alma, pool 5 bite?

i am going to be coming up ‘north’ to fish pool 5 this coming fri-sat-sun. does anyone have some insight as to what the conditions will be like and what will be my best bet(s) for catching some walleyes/sauger. a couple buddies and i make the trip at least once per year but have never been up there when the water was high and/or coming up. it has always been stable water and fairly low. any and all info would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

Riverking,

my son and I fished Pool 5A this weekend so maybe my comments will help a bit. Unlike past years, and even the week before the sloughs were dead. Closing Dams and wingdams were OK close to shore, but just OK. After fishing the sloughs and wingdams on Friday morning and Saturday AM we decided to try the Whitman Dam, and the fishing was good. By trip’s end we were using strickly crankbaits, because the Sheepshead were biting everything else including minnows and leeches. We did end up with some nice Sauger and Walleye for our efforts, mostly caught on jointed shad raps.

My hunch is by the time you arrive the river will be down a bit and the Walleye will have moved onto the wingdams and into sloughs.

Good Luck

Riverking,

The fishing on pool 5 is in great shape right now. Most people are throwing cranks to low current wingdams. As soon as the water starts dropping try trolling side cuts. When the water drops fish will tend to make the move either into a cut or out. Backwater channels have been producing alot of 15-19 walleyes. Trolling small cranks in 8′ of water as been the ticket. If you have any other specific just stop in the bait store in Alma and I am sure my father will get you going in the right direction. I hope this helps.

Jarrad, thanks.

Your comments are interesting because in 5A we couldn’t get a Walleye in the backwaters. I am headed back to Pool 5A next Tuesday and my hunch is if the weather cooperates the fishing will be fantastic. I will also make a point of stopping by the bait shop in Alma and giving Pool 5 a shot.

P.S. what time do you open.

thanks for your replies guys! i am going to go with both your suggestions and try lots of presentations until i catch some fish. i just hope the weather holds until this weekend is over. thanks again and i will be stopping at the bait shop.
riverking