Pool 2 walleye bite

I have been out on 2 on shore a few times and in the boat Saturday. I am realllly struggling to find the fish. I tried trolling cranks in 6-12 fow along rocky shorelines and current breaks. Also pitched plastics at these spots and no bites. Tried multiple current breaks near the dam to no avail. With the temps up and down and fish at all different stages of spawn, where should I be focusing my efforts? Depths, techniques, anything? Bottom comp? Will the fish ever hang out in the main channel or areas of stronger current? Should I try drifting the main channel and dragging jigs? If so, what is the best way you guys have found to control boat speed while slipping downstream-outboard or electric? Any help would be so greatly appreciated! How have you guys been doing on 2 lately? Thanks.
Jake

Pool 2 is really tough this time of year. The fish don’t concentrate as much as they do in other pools. There will be some fish below the dam, and possibly a few in the confluence area. Those areas typically have the best concentrations of fish but nothing like Red Wing has in the spring. Even for the guys that fish P2 several times per week it’s tough to put together more than a couple of really good days in 4-6 weeks leading up to the spawn.

I heard Culvers has Walleye. That’s what I do when I come up empty handed. (I eat there a LOT!)

I have had some great days,some o.k days,and some days where Im just happy to not be skunked.I have found fish but the only ones that bite with any consistency are the ones in the areas with more flow,and then if your bait isnt in there just rite you wont get bit.I think the flow, water clarity,and the weather have alot to do with it.Doesnt sound like your doing anything different then I am,could be just timing and the weather when you happen to get out.Saturday didnt do to well but did great yesterday evening trolling.Tried deeper running shads for an hour and never got bit so I went shallow with a stickbait and caught at least 20 if not more fish I lost count after awhile,a few big fish and a bunch of nice 18- 20″,even got some trolling downstream,who knows if that will work again but I will try when I think the conditions are rite.I basically gave up on the figuring it out beyond what I have allready figured out.I just keep fishing and take the good with the bad because when its been good its been really good.

matt wrote:

I have had some great days,some o.k days,and some days where Im just happy to not be skunked.I have found fish but the only ones that bite with any consistency are the ones in the areas with more flow,and then if your bait isnt in there just rite you wont get bit.I think the flow, water clarity,and the weather have alot to do with it.Doesnt sound like your doing anything different then I am,could be just timing and the weather when you happen to get out.Saturday didnt do to well but did great yesterday evening trolling.Tried deeper running shads for an hour and never got bit so I went shallow with a stickbait and caught at least 20 if not more fish I lost count after awhile,a few big fish and a bunch of nice 18- 20″,even got some trolling downstream,who knows if that will work again but I will try when I think the conditions are rite.I basically gave up on the figuring it out beyond what I have allready figured out.I just keep fishing and take the good with the bad because when its been good its been really good.

@Matte- when you say trolling shallow, are u talking just on top of the break? Am I correct that the drop off seems to start at a consistent 8-9 ft? Would you stay right on top of that or in even closer to shore? What about the bottom of the break in 12 or so ft.? Do you prefer shoreline with boulders/rip-rap or pea rock/gravel. I’m assuming outside turns because you mentioned higher flow.. You would think they’d be more on inside turns to get away from the swift current. But what do I know lol. Thanks for responding!
Jake

Primetime early morning,the evening bite and later,and windy days have gotten me all of the fish when trolling.I have been treating the river the same as if I was fishing a lake only add in current.Theres all kinds of structure to fish and it has all held some fish for me –inside/outside turns,relatively flat areas with little current,current seams,Gravel,rocks,sand,timber have all held fish, I cant tell you what type of area has been the best as they have all had some fish,some a few more then others but no huge difference really.I’ve been trying to keep the boat in 7-8ft then its just a matter of switching which side of the boat your lure is running on for depth change.Usually I fish by myself so to go deeper or shallower I just lift the rod over my head and switch which hand or rodholder it goes in.Pretty much all I do is pick a couple lures and a strectch of shoreline that I think will hold fish and drive until I find some that are willing to cooperate.Im no expert by anymeans,I just go by what my best thoughts are as to what the fish are looking for or doing on any particular day,so far so good for this spring anyways..

Attachments:

1. 

   20150407_204923.jpg
   

matt wrote:

Primetime early morning,the evening bite and later,and windy days have gotten me all of the fish when trolling.I have been treating the river the same as if I was fishing a lake only add in current.Theres all kinds of structure to fish and it has all held some fish for me –inside/outside turns,relatively flat areas with little current,current seams,Gravel,rocks,sand,timber have all held fish, I cant tell you what type of area has been the best as they have all had some fish,some a few more then others but no huge difference really.I’ve been trying to keep the boat in 7-8ft then its just a matter of switching which side of the boat your lure is running on for depth change.Usually I fish by myself so to go deeper or shallower I just lift the rod over my head and switch which hand or rodholder it goes in.Pretty much all I do is pick a couple lures and a strectch of shoreline that I think will hold fish and drive until I find some that are willing to cooperate.Im no expert by anymeans,I just go by what my best thoughts are as to what the fish are looking for or doing on any particular day,so far so good for this spring anyways..

Thanks a bunch for your in-depth response(no pun intended). Congrats and keep up the good work!
Jake

After the wind picked up yesterday I spent a few hrs pulling stickbaits on 3 ways and put a few decent fish in the boat. Probably my last trip down to 2 for awhile. Plastics worked good early morning and hair and minnow was what they wanted mid morning on.

A few from the last couple trips.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_20150408_064958_579.jpg
   

2. 

   IMG_20150403_213528_192.jpg
   

3. 

   IMG_20150330_145054_418.jpg
   

4. 

   IMG_20150327_101437_820.jpg
   

Nice!

Nice fish there Dustin!

-J.

Nice catches!

Nice fish! Was trying to get on the water in between the rain events the other day but I got sidetracked with a few things I needed to get done.Needless to say by the time I got to the ramp it started raining then snowing,but since I was there figured so I’d give it a try until I got to cold and wet,didnt take long for either to happen.In between running the bilge pump and trying to keep my fingers warm (learned my waterproof gloves were no longer waterproof),my concentration wasnt totally on fishing.Anyways it was slower fishing but under the conditions I figured I did o.k.managed to miss some fish and catch a four with one better one.By the time I reached the landing my net had frozen to the boat.The Strom baits seem to be working good,then again I havnt tried pulling much else either.

Attachments:

1. 

   20150409_215607.jpg