Any recent walleye/sauger reports from Pool 4? More curious for those of you who are pulling (Dubuque rigs, raps, etc.). What has been typical for best speed upstream and best speed down stream? Depths?
Any help would be appreciated. Hoping to head over on Friday.
We did well pulling cranks. Early 7-10′ later 12-16′. Up 1.8mph down 2.7-3.0mph. Color mattered, more important to have the crank hitting the bottom.
Thanks Mojo! Much appreciated for the starting point.
We did well pulling cranks.
If that was you trolling around my boat Mojo, you don’t look anything like your avatar.
My boatload took a tour through hamms-land…
My boatload took a tour through hamms-land…
I was getting over a cold…however had you waved I would of brought some cold ones to the back of the boat for you! 
I didn’t see your boat last weekend, and sadly I do look a bit like my avatar. I am easy to spot. Look for the barber pole looking net standing up.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mojogunter wrote:</div>
We did well pulling cranks.If that was you trolling around my boat Mojo, you don’t look anything like your avatar.
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For these days does anyone really know why everyone runs to the dam? Is it better to target seems and inlets to stay away from the crowds? Also does the rap bite start to shut off as it cools off? Thanks for the insight.
For these days does anyone really know why everyone runs to the dam? Is it better to target seems and inlets to stay away from the crowds? Also does the rap bite start to shut off as it cools off? Thanks for the insight.
There is an annual shad/bait die off that the fish come up river for to gorge themselves getting ready for winter. There will be fish staged in different areas on their way upstream. Just like in the spring, the dam blocks them there, and they congregate in large numbers. The long lining of shad raps gives way to 3-waying floating rapalas and other stick baits as the water cools. Lots of eater size fish in the river right now with some big ones mixed in. 28″ was the biggest for me Sunday on a blade bait
Is there much success had drifting a dubuque rig with the current? Don’t see many people drift, or is it more a question of boat control? Or the fact that there just isn’t that much room before your bumping into someone?
You could drift, but for me when I am using a dubuque or denver rig there tends to be more current and you want to stay on the current seams. The other issue with drifting down river there is a good chance you get pushed into trees, wingdams or too shallow.
Is there much success had drifting a dubuque rig with the current? Don’t see many people drift, or is it more a question of boat control? Or the fact that there just isn’t that much room before your bumping into someone?
So sounds like Dubuque up stream, vertical jig, or cast plastic are primary go to’s?
Last weekend when I was watching a few boats come buy jigging, I notice they were way over jigging.
As the legend Dean Marshall tried to instill in people jigging, “Less Is More”. On lakes it take jigging to put action into your jig, on the river with even a little current, let the river give your bait the action.
Using your boat control to keep your line as vertical as possible, drop your bait down until you feel bottom. Then lift 2 to 4 inches and HOLD. Count to 20 and repeat.
It’s much more important to stay in that strike zone then to make your jig bounce all over.
You find many people that forget about the fast jigging while they are talking to their partner and get the bejeebers scared out of them by a fish on the other end.
Good Luck this weekend! It’s going to be one of the last nice ones!
Had a great day on Pool 4 Friday. Beautiful weather and great fishing. All fish caught on Denver rigs. 1/4oz hair (or 1/4 oz and plastic) on bottom, crankbait on top. All but 4 fish came on the cranks. Caught a 24″ & 26″ walleye, and probably 12 or so more 15″ to 18″ saugers and walleyes. Also caught white bass, crappies, northern, 3 very good sized dogfish and about a 25lb carp! You never know on the river. All fish caught from 10′-17′ of water on the sand. Most important thing was to make sure the crank bait was on or near the bottom.
There were a lot of fish caught this weekend judging by the number of nets I saw out.
I got a lot of winter cleaning and prepping done in between watching and talking with fishermen. 
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Best part of my day is we did not have another boat fish by us all day and we were not even in a “secret” spot!
Anyone else get surprised by the tug and barges on the way to the dam Friday morning in the fog? Something that big shouldn’t just appear, even idling up river!
