Pool 2 conditions.

launched the boat out of 494 on tuesday afternoon. The ramp is in great condition. The main channel for the most part is open. There is plenty of broken up ice floating around the river. You need to use some caution while traveling right now. The big sheets of ice are easy to see. Its the clear smaller chunks that will put a hurting on a boat in a hurry. The barges and backhoes have been at work clearing the barge channels of ice also. This has sent some very think chunks floating around in the main channel.

Fishing was slow for me. I spent more time driving around enjoying being back on the river than fishing. There where a few fish being caught at the airport and a couple of other areas. I found a couple nice school of carp while working a channel edge just north of 494 that gave my tackle a good work out.

For those of you that like watching eagles they are think on the river right now. There where a few trees with up the a half dozen birds in them. Plenty more floating around sheet ice and flying around. Plenty of chatter going on between them also.

Good luck to you guys that are getting out there. Take a look in the MN river forum for another ramp up date.

Cool Pics…. some of those chunks look like ice burgs.
Its amazing the amount of birds out.

Jeez that looks like pictures from some Antartic adventure movie. It will be a happy day when all that ice is gone. Of course as I write this, it’s 2 below zero

Thanks for the report Mike.

Rootski

When we going Mike?

Thanks for the update…can’t wait to get out! All that ice is a great reminder to where those lifeackets…

Jim

><(((>

All that ice! You’re one crazy mo$%^&!

This guys is nuts. Hidden falls landing today. Actually he may still be looking for them after that dip in the water.

Oh.. crap. What happened?

Looks like HIDDEN Falls is in business, yes? I think I may give it a go on Tuesday.

Quote:

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Oh.. crap. What happened?

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These guys where water skiing. They tell me its the only time of the year they can ski the river due to no boat traffic. Hidden falls is open.

To think of the extra precautions I take in the cold weather months to stay out of the water and here these guys just jump right in.

Ski Natique? Barefoot skiers? I bet I know who it was. Used to work with one of the guys, he used to joke that he “summerized” the boat.

Is there any ice left out front of your office Nick?

A bit on the shores, otherwise pretty good , looks to be a bit of a pile up before that railroad bridge that is just south of Lilydale, looks like you would not be able to get through it at this point, hard to say there appears to be a layer of ice across the river for a ways, looks worse then I’ve attempted in the past.

HF today (click pic for a bigger pic)

looking better but with colder temps and 4-6inches of snow on the way may be a few more weeks for the ramps.

Stopped by 494 this morning to check things out. The front end loader from south saint paul was plowing out the ramps right down to the water. The was some drifting ice in front of the ramp. There was also a large blockage of drifting ice just north of the bridge. Above that it looked like just some skim ice on the main channel for a fair ways.

The weather doesnt look the best for fishing this weekend. I would plan on breaking some ice with the boat if you head out. We did get some walleyes and saugers vertical jigging plastics in the channel and channel edges earlier this week.

I’d like to place an order for a string of 45 degree days….melt some of this danged stuff. Got some serious winter malaise here.

There are barges working downtown, so things should get going here real soon! Can’t wait!

-J.

planing on getting out tomorrow looks like the launch is do-able, may have to push some ice around but it will be worth it I’m sure

Was just at Hidden Falls over lunch. The ramp is snow covered from the last snow, but the river is wide open. If the ramp was plowed it would be usable.
Maybe we can give Stick Boy a 12er to get down there and plow for us!

Shoot! Just give Wellman a shovel!

Two boats launched out of Hidden Falls yesterday. I’m thinking that I’m gonna launch out of there Wednesday. Wellman with a shovel may not be necessary.

dd

Leave the shovel in the trk. I beat a pretty good path.

Thanks for the update on the conditions guys. Hope to get out there wensday and thursday this week.

What time Mike??

Has anyone benn down by 494 yesterday afternoon or this a.m.? Is that sheet of ice still sitting in front of the launch?

Any weekend reports? I was out of town for the last 6 days and itching to get back on the water. Hoping someone would have something good to share?

Wasnt out over the weekend Steve but got out a few days late last week. There are fish going both at the confluence and airport. Just a fish here and there in both areas. Hidden falls and 494 are both open. Have caught fish on minnows, blades and plastics.

Give me a holler if you are looking for company.

Fished the confluence over the weekend. Caugth fish both outings but the bite was not on fire by any stretch. Draggin and verticalin plastics put fish in the boat. See ya down there!

Ryan
my brothers and I fished from shore all through high school while we didn’t have boats and there are few spots that lend themselves to fishing from shore this early. While the best it yet to come, I certainly would be out there if I didn’t have a boat to launch between now and the first couple weeks of april.