Hey guys,
Just thought I would throw a little note out to those wondering what the ice conditions on Pool 2.
For the most part Pool 2 is wide open. The 494 ramp has one side open (north side) for use. The south side is full of snow as of yesterday. I took a drive upriver all the way north to the confluence. From downtown St. Paul and to the north, was thin floating ice sheets that looked like they would either be flushed down river or melt away with a day or so. The Confluence area had a good sized ice jam on the Miss side. The ice there was thin enough for any boat to bulldoze through. Once you got by that ice jam it appeared it was open all the way up to the dam.
The Lilydale ramp was semi open. Looked like a plow had plow a path down to the waters edge. There wasa bit of shore ice, but it looked like one boat got in either earlier on Sunday or Saturday sometime. The shoreice there did not look that intimidating at all. I think with a little work, that ramp could be ready to roll by the middle of the week. I might venture down and see if I can open her up a bit this week.
As for a fishing report……
Thigns are a bit slow so far for my boat. Still fish to be caught, but the bite overall is not there yet IMO. I think its a matter of days before the fish start to go. The river is really clear right now and I think once we start seeing a bit of run off things will start to pick up quite a bit.
I ended up with 5 walleyes for most of the day yesterday. Did mange one walleye around 8# however, but the bite is still a bit slow. I think the bite will start to come around in the next week or so.
Hope to hear some reports in the next week or so if the sumo saugers are going. Last year Lipripper and I where getting into them pretty good starting in mid February.
I am about sick of this winter and want spring to get rolling ASAP! The big female walleyes should start to be on the move here by this weekend is my guess…. 
