Pool 4 Report

Hey guys, looking for a pool 4 river condition report. Got an itch to go up and have the next two days off. Is it worth trying right now? Any feedback appreciated, Steve.

am going tomorrow, flow is forecast 34,000, that is still
fishable but flow moving through.
not much info out about this weekend yet for some reason.
will let you know tomorrow night.’
Jack

NWS Latest predictions
https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=mpx&gage=rdwm5

I am heading there now. Will let you know what I find. My guess is it will be a little crowded and get busier as the week goes by and it warms up.

I’m thinking about going over Wednesday or Thursday. Be interesting to hear the water reports.

The back channel ramp was 3/4 full on Saturday.

Reports I’ve heard were “good” fishing…what that means is you’ll struggle if your a newbie to the river.

The only guys I talked with were all using a Dubuque rig but I would have to believe pitching the shore lines in the early morning would bring in some keepers or larger.

Water clarity took a dive since last week. That should help the day bite I would think.

Advice? The faster the water, the closer to shore a person should fish and don’t be afraid to pitch on shore and let the jig/blade drop into the water. Like a person with child, they want to get out of the wind, just like the fish want to get out of the current.

PS The Woodshed just down the road from the back channel ramp has a Buy a Large Pizza-get Two Free drinks special going on.

Disclaimer: I was on the water all weekend but never had a line in the water….but I did have the Woodshed’s homemade pizza!

My good friend Doug was out this weekend and did very well.
Photos by Ryan T. King.

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Fished sunday afternoon into the evening and would agree with Brians statement:

“Reports I’ve heard were “good” fishing…what that means is you’ll struggle if your a newbie to the river.”

Water clarity was definitely down – We found more walleye willing to cooperate than sauger.

NWS forecasts flows to reach 50k this Friday and 70+k by Monday.

Although it’s smart to wear a PDF all the time, above 50k cfs, an old friend always recommended wearing the PDF and fishing with a buddy.

That water is still cold (33 on Saturday when I checked it at 18′).
Boat maneuvering changes with the flow as well.

BK that’s a pretty fancy ride for Doug, is it new? He’s also definitely in the category of people that will catch fish under almost any river condition, just to qualify that report from above.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

NWS forecasts flows to reach 50k this Friday and 70+k by Monday.

Daaang.

Brian, when does Wisconsin back channel ramp become flooded?

I’m tempted to head down there and scout. Never been.

I want to get the boat out before hauling it all the way to Green Bay in a few weeks.

zooks wrote:

BK that’s a pretty fancy ride for Doug, is it new? He’s also definitely in the category of people that will catch fish under almost any river condition, just to qualify that report from above.

Good point Zooks, thank you.

I believe he bought it last fall. I know he’s pretty darn happy with it so far.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

Brian, when does Wisconsin back channel ramp become flooded?

It’s closed off at 12 and the FW had to walk through water at 11.5 to get to the dock last year….when she saw the snake.

It was an amazing sight to see, a woman jumping from dry tar over water in into the Skeeter. An Olympic feat!!

NWS just updated:
7.3 today.
11.5 by Monday

That puts the flow at
42k cfs today (rollers must be open)
Almost 79k cfs on Monday.

79k is moving. This is not the time to learn how to fish the river folks. (in case there’s anyone thinking about it)

And another thing to watch for at these conditions are the submerged cans. I’ve learned boat passengers do not like it when you clip one.

Saturday will be interesting, with forecast temps in the low 60’s there will be a lot of people thinking about hitting the river. High water & flow + lots of inexperienced river boaters, not a good combination. I got out yesterday and am thinking about heading down Wednesday but I think that will be it for me for a while.

I’d love to go fish Alma and red wing dams but I’ll admit, I’m way to scared ferdatchit! My boat will stay in the garage until things settle back down. Hopefully that’s before June.

I went down there today, mostly to play with the new boat, but fished 3 hours midday.

Didn’t catch a thing, visibility was about 6-8″…..saw a lot of fish on the side imaging and 2d in current seams and slower water… .ripped blade baits and jigged right over fish and didn’t get a bump.

For what it’s worth I only know what I’m doing 20% of the time whenever I go there lol

So many variables and I only fish there a few times a year.

Just got back from Red Wing. Fishing was slow for me. Two small walleyes. I did not see a lot of fish being caught. One guy got a decent catfish. There is quite a bit of ice, dead trees and debris being kicked out by the Canon River into the main channel. Heading back Wednesday. Going to switch hats. Hopefully to one that is a little more lucky.

Deleted wrote:

I’d love to go fish Alma and red wing dams but I’ll admit, I’m way to scared ferdatchit! My boat will stay in the garage until things settle back down. Hopefully that’s before June.

My sentiments exactly….Not the scared part but fishing before June. I don’t like crowds and high water can make it tough to find fish. I think I will live vicariously through this site and hit it hard late May. Stay safe out there!
I think a guy can still scratch out a couple good days on late ice next few weeks.

I’m just scared I’ll wreck something and my whole season will be off to a bad start.

Plenty of fishing when things settle back down. I did see some nice crappies in the ice today.

Thanks guys! Ended up with 6 in the livewell between 3 of us. All were 15”-20.25”. The bite of choice was hair jigs fished vertically in 15’ of water. Color was Kelly Green. Be back tomorrow to see what we get, hoping to get out and find some big ones pitching jigs ????

I hope to scratch a few saturday

The SCRATCHER wrote:

I hope to scratch a few saturday

You see that’s why I thought you called your boat that! Not the other kind of scratching your boat did…Ha!

fished fri and sat couple bites but no fish 4 hours fri 3 sat saw 4 fish caught did not scratch a fish or a boat not a good day!!as I sit here laughing

Fished from the dam down to Hay Creek..muddy, cold and quite a bit of debris and ice bergs..water temp 34ish..buddy had a sauger up to the boat..thats it that’s all..gonna give it a couple weeks before heading back down..

I fished from 7:30-1pm. No bites, didn’t see a fish caught. Marked quite a few, but they were tight lipped. I did see the scratcher II today. I was surprised at how many boats were cruising right along with no worries about the tree’s and ice floating everywhere.

Saturday’s update

High fast and dirty with very few fish caught- this was from the folks that filled the Harbor Bar around 1 pm today.

On another note, at 15.9 feet I personally haven’t seen water this high on pool 4 before.

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