Yes. My buddy looked like the guy from Caddy Shack that was about to get run over!
I notified the lock just before 7 that there was a fishing tourney going on and asked them to relay to the tow operators…I should of notified them closer to 6 am.
It’s crazy how close they can be with out a whisper of noise.
Yes we got surprised even though we were warned about it. Could not see it until we were right on top of it. It was a long slow cruise up river on Friday for us.
Big crowd today, doesn’t anyone work on Wednesdays anymore? Seemed like everyone was doing pretty well.
Was the water still min 50’s?
doesn’t anyone work on Wednesdays anymore?
Monday is the least congested…but even then, when the bite turns on, it gets tight up at the dam.
Here’s a trick that few people have thought of. Don’t fish from the Y up stream. 
Try the Red Wing side above and below the bridge in town. I haven’t seen anyone fishing that area lately. Try around the cut at the end of Freedom Island, across from the sanitation plant. Even the rocks in front of the plant.
Those fish at the dam have to come from the lake and they have regular places to stop and rest although without any flow, they might not be resting as long.
56 yesterday Mr. B Waster.
BK you are 100% wrong. To those who listen to him, remember he is likely just trying to throw you off and make more fishing space for his Tuna boat near the hot spot that is “the dam”. Anything not within eye sight of the dam is often referred to as “The Dead Sea” by seasoned river rats.
All fish stack up at the dam, and unless you are very close to colliding with other boats, you are not fishing Pool 4 correctly and are jeopardizing having a good outing. If you find a group of boats who seem friendly, consider asking if you can tie up to them (with fenders of course) to keep you “on the spot”.
Pro Tip #1: The best time window to arrive seems to be from 3:45am to 4:15am to beat the crowds and have the maximum amount of fishable space near the dam. Be sure your navigation lights work well and you are visible for safety purposes as you run wide open up river. Once the sun is up in the sky, the river fish often get lock jaw. If you do find yourself struggling at this time, don’t be afraid to move to the scour hole. I’ve heard people have 100 fish days consistently there over the deepest water. The 8-12″ sauger population is absurd in that area this year, and for some reason the eagles put on quite a show just below you as well.
Pro Tip #2: Don’t forget binoculars. Sure, fish are capable of being seen with today’s sonar and live imaging…but it still takes time and careful interpretation when they are under the surface of the water. Fish above the water in nets or on lines don’t lie. I often like to take my time and cross reference not just those who are catching fish, but those of decent size. Don’t make your move too early pulling up next to someone catching only dinks. That’s a rookie mistake.
Wear a PFD.
Tight Lines.
Solid advice!
more fishing space for his Tuna boat near the hot spot that is “the dam”.
Correction. 
“MY dam”
So here I thought Wednesday was a good day with not too much traffic but the lot was packed and had to park in the gravel lot.
Next mistake was heading in early at 3 and had about 20 boats blow past me to try to get to the ramp and thought WTF is going on?
Well it was a tournament for what I have no idea but it took me an hour to load up my boat. In hindsight I should have taken this time to clean fish on one of the private docks. Is it normal to do mid week tourneys or were they trying to sneak it in before the cold?
water temp was 55-56 everywhere and I never made it past Everts but didn’t need to. filled the box in an hour.
anyone know which tournament it was?
Last weekend when I was watching a few boats come buy jigging, I notice they were way over jigging.
you sure they weren’t ripping blades or jigging raps? those big rips will get the fish to demolish those baits when provoked. I had to play keep away from the whitebass just to get the saugers to hit…..good times and nobody near me but the seagulls 
Anyone do any good this weekend after the cold ? Saturday I scratched a few on blades , today was rough for me . Just shorts on Dubuques on plastics and one over . Fished a lot of different spots from the dam to the lake. . .
I was out Saturday and the bite was steady. A lot of shorts. Ended up keeping 5 fish caught about 20. All came on Dubuque rigs.
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