Well after seeing picture after picture of Fireflicks handy work, Ed and I headed to the big river. Fireflick wanted to get an early start, so Ed and I headed out Friday night. We left Elgin around 5:30 and drove up to Alma WI. With 1 stop for gas, we were in Alma by 9:45. Meet up with Jarrad to get a plan for the morning. He would meet us at 5am and then head up to Red Wing, and get on the water by 6am.
5am Jarrad pulled up, and we are on our way. We get to Red Wing and see we are the first ones out. Jarrad gets us set up with head lamps, and rods, then shows us where to cast to. I was the first to strike with a 14″ sauger, then Fireflick showed us how its done. A few casts later he has the first walleye on, it went about 20″. It took Ed and I a bit to get the feel of working the ring worm down the wing dam. We were using 1/8oz jigs wit ha 4″ ringworm. Once we got the feel, the ice flows started coming down river and made it almost impossible to detect the bite. So we packed up and ran down river to the next spot. Same type of set up, river channel running up to a rock pile. Ed and Jarrad got hooked up right away and got the 2 of the biggest fish of the day. As the sun came up the rest of the boats showed up, and the walleye bite slowed up. So we went back up to the dam. Jarrad set us up vertical jigging with super doos, and 1/2oz leadheads. I was kind of unsure about plastics in 35 degree water. Jarrad knows the river well, and quickly proved the super doo was the ticket. From what I saw the boats around us doing, we went 2 fish to there 1. The action was pretty consistent till about 1. Then we headed down river to get some lunch. After lunch we headed back up to the dam, and found the helgi’s also worked well on the sauger. So after boxing out with 12 nice sauger(15″ -18″), we tried for some eyes. The problem was that as the day went on the temps dropped, and the wind picked up, so the ice coming down the river made for tough fishing. So we called it a day, and headed back for the launch. I learned of lot about using plastic in cold water, and how to fish wing dams, with a bonus of fresh fish for Sunday dinner.
Even with falling temps, winds gusting down the river, and less then aggressive bite Jarrad made the day of fishing an experience I will soon not forget. He took the time to show Ed and I how to work the baits to trigger strikes. Showed us where to cast, and explained why that was the spot. His knowledge of the river was obvious, and he took the time to explain some of the details to us. Heck if we got snagged up and broke off, he give up his rod, and then retied us. Then to top it off, we get back to the hotel to clean fish, and he goes back to his place to get us a better knife, and then clean the fish for us. I was really impressed with Jarrad as a host and guide. I can’t wait till next year and try Lake Peppin. Jarrad said we were the last trip for the year, but the bite is back on in the spring.
Ed got big fish of the day with this 23″ walleye
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Fireflick with more of his handy work
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I was cursed with a sauger bite
Temp: 29
Winds: Strong from the north I believe
Overcast skies
Baits: ring worms in clear with blue glitter, green and brown super doos, large brown helgies.
We stayed at the Hillcrest motel, and its was a nice set up, then room was warn and then beds were comfortable. The rooms were a bit small, but they had another building with a family room, kitchen, and fish clean station, so it more then made up for the small room. When I head back in the spring I know where I will be staying.
on this site.
