrote:

Planning to get out Sunday but have only ever used Hidden Falls and never in the winter. Are Snelling and lillydale viable for an 18 ft walk-through aluminum or is 494 the only usable ramp?

It’s still pretty locked up at those launches. When I drove over 35e today I would assume they are unusable.

Lilydale is no good if you launch alone. There is nowhere you can beach the boat.

494 is the best bet this time of year and it’s a better launch anyways.

Thanks. I’ll have a couple other guys with me but sounds like 494 is the best bet.

Here is Hodden falls a couple days ago. Little work with a chisel and it will be good to go.

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Oh for some reason I thought the access to Hidden Falls was blocked during the winter. May consider that, thanks.

Sometimes you can back over that lip but my guess is it’s mostly gone if Mike’s pic is from a couple days ago.

I’m gonna bum around Hidden Falls tomorrow morning before I have to go to work. Been itching to chuck and wind for a bit.

Evan japlon wrote:

She’s gunna open wide open here soon getting my new boat ready

Ned-riggin’ ‘eyes in a ‘yak?

Bad ass.

Were you targeting them or bass?

Matt Moen wrote:

Lilydale is no good if you launch alone. There is nowhere you can beach the boat.

Same with snelling, at least based on the first(and only) time I launched there two or three springs ago in march. And that was when I still had the light little ‘89 alumacraft tiller 16 ft.

Later that same year my friend’s glasses fell into the drink at lilydale as he was trying to push me out of the muck away from the bank… lol. Miraculously he was able to find them! It was kind of like watching Velma from scooby doo. Lol.

Reminder: get your new fishing licenses! I have been checked 2-3 times on pool 2 by sheriffs and conservation officers. Twice on shore.

LabDaddy1 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Evan japlon wrote:</div>
She’s gunna open wide open here soon getting my new boat ready

Ned-riggin’ ‘eyes in a ‘yak?

Bad ass.

Were you targeting them or bass?

A few years ago then Head to Head was on pool 2 Joe Okada was using a Ned rig. This was midsummer and he was using it to imitate bugs. I’ve never seen it used in cold water though. Very interesting tactic but I assume its similar to slowly working plastics.

LabDaddy1 wrote:

Same with snelling, at least based on the first(and only) time I launched there two or three springs ago in march. And that was when I still had the light little ‘89 alumacraft tiller 16 ft.

Ft Snelling actually uses a dock and is my go-to when launching solo. Must’ve not had the dock in yet at the time you used it. The state park website actually posts when they put the docks in and pull them, so I check there if it’s early/late season or high water. If the dock is pulled, then it can be really tricky. There is shoreline but it’s soft mud and a guy can lose a shoe if you step in the wrong spot.

HF is good to go. One trailer in the lot this morning. The large sandy area on the upstream side of the ramp is clear for beaching the boat.

Ill be solo out of the 494 tonight. Hope it was better than 4 yesterday for me !