Pool 2

Finally dug the boat out from the mounds of snow and am heading to pool 2. Haven’t heard much in recent days as to which areas are producing. I was planning on putting in at the 494 launch (is this open?) and working the wingies and sand flats in both directions. Any advice, baits, water depths, ect. that have been producing would be greatly appreciated. I’ve heard talk this spring of the airport producing fish. Is that the airport in downtown St. Paul?

I can only get out for a few hours after work, but it’s more of a prep run for the weekend. Sure feels good to be loading up the boat instead of the bucket.

Wish I could help you but I have the same question. My parents moved from Mendota Heights to North Branch (I got to school at Bethel)so I now have an extra hour drive to Red Wing. Pool 2 is much closer but I have never fished out there for walleye this time of year. Only smallies in the summer. I am guessing you put in at the 494 bridge but don’t know if fishing north or south from there is better. If I had to guess I would head north and throw ringworms in 0-10 ft of water at rock/wingies. I use 1/8 and 3/16 heads alot and my favorite color is pro blue shad and then also chart.

Hopefully someone will help us out. And if you see a brown ranger fishermen say hi.

Eric Ahlstrom

The 494 access was scheduled to be closed yesterday. Not exactly sure if it was just a one day closure. Now that St Paul Park, Lillydale and Hidden Falls are open, my plan is to skip the 494 access for the foreseeable future.

The airport area is always good for a few sauger in the channel and a good shot at walleyes on the wing dams and the shallow areas in between. If put in at Lillydale or HF, the confluence where the Minnesota dumps in would be my first stop.

-J.

Jon,

Wow, thanks for the heads up. The 494 ramps is only a couple miles from my house, so that is the one I usually venture to when I only have a few hours to fish. I’ve been to the hidden falls ramp before, but how are the other two? By St. Paul park do you mean Harriet Island Park? Not sure where the Lillydale ramp is located?

I’ll figure a way to get my boat wet, you can bet on that.

The St Paul Park access is about 1.5 miles downstream from the 494 launch on the other side of the river.

The Lillydale ramp is about 1.5 miles upstream from Harriet Island. Follow that frontage road under the high bridge. When you go under the swing bridge, it’s about another 500 yard down the road from there. If you get the the Pool and Yacht club, you went too far!

-J.

Thanks again for the info Jon. We’ll only have a couple hours before dark, so I think I’ll stick to what I know. I’ll roll around later in the week to find those other landings.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Not much to tell you about our adventure last night other than my motor did not want to cooperate. By the time we got it running we only had about a 1/2 hour to fish. Went near the dam and didn’t have any action. I’m going to trek down into St. Paul tonight to try to find that lillydale ramp you mentioned. Planning to get out on Sat. and give it another run.

Thanks again for you help and good luck to all!

Any idea when the 494 ramp will open?