11-16 Pool 2

Pretty dang nice out tonight on the river. Lite south breezy and cool temps you couldn’t ask for much more on a Friday evening in Mid November. Pulled into the parking lot a little after 3pm today. Was surprised to see only two rigs parked there. Figured there was some time before the good bite got going so cleaned up the boat a little and made some last minute changes to some fishing poles. On the water by 4 and it was time to go.

On the way away from the landing Jon mentioned he had some fish going dragging the evening before. My last few trips out a fair amount of my fish where hitting half dragging/pitching spots and figured the draggin bite might be ready to go. Didnt take to long into our first dragging pass and thunk, fish on. Just a nice 20″er. Another 50′ or so and thunk again. Just another 20″er. Yep, was looking like the dragging bite was going. Picked up a few more dragging on this spot and then it fizzled. Pretty typical for spots this time of year. To stay or go? We kept moving because I had a couple of things to get done tonight and they where not going to get done camping out on a spot.

Seeing this dragging bite picking up was only one high light of the evening. Bounced around a couple of other usually spots picking up fish here and there but there was a unfished shoreline not to far from us that was on my list for the evening. Had ran over this spot a few weeks ago giving it the once over but never did drop a line on it. Out came the dragging jigs again and it didnt take long to connect with the first fish. Sure wish I could say it was a big one but just another 20″er. Ended up picking up another half dozen in this spot and figured we missed just as many if not more. think about 23″s was the biggest we took off this spot but he real high light was catching any fish on a new spot. If you dont try you will never know.

So dragging was going well tonight. Pitching was not to bad either with the little spent on it. My other goal for tonight was to catch a walleye casting stick baits. Have played around with this briefly this fall and last but had not connected with a fish yet after dark. So first cast out tonight with a stick bait and thunk. Stick the hooks into a very heavy log. Husky jerk gone that fast. Got back on the horse a few dams later and letting the lure just float out there tick. I got a fish on. Dang its a walleye. Okay, this is not my first time throwing stick baits at night on the river. Have stopped throwing plastics in the middle of some very hot bites just to try and catch one on a stick bait with no luck. This little 18″er was a accomplishment for me and made my night. Well this guy and the 4 after him really made the night. Thinking I had a pretty good last stick bait fish on for the evening a nice #5 pike decided to get in on the action. Not sure if stick baits will end up being a go to for me after dark this time of year but Ill keep trying them.

So in summary I would have to say dragging jigs, casting stick baits and trying new spots where the high lights of this evenings trip. Guess a guy better throw in some nice weather and hungry fish to. Never did get anything real big this evening but numbers where not to bad. Then again its not always about how big of fish you catch or how many. Some nights its just good quality time on the water. One has to be very thankful for that.

Did hear of some nice fish caught tonight and hope to see some photos of them.

Very nice report Mike

We hit the river around 7:30pm or so…Numbers were not great but did get a 27″. We only pitched and it seemed like you had to move around from spot to spot to get bit. Mixing up baits/colors also help us out.

Nice you connected with a stick bait tonight. I connected with some last week on a wacky worm just to see if I could catch one on it. Anybod else try wacky wormin’ for P2 walleyes??

No pictures tonight but will try and post some Sunday night when we go again.

Wacky worming walleyes Ken? Thats not right.

Did have a bass guy tell me years ago about drop shoting walleyes this time of year on wing dams for walleyes. That doesn’t seem right either.

Here is our big fish of the night a solid 27″. This has been a common size for me this fall. Caught pitching with the smaller Moxie, only. One fish caught all night on a kgrub. Majority of our fish came pitching Moxies to rock piles and wingdams. Found it necessary to switch to the smaller sized Moxie as we were missing a lot of fish. Could actually feel the fish pull a standard Moxie right off the hook on the shorter bites. It was a nice night to be out fishing and sharing the boat with good friends.

Nice report Mike! I am fired up to get in on this next week. I will be back early wednesday.

Joel

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Found it necessary to switch to the smaller sized Moxie as we were missing a lot of fish.

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I have been experiencing the same thing. I’m expecting a delivery today from Anglers Guide with 3″ Moxies.

We had a pretty decent evening. Tyler picked up a fat 26.5 incher on a white K-grub and I managed a fat 28.5 incher on a white 4″ Moxie. We did catch numerous smaller fish as well.

I am always amazed at the girth of these fish in contrast to Mille Lacs fish.

We were having technical difficulties with the camera, so I only have a cell picture of Tyler’s big fish.

