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 !

Made it out today and yesterday. Yesterday did well. I believe we ended at 17 eyes in about 4 hours. Good average size. Over half of them were above 20”. Biggest being a chunky 24 followed up by another 24. Lots of people.

Tonight, seems either and or both the pressure and maybe mood of the fish was negative. Super slow. Ended up empty handed. First time in a while I’ve had that happen to me. Have people seen pressure blow all the fish out of areas before? Or maybe other factors I’m sure. Just crazy how the bite shut off for us at least completely. Maybe I’m missing something.

Prodigyboatsguy wrote:

Made it out today and yesterday. Yesterday did well. I believe we ended at 17 eyes in about 4 hours. Good average size. Over half of them were above 20”. Biggest being a chunky 24 followed up by another 24. Lots of people.

Tonight, seems either and or both the pressure and maybe mood of the fish was negative. Super slow. Ended up empty handed. First time in a while I’ve had that happen to me. Have people seen pressure blow all the fish out of areas before? Or maybe other factors I’m sure. Just crazy how the bite shut off for us at least completely. Maybe I’m missing something.

Some of the shallow spots we fish definitely get blown out with pressure.
I fished a area I had to myself most of the day today and you could tell the fish were on the move. Pods of fish I would mark on one pass would be gone on the next. Not sure what I had on the clicker at the end of the night but it should of been in the low 20’s. I did find a 28 for my 2nd to.last fish.

Got out last evening for a bit. Bite is pretty good…maybe the rain and snow will get some water moving through the system. We could use some stain to the water.

The lot at 494 was almost full and saw quite a few fish getting caught. The bite died for us at dark which was a bit weird. Minnows were the best bet but blades and plastics also worked. Pretty standard spring program.

Looks like some good weather next week and now I have the itch!

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?

I’m a bass fisherman that enjoys catching a mixed bag. Spring lake fished really good last may when we had all that rain. Especially shallow rock and timber. The boat ramp sucks though I want to pour concrete over there so badly lol. So my boat will stick closer to the cities and when I want to fish spring lake I’ll bring out the yak. But yes I was the idiot putting in the kayak at 494 all last year.

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We got there around sun down. May explain it. Worked the heck out of the spots we got on em Sunday. But also tried up shallow. Had a few solid bites but that was it.

Side note anyone ever use glide baits like jigging raps or pitchin puppets? Love fishing that way on lakes just not sure on rivers since it’s a visual reaction normally.

Prodigyboatsguy wrote:

We got there around sun down. May explain it. Worked the heck out of the spots we got on em Sunday. But also tried up shallow. Had a few solid bites but that was it.

Side note anyone ever use glide baits like jigging raps or pitchin puppets? Love fishing that way on lakes just not sure on rivers since it’s a visual reaction normally.

I have a bit with mixed results. I know some guys that use them in lieu of blades. I think they would be good vertical as the water gets a little dirtier. Casting them is a challenge in snaggy areas. They are worse than blades imho as far as getting snagged.

Matt,

I’ll give them a shot. I’ve had great success with them in lakes but haven’t tried in rivers. This time of year I’d bet is the best time as far as not getting snags.

Have to finish up my glide bait rod before I start using them though… building rods as a hobby is fun but also takes time to dial in what a guy wants for each technique.

I have good luck with them at times, you know pretty quickly if they are going to hit them or not.

DaveB wrote:

I have good luck with them at times, you know pretty quickly if they are going to hit them or not.

I’ve never really had a banner day with them . It seems if they are hitting those they ll hit anything for me . I’m a blade guy though . Confidence in your presentation sometimes is everything at times !

Anybody know if hidden falls is open?

There is snow on the ramp but people are using it.

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Anyone ever try south of 494 this time of year? I know most fish move up but there has to be some nice stragglers that stick back.

Got out yesterday for the first time this year, man it was nice. Didn’t see many people catching fish, including myself, but saw a few familiar faces. Hope you guys were able to put it together.

Started with casting shallow and then switch to long lining main channel breaks. Anyone have any luck?

Slow day for me as well. Launched out of 494, fished north. One walleye for five hours on the water.

It was good to knock the rust off the boat on a beautiful day.

Each year its just more and more people shorefishing the dam area.

Me and the kiddo hiked around hidden falls yesterday for a bit, saw one fish caught between 20 or so anglers.

Put in at St. Paul park tonight and fished a little north mostly south bite was awful didn’t catch anything tried shallow and deep