Pool 2 Re-Cap

Now that people are sharpening their augers and replacing flasher batteries….I thought it would be a good time for the annual Pool 2 re-cap. Feel free to share any stories, pics or insights that you had while fishing P2 this year.

For me this was my 3rd year fishing P2. I fished more days this year than the previous two and caught more fish, and bigger fish than ever, including a few 29’s. I had my best day fishing in my life on November 1…One of those days where you are not just on numbers, but big fish in numbers.

It was a year of high water and high flow, and I can only recall catching a few eye’s on wingdams all year. That forced me to learn to fish shorelines and backwater areas a lot better and read the current instead of just plopping in front of a dam and hoping for the best. This year was the year of the big bait for me as well…I think the guys at Vado’s and Thorne’s like to see me as I stuck to large redtails and creeker’s almost all season…4-6 inchers… and they’re a little pricey.

It would be great to hear from others on their experience on 2 this year. I’m curios to know if anyone noticed anything going on with the wingdam restoration project…and if anyone tried to fish the “new” dams.

I’m not much for hard water…already thinking about the spring thaw and draggin the confluence for monsters.

JP

Nice fish

Nice Fish! How big was that sauger?

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Nice Fish! How big was that sauger?

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X2

That looks like a Saugasaurus!!!

Jason,

Nice recap on the year. 3rd year fishing pool 2 for me also. got out more this year then the other 2 combined. Numbers were up this year but not a great year for size. One that went 28 and all the rest under 24. Never used a minow all year on the river. All Eye’s caught on gulp, crawlers, hair jigs or Cranks.

Might have to try some Minows next year as you look to have had good luck. you fishing them on jigs?

With all the highwater i needed to find new spots and I actually think I ended up doing better in the high water then in the normal levels.

Adjustments for next year. Venture down river more all my fishing has been up river of ST paul so I plan on trying more of the 494 launch area and get out of my comfort zone.

Great post Jason. As always every year on the river seems to be a new experiance. Guess that is what keep it so interisting. Plenty of high water this year. At times even more than what I am used to fishing. The good news was it didnt seem to stop the walleyes from feeding. In some cases I think it even turned them on more.

Think I had to spend far more time searching for fish this year. Dont think I ever even delevoped a go to wingdam or spot. Most years 2 or 3 areas seem to always set up as go to areas for me. This year it seemed like a spot would hold good for a trip or 2 and then change. Im sure ever changing water levels on the river had something to do with this.

Constant changing conditions made me go looking to new areas for walleyes and checking back on some old ones that I hadnt seen in years. Even with all the new areas explored this year my list of place to try only grew more. Guess its a good thing I not only enjoy catching walleyes but the hunt for locating them to.

As far as number of fish caught this year I would say it was pretty average to maybe a hair below average. You can have some good days searching out new areas but usually they are not as productive as just hitting proven grounds over the course of a day. The size of fish this year was pretty decent. Fourteen over 28″s for me this year with one going over 30″. For the boat it was 2 over 30″s and most likey double over 28″s to. Plenty of mid sized fish this year to. I would guess the majority of our catch was made up of 18 to 22″ walleyes.

The end of this season sure came to quick. I believe it ended just as some of the best fishing of the year was about to get going. Very upsetting. Think it about time I come to grips with admitting its ice fishing season. Maybe ice fishing pool 2.

As always it was very good to see so many guys from the web site on pool 2 this year. Next year we need to make a point of having some type of get together down there. Do some cooking on one of the islands and maybe even a little fishing contest. You know since we can not keep the fish on pool 2 all that is left is to brag about them.

Next year I predict more fish and bigger fish.

Although the flats didn’t bless me with a two handed lipper this year, the walleyes sure liked the bullheads with a new 31″ PB for me. I found the old man very hard to predict with the up and down levels all year, started getting confused on when it was ok to motor over the wingies. One last funny note, never hooked a whitey all year, for me that is very odd. Also have a new favorite launch (Lions), met some cool IDO people (even Jared!), and fixed a ruptured fuel line on the fly before a barge caused too much concern (really need a gas powered kicker). I already miss it! CZ

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Nice Fish! How big was that sauger?

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I believe she was 23″ and less than a pound shy of the record for MN if my memory serves.

Do you have a pic of that 31″ Bob? That’s a sumo!

Anyway my new favorite find on P2 is Willie’s hidden harbor…good food and cold beer and only a stone’s throw from LL.

Grateful I didn’t have to get towed in this year too.

JP

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you fishing them on jigs?

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yessir…

I almost forgot one other hightlight of the year…the squirrel saving acrobatics of fishdale…even though I wasn’t around to see it. Glad both you and the squirrel made it!

Glad to hear you liked the squirrel tale. That may have been the lowlight of my year. But a good story that has and will get a good laugh.

That is one thing I have found since I started fishing the river one week I think I know everything and the next I am just a in a boat with a fishing pool.

Darn skinny summer fish, but still fun. I already caught crap for my smile, so save it you scaled fisher people! Least I didn’t have a glove on.

Nice fish!! I would have liked to get her in my boat this fall…when she was fat and happy.

Nice fish Jason and Czech. It sure was an interesting year on the big river. I didn’t get to fish down there as much as I would like, and the high water this summer made things interesting to say the least. The good thing about the high water was it forced me to try different areas than I normally fish. It also allowed me to fish some areas I might not be able to get to if the water was at normal pool that time of year. Biggest for me this year was 28.5″er. My boat trolled this year more than previous years mainly due to the high water. I did catch fish on a couple wingdams that I previously had not as well which was a bonus.

The best memory of the year was fishing with my 3 year old daughter this summer catching walleyes. We were trolling some cranks on a warm sunny day. She reeled in her first walleye with a little help from me. I am not sure who had the bigger smile.

This year was also my most successful fall on pool 2 for numbers and size. It’s hard to beat big hungry female walleyes chomping on jigs/plastics. Too bad this winter had to come so early.

Bass fishing was pretty good on pool two, although the fall bite hasn’t been there for me like it was two years ago, when it was totally nuts. Spring was good for numbers and size. I caught three fish just under five pounds, two of them largies and 1 smallie. Caught a good number of walleyes in the 20-25 inch range off of wingdams this summer. Funny, because one day during late june or early july I caught two giant walleyes in the 28″ range. Both bit on a big spinnerbait, 1/2 oz. and I had upsized the rear willow blade to a number 6. The first one I caught out from under a log in a backwater in about three feet of water and the second one I caught off the face of a bluff (it hit once and missed, and I caught her on the throwback).

I’m trying to remember if it was an up year or a down year for me? It was fun either way. The high water got me exploring deeper into backwaters where I did manage to find some fish numbers if not size. I also caught some big flats on cranks and lost some big flats on cranks.

Overall it was great. I enjoyed getting out with the the guys I usually fish with and meeting some new people too. And I apologize to the guys I said I would get out with and didn’t make it. 2011 will give us another shot at it.

dd

Sure hope this winter flies by fast. Im ready to get back in the boat all ready.