Pool 2

I had not been out on pool 2 in the Jan time frame for several years and this last weekend got me to pull the boat out and get out there. I was very surprised in what I found, the airport produced as always but other spots down river seemed almost devoid of fish. The deep hole above the bridge caught nothing but catfish and going down from the bridge caught nothing also. I fished these spots pretty hard and had the whole stretch of river to myself. I regularly fished these spots 3-4 years ago and caught fish, with the deep holes mostly holding sauger and these fish seemed to be missing. Has anyone else noticed this? I was wondering if something changed, perhaps it was current as it seemed to be the slowest I can remember or maybe caught an off day in these other spots? What are some of your thoughts?

My two cents worth from a guy who used to jig up a boatload of saugers on pool 2.

The main channel sauger bite has been decreasing for at least 10 years, probably more like 15. You are correct. The lower river holes that used to hold winter sauger have disappeared. It’s not just you or an off day.

However, the airport area that had always held wintering sauger is starting to produce again. Also some of the main channel areas with big bends and washboard sand are starting to produce again. I’m hoping this is the beginning of a turn around. Some good signs are those big fat females are starting to show up more often this year. Additionally, we are starting to see them on some of the fall trolling runs.

I have no idea why the numbers crashed??? During the mid 90’s it was not uncommon to boat 100 fish between 2 guys. And those days were typically 100% sauger. Today, the numbers seem to be more like 60% walleye and 40% sauger. Not complaining on the walleye numbers. Good to see that. Just concerned or maybe even curious as to what happened??? Would like to see another radio tracking survey on pool 2 or some scientific data from the DNR. So far I have found none.

-J.

That happens when limits after limits of fish have been kept to see the oil bath. I thought to myself a couple weeks ago after seeing on this site a slaughter of small saugers that were kept,that if this has been going on for years there would be a price to pay. How can you say overfished. Just my 2 cents. And pool 2 isn’t the only pool this is happening to. I’ve seen it on pools 10 & 12 as well.

Are saugers not included in the catch and release for pool 2???

Pool 2 is 100% catch and release for walleye/sauger/bass. Has been C&R for 20+ years now. I don’t believe there is much poaching going on either.

-J.

True, my point being other pools effect pool 2. JMO

You would think with the C&R it would be stable population. It seems to me the summer walleye bite gets better every year and the sauger bite worse. Used to jig up a bunch of sauger and had a blast on some of the deeper holes.

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Would like to see another radio tracking survey on pool 2 or some scientific data from the DNR. So far I have found none.

-J.

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here’s a study that was more than a decade ago that you’ve probably already seen Jon….other’s who fish 2 might be interested in it though ..

DNR paper

Just because your not beating the tar out of the saugers in the usual areas all the time doesn’t mean there not out there, last year there wasn’t a time on that pool I didn’t put people on alot of saugers/ walleyes, past couple years we’ve had flooding in the spring and high water in most of the summer and higher levels in the winter, this past year was no different except for now we have low water which is a normal level, there’s miles of river and having fished it for over 18 years and less being less then 5 minutes from the launch its a great fishery, I will say the size of the saugers have declined over the years but the cycle seems to repeat every 8 to 10 years just my .02

riverdan I agree with almost everything you say. It is a fantastic fishery and I did catch fish and had a great time. I posted this because to me at least the sauger numbers are not there like they used to be and if they moved,while I did not want anyone to give me there spots but might point me in the right direction to get back on them.

its hard to pattern the fish with just a couple of afternoons of fishing to go off of to. Lots of places to check out on pool 2. Never know where they will show up.

I would also imagine the bite on pool 2 is some what similar to what is common on pool 4 this time of year. The mid day bite can be slow especially if it is high blue bird sky’s. Never did get a chance over the weekend to hit the morning bite. Did have a little flurry of action right at dusk. Saturday the fish seemed a bit more active with some clouds moving threw. Give a person a good number of days in a row and Im sure you could put a pretty good pattern together.

Even with that it seems to me to that the sauger bite if off a little. After a very strong sauger bite early in the fall and late summer I was hoping for a better late fall and winter bite.

Could just be a cycle like mentioned above. Could be lack of time getting on those fish to. Who knows. One thing I do know it sure was great getting out in the boat for a few trips over the weekend. I would take that again in a heart beat.

Suppose it could be as simple as there was an over population of sauger through the mid 90’s and today’s population is simply back to normal???

-J.

I dont believe there to be any shortage of fish in there. If sauger #’s are down I would say its olny because walley #’s are up!!! I can olny speak for the eyes out there because most days I will move if I am hitting #’s of saugers.
Every year is a different year down there and we all know that. IMO we are now in full prespawn mode and that said these fish are not eating as much as they were weeks ago. They have moved away from there summer pad, gourged on bait and now looking ahead to staging for there spawn. Any movement they make is UPSTREAM… I have fought for years to find that prespawn bite way south with no avail. I have been waiting for someone to prove me wrong with an actuall pattern down river in March. When saying down river I am talking south of Baldwin Lake.
With that thinking John J hit the nail on the head. As these fish move forward they will find landmark areas to stage up. In part thats why the airport has the potential to always hold #’s. There are lots of spots that will hold them down there now but just because they are there does not mean they are eating. So you get two choices. Stick it out and wait for the window to open or go find an active pod of fish elsewhere. It was slow up north for me the last time I was up there so I ran far far away with a buddy Tuesday night and it paid off with a couple very nice fish!

Best advise I would have is to say on the edges of the main channel while searching these fish out. When you find them and they do start to feed then search shallower for those bigger fish. I wouldnt be afraid to fish at anytime of the day or night and have the confidence that the fish are there. With short feeding windows watch for thing to influence that bite. Sunset/rise, Moonset/rise, and weather changes ect and be on those fish to really see if they are where you believe they are. I honestly believe it could just have been one of those off days and you just did not hit the window right. So dont rule that out anyways!

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Suppose it could be as simple as there was an over population of sauger through the mid 90’s and today’s population is simply back to normal???

-J.

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What about the river changing? Isnt it always filling in and getting slightly more shallow which is not conducive to saugers? Or are the holes you typically find them just as deep as they usually were?