Pool 2

Anyone fishing Pool 2? What is the flow like? Debris?

Any eyes coming by the Ford dam yet? My brother has whined that he hasn’t caught a walleye this year (even though he has only been out once). So I am looking to get him on some fish. I know we have a good shot on the Croix, but I was getting good numbers out of Pool 2 before the last bout of high water 3-4 weeks ago and havent been there since.

BTW-is Hidden Falls open still?

DaveB-Fished Pool 2 on Saturday (7th). Fishing was excellent. Put in at Hidden Falls and conditions were very good. The water levels are approaching normal and may very well be normal by now. On Saturday the levels were 1.5-2 ft. high. Water clarity pretty good-especially above the Mn. River.

Pulling cranks was the way to go. Nearly anything worked. Depending on depth a number 5 or 7 shad rap worked best. Color didn’t seem to matter much. We focused on 8-12 ft. of water with the shorline side pulling a 5 and the channel side person pulling a 7. Catch of the day was a 9.25 lb. brute. Smallie action was excellent as well. Middle of the day proved a bit slower than the morning but the bite never died completely. Focus on the rock shorelines and the sand shorelines. Bridges were productive as well. Get down there asap!!! RH

Hey Randy! Do you troll with the current or against? Are you using bottom bouncers with your cranks? Thanks, Vern

Thanks Randy-great info. I will be out there within a week and try to post a follow up.

If I’m coming up from the Burnsville area, where would be a good access to put in at for pool 2. I don’t know that area of the metro at all. Does the DNR have any info worth looking at for finding an access?? I’ve checked out their site, but street names don’t mean a lot to me at this point. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Two places-Hidden Falls or Crosby Farm to fish the Ford Dam part of Pool 2. From Burnsville, take 35E N to Sheppard Road. Go east(left) on Sheppard Road. There is a marina at Crosby Farm road (on left) where Sheppard Road ends and turns into Mississippi River Blvd (also where highway 5 crosses under). They have a nice landing that can handle any size boat, but they charge $15. If you go straight for about 1 more mile, about 50-100ft after a stop sign is the turn for Hidden Falls (left). The landing there is good, but a little tough to launch a bigger boat if you are by yourself because of the current (actually an eddy that pushes you upstream).

Pick up bait before you come-there is very little to be found in St Paul-esp if you dont know the area too well.

Thanks Dave!!

I’m hoping this will be close enough for me to get out in the evenings after work once in a while. Got to work tonight, but it sounds like I’m in for a car ride tomorrow night to check things out.

There shouldnt be traffic going that way-i think that you can find that 15-20 minutes and you are there!

That would be too nice. I have the digital cam an from what I’m hereing, this is a pool to get some great pics from. Thanks again.

Vern-No bottom bouncers. #5 and #7 raps should get you to the bottom easily in 8-12 ft. Didn’t try trolling downstream too much. I’m sure it works, it’s just more difficult when snagged. You’re going so fast that it’s a lot of work to stop your forward momentum quickly. I can’t recall a fish caught trolling downstream but there wasn’t much of an effort.

Thanks Randy. I fish that area quite a bit, but mostly with jigs & minnows. I’ll give trolling a try sometime. I figured you were going upstream because that current is pretty swift near the dam. Vern