Upper Pool 4 is ours again!

It’s sure been a while!

With high water delay’s, eagle nesting delays and what not, the dam area as of this last week is again free and clear of the lower embankment project!

So far, the fishing hasn’t changed although instead of looking at a stand of trees, we are greeted with the site of two nuclear silos in the distance. Only one near fatality with a loose barge and an anchored angler.

I have to admit I was expecting much worse. But I received a bottle opener out of the deal so I shouldn’t complain.

FYI You walleye guys might want to take notes/gps of where the trees are being held down by rip rap in the water now. With the high water of spring they should hold some fish and might not like your prop!

Amen…
Now the learning curve starts all over…less wing dams and current deflectors. The water should really move through the upper dam come spring runoff!

Thanks BK, now everyone will be fishing in MY spot this winter

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less wing dams and current deflectors.

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I must have missed something?

Between the dam and the sand bar, the shore line is now rip rapped and below the clam beds they added more rip rap. I didn’t know anything was done to the wing dams or anything in the water.

Now I’m all confused Tom!

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Thanks BK, now everyone will be fishing in MY spot this winter

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Everyone fished in your spot anyway Russ.

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… and might not like your prop!

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The timber might like your prop just fine. I’m thinking most of the dislike will be coming from the prop.

I sit corrected.

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Amen…
Now the learning curve starts all over…less wing dams and current deflectors. The water should really move through the upper dam come spring runoff!

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For sure! But for me, seems the ‘learning curve’ comes every Spring > there’s always something like a new tree trunk or a rock Or another way, new structure to find fish! Right?

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less wing dams and current deflectors.

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I must have missed something?

Between the dam and the sand bar, the shore line is now rip rapped and below the clam beds they added more rip rap. I didn’t know anything was done to the wing dams or anything in the water.

Now I’m all confused Tom!

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From the above the clam beds to the old “Rock Wall” and down to across from the Vermillion a couple little known old wingdams and a few rock piles have been dredged out…Those were favorite spots and produced many huge Eyes for some of the more notable walleye Guides and river rats here…
Outside bend rip raps are not as desireable as inside bends to the fish.
Lets just stop there and leave the other honey holes in anonymity…

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From the above the clam beds to the old “Rock Wall” and down to across from the Vermillion a couple little known old wingdams and a few rock piles have been dredged out…Those were favorite spots and produced many huge Eyes for some of the more notable walleye Guides and river rats here…
Outside bend rip raps are not as desireable as inside bends to the fish.
Lets just stop there and leave the other honey holes

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You’re the expert…………..

I had the MarCum out last night and spent about an hour in the lower “new” rip rapped area.

Water temp said 51 degrees.

In a nutshell, there’s a whole lot of wood and rock down there! Once my camera moved away from the boulders and into the sand there were few fish. At the sand/rock transition (18 to 22 fow depending on where) all I saw was sheep head, channel cats and a smattering of flatheads.

IN the rock, there were p-l-e-n-t-y of walleyes.

This was the story from the edge of the scour hole down stream. Middle of the river…not much.

All the good size fish are in 1 to 10 fow. I’ve never seen so many crappies on the upper stretches of P-4!

I hope to have a video put together from this weekend on Monday or Tuesday. Running the boat and trying to bounce over rocks does not lead to a very good video.