Dog day walleye on 14

Managed to get out and try for walleye on Thursday’s warm and windy, but dry day. The day started just aweful, with slowing going and big waves, we lost our anchor on a weak spot in the rope Had to head back to shore for a new one, so to 2 hours in and little if any fishing had taken place. We launched from Albany a second time, and fished the wingdams across from the ramp. Picked up a nice 19.7 inch fat walleye off a crome wallydiver as well as a couple white bass. Later on, we picked up another fat walleye 18″ in the flats. Great fish, but slow action. Thought we had some monsters on, but they turned out to be monster drum (6 and 8 pounders). Lastly, we headed north to the tailwater, but after trolling and the failed morning run, we ….get this…. ran out of gas A slow drift/trol motor/and paddle downstream was the way to end a day. Thanks to the guys who towed us into the Clinton marina! What a day, but hey, at least we caught some decent fish!

Whew…rough day eh? Hopefully the stories of the fish remain longer than the memories of the bad luck!

Wow Andy, sounds like you got all your bad luck out of the way on one trip, except for the fish anyway! Good to hear you where able to at least pick up a few nice fish .I have not been out for some time, but from what I’m hearing, the bite has been very tough.
Where you able to get gas at the Clinton marina? That would be a LONG drift to Albany! Good thing you did not head south! I’ve done that before and run out of gas, not a fun thing trying to move against the current with no outboard!
Thanks for the report, got me itching to go as soon as my back gets to feeling a little better!
John

Other than that (Mrs Lincoln) how did you like the play Sorry for your bad luck,but glad you caught a couple nice eyes

hey Rooster,,,how did you bang up that back of your?

mike

Hey Mike,
How ya been? My back has been bad for years, but just been having a lot of trouble this year with it. Go for MRI Monday, maybe I’ll find out if it can be helped. You know it’s gotta be bad to keep me off the river!
John

Thanks for the support guys! We were able to get gas at the Clinton marina, just upstream from the gambling boat. It sure was a rough day, but worth laughing over. I forgot to mention the first fish of the day…. a 35 inch gar! It hit a chartreuse wallydiver and didn’t cut the line thankfully. At least that was a lucky break! At first we thought we had a big northern, but it seemed odd that a northern would jump three times while still out a good 40 feet from the boat. …closer in…I found a way to spell “gar” with four letters!

Mmm…Chrome Wally Divers…Mmmm.

John My back was screwed up for years,I know how you feel. Keep it warm and see the vet. Get better for our next outing.
John Mannerino
NPAA#473

Rooster, sounds like you need some glyde ride seats for your new rig! Did you aggravate your back doing the waterpark routine at the dells? See you soon. mike

The back will be better one way or another soon, can’t miss out on all the fall fishin’! Mike, I’d get me some Glyde Rides, but I think I might have a problem with the home budget director! Actually, the boat does not seem to bother it too much as long as I stay away from weekend afternoons on the water! It’s killin’ me looking at the river and that unused boat, but gotta stay off anyway till I find out what is going on with the back.

Andy, 3′ gar must have been a heck of a fight! Hate those nasty prehistoric ugly &&%$#$*()__)*^$###@@# dinosaur looking critters! On the positive side, the fishing here should be picking up real soon!

John

Hey John, GOOD LUCK with your MRI on monday,hope it’s nothing serious.Been getting my treestands in for bow season and the honey-do’s Done,looks like about 2-weeks yet for I can start getting out again, can’t wait hopefull there will be some fall pattern established by then.
PRAY FOR THE FISH!!!! <Rick>

i fished pool 14 on the 24th, 25th, and 26th and was dodging weather the whole time! we fought wind/waves and lighting and rain the whole three days! we caught about half of our fish trolling cranks and the other half using live bait on dubuque rigs. we managed about 10 fish a day, with about half falling into the slot and two being short. we also caught some very nice northern, 4 over 5lbs and some nice sheepies, one going about 15lbs! the bite has definately slowed down from several weeks ago. we picked up one fish from the clam beds and all the rest came off wingdams and riprap from princeton to clinton. am looking forward to seeing the results of the slot limit and the no fishing zone below the dam. pool 14 should really take off here in the next couple of years!

Hey all, I’ve been seeing quite a few posts/reports about catching huge sheepies while trolling cranks. That had never happened to me, but last week (above) it did. I’ve caught plenty of them while catfishing, but rarely anything “big”. Not that I’m out there fishing for them, but has anyone ever caught small sheepies doing this? Seemed odd that they hit so violently, a behavior you don’t normally see while catfishing….earning the term, “perch bite”. nible nible tap tap…worm gone..no fish…