I’m seeing a big drop in the number of posts from pool 3 and 4 this year… Is it that bad out there this year or are people just not posting as much? Looks like I picked a good year to miss out on. I will see how the bite is when I’m home on leave in a few days, I’ve got a couple ideas where the fish may be hiding. 
The fishing has actually been just as good if not better than other years Chris.
When there’s new fishing leagues starting, it takes some away from Pool 4.
…and as at least one person would say…”It’s the high water”. 
JR, the bite has actually been pretty darn good. Higher than normal flow & stage has made the river much more of a viable option for this time of year as compared to past years when most lock into the lake trolling bite.#3 ,4, and Pepin are producing consistant results. Water clarity after the rains has been a factor the past few days,but hopefully,will be clearing up by the time you arrive back home.Be sure to give a holler when you get back.
Quote:
…and as at least one person would say…”It’s the high water”.
Brian , who would say such a thing? 
man I was figuring on that lake trolling bite… I don’t have a clue how to fish a river. 
I for one have just not gotten out as much this year, primarily the water levels and flows and landings being closed, but partly due to life in general.
Quote:
man I was figuring on that lake trolling bite… I don’t have a clue how to fish a river.
Did a boy of mine just say he had no clue on how to fish a river 
You have been away too long Son but we will figure it out—now the St. Croix—that may be a different story
I think the river has been difficult to fish this year. The only people that post are the ones that still catch fish. I guess the lake has been better, but I view fishing the lake as a sign of defeat.
with the high water the walleye’s prey have more room to hide.
Bait shop owners and guides will never tell you the fishing is tough. Case in point. There is a guide that has been fishing blue gills and strippers lately and a bait shop owner who went fishing for blue gills with him. They have been posting about this on Lake States Fishing webpage for Pool 4 if you want to check it out.
Quote:
Bait shop owners and guides will never tell you the fishing is tough. Case in point. There is a guide that has been fishing blue gills and strippers lately and a bait shop owner who went fishing for blue gills with him. They have been posting about this on Lake States Fishing webpage for Pool 4 if you want to check it out.
They have also been putting a smack down on the eyes but thought they would add some other spiecies to the mix.Not every one is a walleye only fisherman. Alot of good sticks fish the lake this time of year,not to admit defeat but to take advantage of a great bite. 
The bite has not been that bad at all this year, it has been a little tougher than usual due to the changing conditions. I think that there hasnt been much posting is because the size of fish has been inconsistant. With the high water the fish have been a little tougher to dial in and stay on them. As Dean stated the water clarity has been changing often also. Pool 3 has been better for me this year for nice fish, while pool 4 has been great for numbers of fish. Enjoy your leave,
especially for 14 7/8 inch walleyes!
Quote:
Bait shop owners and guides will never tell you the fishing is tough.
Please don’t paint all bait shops with the same brush. We try very hard to give an accurate picture of what is going on to our customers. If you follow the advise of a shop and it doesn’t pan out there may be other factors involved. Lots of times I know when someone leaves the shop they won’t catch fish. Its not to our advantage to give false info to customers as a happy fisherman is a return customer
Amen to the 14 7/8 walleye. I have never seen the number of 14 inch fish on Pool 4 that I have seen this year. Some of my old back channel spots were so full of those fish that you had to sort through a hundred to get a limit. The future sure looks bright for Pool 4 and next year a limit of eaters should be no problem at all. I have found this year that the southern end of the pool has been more consistent for decent size fish but my data has been on a limited number of trips.
My experience with high water in general is that fewer people do well, but that the ones who figure out where the fish are do very well. I’ve been on both sides of that fence. 
I hear ya on the zillions of 14 7/8 inch walleye. That or I’m just catching the same fish 20 times. But glad to hear some folks are dialing in to the bigger ones.
Every time I have fished the lake trolling bite, we have caught a zillion of them. Lotta small, but if we wanted a limit of eater sized fish, it was not hard to fill the tank.
I hear you guys on the 14 7/8ths eyes, there are tons of them.
For me the problem has been the heat. Looking forward to moderate fall temps and some relief from the tropical climate conditions.
Bite has been good for me everytime down there-but Brian is right, the fishing leagues have been a diversion for some–which in some ways, has been a welcome bright spot under a very dark cloud.
Quote:
especially for 14 7/8 inch walleyes!
Wow, just becuase you have sucked it up this year man does not mean the rest of the world has as well…The bite has been pretty steady for this late in the year buddy….take a deep breath, chill out ,and keep trying!
Quote:
yeah your right. Im sure Dean was fishing for panfish on purpose when he caught that pannie in the pic on a #5 shad rap
Acually, I was fishing for panfish,it was a new prototype ultalight crankbait from Rapala that I had the opportunity to use and it is approx 1/3 the size of a #5 shadrap.My friend Stuart tipped me off a few years back on his success of using micro Crankbaits on pan-fish. That with a 7 ft ultralight is a bunch of fun! A couple hours in the boat for fresh gills for dinner has passed me by for too many years! I had enough for 2 meals and had a great time doing so!
Yes,the year class of sub 15 inch fish is amazing this year!
Considering it is nearly August, and how bad the bite typically gets this time of year, I have seen the bite much tougher.Sometimes ,I think we forget that it isnt always easy, but their is always a bite going on somewhere for someone.
Dean,you wouldn’t belive how trout fight over a little shad style crank I found.It truly is a fish magnet.
Thanks for all the advice guys! I’m looking forward to getting out there and tryin a few spots… If you guys are out on the 6th(next saturday) and see my green lund or the pontoon from everts out runnin around feel free to stop and say hi. hopefully going to get out to pool 3 sooner than that, I’ve got to test out the new hydrofoil out, it just wouldnt be right not to. 
Quote:
and guides will never tell you the fishing is tough.
I haven’t caught a walleye all year!
See ya sometime next weekend Chris.
PS for those that attended the seminars at the Bluff’s a couple years ago, in Kevin Stauffer’s seminar, he was talking about the year class of walleye that was outstanding and they would be harvest-able next year.
Sounds like he was right on the money.
Quote:
I guess the lake has been better, but I view fishing the lake as a sign of defeat.
Call me defeated, I guess…but if defeat looks like this, then I’ll sign up to be defeated every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
You guys are waaaayyyyy to spoiled up there!!! If you wanna see slow them come to Illinois. Geez
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
