New Year’s Weekend on the River

I used up a couple of vacation days to turn New Year’s into a 5-day weekend. I was pretty pumped to have that much time to get out.

Thursday found me on Pool 2 for the afternoon and evening. For the first time in recent memory I didn’t get even get a bite! I was so disappointed after failing to get bit on 5 prime spots at prime time that I skipped fishing on Friday.

On Saturday I took a ride with AlvinMack up to Monticello. We found some cooperative fish there. I got a smallie that was skinny but easily 20″. Mack showed me how to catch catfish on jigs and I taught him a thing or two about walleyes by getting the two biggest eyes he has had in his boat up there. They weren’t P2 fish, but nice ones at 22 and 23 or so inches. We added a few smaller walleyes, catfish and a bunch of smallies to our multi-species day and had a lot of fun.

On Sunday I went to Pool 4 with a buddy of mine. The current was working the rocks perfectly, I thought, so I wasn’t worried from 3-4pm when the bite started off slow. I was sure we’d get them closer to dark. Well, I was pretty much wrong. We did catch about 10 fish, but none was over 17″ and most were saugers. When the 15-16″ saugers are hanging out in 3′ of water I get a little worried … where are my walleyes? The two other areas I wanted to try had people on them, and I hate crowding guys when the river only has a few boats on it. Maybe they were catching fish??? Anyway, I had planned to go back on Monday to try some different things but my partner backed out on me when he saw the rain and heard the fishing wasn’t great for me the day prior. I almost went alone, but decided against it at the last minute.

I saw Jarad F. down there in his big lund on Sunday. If he or anyone else who was down there reads this, I’d love to know how you did! Did anyone have a good weekend on P4? Or P2? I expected great things, but it didn’t work out for me.

By the way, the fish in Monticello came on a firetiger 3″ wolly curl tail by YUM on a 3/16 head, and the fish we caught on P4 were mostly shallow and came on firecracker BFT ringworms or cotton candy YUM ribworms again on 3/16 BFT H2O heads. I really shouldn’t complain about our results, but that darn river has spoiled me rotten!

John

Hi John23,

I kinda had the same type of luck as you, only in reverse. After doing so well the past couple of weeks I finally talked by wife into joining me on Pool 4. Well, needless to say the wind howled out of the south on Sunday, making boat control real difficult. We managed only 6 sauger, of which we kept only 3.

On Monday I hit pool 2 very early before daybreak and did quite well by the airport, landing a nice 27″ fish that almost stole my rod away from me she hit so fiercely! Anyhow, I made a poor choice in footwear and my feet were soaked by 9a.m. so I packed it in.

Met a fellow with a white exporer at the ramp who said he was gonna try it later that afternoon if it stopped raining, didn’t catch his name though….silly me, I just wanted to get out of the rain!

Oh, up at the airport I was using 1/4 oz BFT heads with a purple w/ white tail, or 5/16 oz head with a firecracker Kalin tail…..hope that helps if ya make it down there. One other thing, the ramp itself was in great condition thanks to someone’s hard efforts….thank you whoever you are

Slipsinker,

Thanks for your response. I’d almost always rather catch 1 big walleye than a bunch of smaller ones, so that 27″ would have made my day on Thursday. Nice job! I’m glad to hear you found some fish by the airport. I spent most of my time south of there where I usually do well … but not on Thurs!

Mack, I think you’re right about the smallie. It might have been on a different color, but I’m pretty sure it was a wolley curltail. It’s a great bait!

John

John,

Friday evening I hit Pool 2 only for a couple hours after I got waist deep in water….(a story for another time ) Boated 7 fish with one nice just shy of the 28″ mark. I hit 5 spots and only one spot gave up fish for me!

Sunday afternoon/evening my brother and I spent the night in Red Wing at Everet’s. Boated 14 fish pitching plastics. Sunset bite and then it slowed dramatically. Boated a couple during the afternoon pitchin, but the majority at prime time.

Steve,

Maybe I was one spot away from a great night! Hell, on P2 we’re always one spot (or one hit) away from a great night!

Any big fish on P4? Most of mine came around sundown, too, but none of them were worth bragging about. I take it you were well south of the dam?

John

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Hell, on P2 we’re always one spot (or one hit) away from a great night!

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Isn’t that the truth!

Nothing big on P4 for us. We had a 22 inch fish for top honors. We stayed within a mile of the dam for our short stay. We had planned to hit it bright and early on Monday morning, but bailed when the rain started coming down pretty good before daybreak.

John,

I might have been on one of the spots you wanted. I camped on one spot for several hours and managed 7 walleye and 1 sauger. The only way I could get bit was dragging slowly up-stream. The SE wind made it tough but when you got it right you could predict when you would get bit. I would guess my best fish went 18″s.

John

John, were you the guy in the jon boat fishing around the wingdams? If so … you’re right! Actually, you didn’t get in my way at all but there was a certain spot not far south of there where someone was camping from the time I got there until the time I left, which was at least 3 hours.

It sounds like you and I had similar results, though you had more walleyes than I did. It was a nice day to be out!

John

me and a couple of buddies were out on sat and sunday. sat we did good, catching a 3 man limit. biggest was a 22 1/2 and a 22. some saugers but mostly walleyes. sunday was a totally differnt day with the wind out of the southeast. managed to get about 10 fish total. it was hard casting the light jigs and ringies with wind that strong.

Walleye Fool

John,

That was me if the boat had a red but seat up front. What boat were you in?

John

I was in a 17′ Tuffy deep-v tiller. I’m pretty easy to pick out because my mustang survival suit has orange shoulders on it. I can’t remember if there was a seat in the jon boat I saw.

Walleye Fool – it sounds like one of those “I should have been there yesterday” deals!

can anybody tell me what how I get to the ramp. I will be heading east on 494.

thanks

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can anybody tell me what how I get to the ramp. I will be heading east on 494

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eyefishing,

Are you looking for directions to the ramp on Pool 2 (494 ramp) or Everet’s resort on Pool 4?

Sorry, Pool 2 please. Any general advise on how far up or down river I should head to find a few wingdams to pitch at would be great too. Steve I would still love to hear about the trip to Colombia last year. One of these years I will make it out there.

Take the Hardman exit off 494 and go north. Go through the stop sign and take the first right. Follow that road under the bridge and you’ll be at the landing. There are productive wingdams near the landing and for several miles up and down the river! Lots of spots to pick from.

thanks- I am not much of a river rat, but things are changing.