input sought on favorite pool

Hey, eyechasers! I’m doing a story for Wisconsin Sportsman on “Wisconsin’s Best spring walleye rivers” and would appreciate your help—what are your favorite pools–and why? and what are your favorite spring rigs/methods and why?
Plan is to mention IDA as the best source of info, because I honestly feel that this is where the best walleye anglers on the River who have accepted computer technology foregather. Thanks for your help!

As far as walleyes go, I like 9,10, and 14; with a little more time on it, I’m sure 11 will also be a good place to head when I have a day off. Oddly, pool 4 hasn’t been very good to me… at all. Maybe going there more than once a year would help that situation as well.

Overall, 10 has to take the cake for year-round action. It’s got the eyes, the pike, the bass, and pretty much endless sloughs and backwaters for winter panfishing. For those who like to walk on water (well, hard water), pool 10 is going to be hard to beat.

Favorite pools? Every pool I fish has good “spots”. Some pools have more of these spots than others. I live in Dubuque so I fish pools 11, 12 & 13 the most. In an average year I fish pools 4, 5, 5A, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14.
Of all the pools I fish pool 11 (above Dubuque) is by far the worst pool on this part of the river for walleye. This has been the case over the last 3 or 4 years. The numbers of fish just aren’t there like they are in pool 12, 13 & 14. I cannot explain why this is but many fishermen in this area will agree. I spend most of my time on pool 12 which is by far my favorite. The last two years have been nothing short of fantastic. Pools 12, 13 and on down to the Missouri border have new regulations this year that can only help to improve the fishery. Lower combined limit, protected slot and 3 closed areas during the winter months have kept some fishermen away from these pools which is OK with me. I only wish that they would have included pool 11 in this because it is the pool that needs the most help. The Wisconsin DNR would only agree to include their portion of pool 12 in the new regulations which only borders 2 miles of the state. They did not think there was a population problem along their borders. They obviously did not spend any time on pool 11. I spend hundreds of hours on the river every year and for numbers of walleye I would have to say pool 12 is my favorite followed by pool 14 and pool 9. Pool 12 has so many wingdams that hold fish. More than most of the pools I fish.

Eyehunter

Over the years I have discovered Pool 2 to be my favorite river pool for walleyes. IMO, this pool is one of the best places to boat above average sized walleyes per outing than most any other pool that I am aware of. I believe other pools may have more walleyes per sector than Pool 2, but for targeting sheer size this pool is my personal favorite.

Although Pool 2 is open for angling 12 months a year, in 1994 it has incorporated a mandatory Catch and Release restriction for all walleye, sauger, saugeye, LM and SM Bass to attempt to build a breeding ground for a trophy section of river. Since this implication, the fishery continues to produce more and bigger walleyes every year.

The dam at Genoa that separates Pool 8 and Pool 9 isn’t much different than others up and down the river-other than the fact that the federal hatchery facility just south of this sleepy little town dumps thousands of advanced fingerlings into the river system each fall. A steep but serviceable launch about a mile below the dam has its parking lot packed with cars.

Some people launching at Genoa who seek the shortest course to the dam are rudely awakened by a rocky wing dam just a couple hundred yards upstream. There is always a crowd of anglers on the Clement’s fishing barge below the dam on the Minnesota side every weekend, and a flotilla of folks playing “bumper boats” in the tailwaters in a scenario played out below every dam up and down the river.

Local anglers on Pool 9 avoid the tailwaters on the weekend, targeting places like the wing dams farther downstream at the mouth of Minnesota Slough.

sound familiar Ted ? Man you write very well !!

I also like to fish pool 10..several back water cuts and points are full of walleyes looking for an easy meal and there are several wing dams from the S-Curve all the way up to the dam that will surely put fish in the boat…I’m still stuck on plastics this time of year…I like the BfishNTackle Ringworms and K-grubs on an H20 jig pitched to island points , rocky shore lines and wing dams….Another place not to be left out of the loop is Hubbard’s Fishing Float…Bill’s float has been updated and upgraded very nicely and is sitting on the best part of the Dam area right below the Lynxville Dam..

One of my favorite spring rivers in Wisconsin is the Red Cedar. A good choice if you are looking to avoid crowds and still boat lot’s of fish. Jigs, 3 ways or just a plain hook and splitshot all work well. A ocassional fish over 8lbs can be pulled but on this system anything over 5lbs is trophy size.

Hey, Don–do you have the name/phone # of a good bait shop on the Red Cedar? thanks!

I have to agree with you Don…That is an awesome river!! Do you ever try to fish for eyes below the dam on Menomin in the spring? I heard this year they were pulling out some big fish 24-30″ fish. I’ve never fished it then though.

If you are looking for a close bait shop to Red Cedar…. [censored]’s Sporting Goods and RV in Durand, WI 715-672-4218. They are nice if you put your boat in Durand and go up. In Menomonie there are a couple of places too…..

thanks!!!how is the Chippewa river for spring run walleyes? any bait shop/boat ramp contacts there? Is it worth a little ink?

Ted I usually do well in the fall. In the spring it seems to be hit or miss for me. Most of the time the flooding makes it really tough to get out there. I’m not sure how good it is up north further. I know the river going into Lake Wissota has some good sized ones. Don would probably have better info for further up the river or Joe Turner. I know if the water levels are OK I have a bunch of spots between Eau Claire and Lake Pepin that produce for me….just have to pray that the river levels come up slow and don’t go too high.

thanks for the input!

Red Cedar info -Schmidty’s Archery & Bait- 541 North Broadway Menomonie, WI. 54751. PH. 715-235-3134