We’ll be back at it again tonight.

So… If I could get permission to get out on the river..

And Launch at the 494 ramp are there any hazards to watch for?

A ton. I would suggest not heading out there your first time in the dark, I wouldn’t go without some sort of GPS either…Way too much stuff in that part of the river to ruin your night if you’re not careful.

Bite has been solid every night for me. I’m tending to head out later in the night though, so not sure how the late night bite compares to the early night. Been sticking to rockpiles/wingdams, 16th oz draggin or precision jigs with the honey glitter chart. tail moxie being my fave lately.
Good luck everyone going out!!!!

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So… If I could get permission to get out on the river..

And Launch at the 494 ramp are there any hazards to watch for?

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Stay between the cans (red and green) when motoring. I suggest making a GPS trail from the ramp to the area you plan to fish during daylight first thing. Once your between the cans and shore, just take your time and watch the depth and use your mapping chip as a guideline.

The first few times enountering barges after dark can be a little nerve racking, but is really no big deal as long as you are using your common sence.

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So… If I could get permission to get out on the river..

And Launch at the 494 ramp are there any hazards to watch for?

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Yep. If you run the main channel that should be good to go but you always need to be watching for stuff. Lots of room to run off tot he sides of the channel to. Just get to your spots and motor in slow.

Beavers are one hazard to look out for. Lots of them critters swimming around and building stuff. Swear to god one was dragging a full tree across the river a few weeks ago. Hit a brush pile in the main channel a few days back. It didnt grow there so figured it was those dam beavers again.

Sounds like I had similar rresults as the rest of you. I also packed the stick baits last night intending to make them a part of the offering, the fish have been smacking the “hovering” plastics way to hard, hence thinking a supending, stopped stick bait would work quite well. Hardly gave them a shot last night.

Poppped back to back 27 inchers on my first spot of the evening and had a heavier fish unbutton just before them.

I didn’t drag as much as I like to, as there were only two other boats out late last night so I was able to run and gun with lots of options.

All in all a good evening, 27 were the biggest with a couple of mid 20’s and a pod of VERY aggresive 18 inchers that I didn’t wait around to se how many I could catch.

Hoping to get out again this weekend, be safe all and have fun out there!

here are a couple of 27 inch fish from last night…This was my self porttrait test run ( as I am fishing solo often), worked out pretty well. Kind of wish i would have taken some shots of the larger fish of the season.

Most times I want to get those fish back in the water asap, along with my jig!
Finnaly figured out how to do so alone, quckly and efficiently as I don’t like to mis handle these often fish.

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Then again its not always about how big of fish you catch or how many. Some nights its just good quality time on the water. One has to be very thankful for that.

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Amen to that.

Nice fish guys!

-J.

Friday was a really good night for me. I was throwing large jig/plastic offerings and the eyes were choking the bait. Ended up with 3 27’s and a bunch of other fish. I got away from the community wingdams that have had a boat sitting on them day and night for the last month and that was the key to my success. Last night was slower, although with the clouds, warm weather, and wind I would have thought the opposite. I haven’t been able to predict based on weather what makes the walleyes bite on the river. For the first time I had a lot of half hearted bites and short strikes. I tried a 3″ moxie on a 1/16th head, but honestly it didn’t change my strike to land ratio versus a 4″ bait on a 1/8oz. head.

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Then again its not always about how big of fish you catch or how many. Some nights its just good quality time on the water. One has to be very thankful for that.

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That was my experience last night, down to the last letter.

Nice fish guys!
Curious as to what the water temps are running over there right now. Fun to compare to what we have here on the Wisconsin river. (approx 40 degrees here)

41-42

-J.

Good to see you out last night Jeff. Not sure what happened with that wind forecast for last night but after a while it got down right very nice out. Fishing wasn’t to bad but we jumped around a lot to find ours.

Looks like the real nice fishing weather may be coming to a end towards the end of this week. Hard to believe but there has been a few years where she is all froze up by now. Looks like that will be a ways off this year but then again it could go pretty quick.

Thanks Mike
We had some technical difficulties out there so we headed back about 7:00.

I would like to get out once more and give it another shot.
We got a little too close to one of then big green things out there, I didn’t hit it but I could see the whites of its’ eyes.

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We got a little too close to one of then big green things out there, I didn’t hit it but I could see the whites of its’ eyes.

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I have a Can Alarm in my boat. Comes in handy all the time.

-J.

Faster the tail wags and the louder the barking! LOL!