Being the FLW league championship is down there in Sept. I was wondering what pool(s) do you guys think is the most productive….or are they equal in fish quality, numbers, and fishability? I’ve read reports from John, Tony, and Tony on 14 & 16 but don’t recall anything on 15. I would like to pre-fish these pools next month but would like to eliminate as much water as possible. Thanks for any and all opinions.
Tagger, 15 is a small pool, Sept is not the best time to fish 15. There are fish below the 14 dam in spring and fall. Mainly saugers 15″ and down. Along the rip rap on the butterworth parkway early Am or late Pm in Moline. The best bet for tourney fishing to me would be pool 14 from the wing dams across from the boat ramp in Princeton to the north to the dam at Clinton. Or pool 16, the wing dams from Credit Island to the south including the mouth of the Rock River. Pool 16 is known for some bigger fish, I have a few friends that have caught 10lb + fish trolling the wing dams.
Actually, the FLW tourney was won a couple years ago trolling the clam beds on the Ill. side just above the I-80 bridge. All of the FlW guys that have cashed the big checks, have been around Princeton to the north or credit Island to the south. Best wishes in the tourney, Ron
I live and fish on Pool 14 if I was going to fish the tourny I would definatly head to 14. Pool 16 has a good population of fish but if you compare them apples to apples you will catch more fish up north. The date of the tourny could not be at a more difficult time of the year to catch fish. The bulk of the boats will probably not weigh a fish. Pray for some early cool weather and above average flow. If the river is on rock bottom with little current you are going to be in for a terrible bite. I wish you the best of luck . I took out some of the pro’s when the championship was here a few years back . i met him at the Port Byron boat ramp I was coming in from fishing .He asked if what they were bitting on I told him jig and crawler his reply was it’s to late in the year for that. I told him I had caught my limit today I asked him how he did he had caught 2 fish in 5 days of pre-fishing . I took him out the next day we caught 8 keepers . He fished jig and crawler during the tourney. Don’t forget the crawlers.
I would concentrate on 14 and 16 and skip pool 15 it’s not to productive, and although I live on 16 and thats where most of my fishing is done I personally think most of the time 14 is better. But like all river fishing the conditions can change here over night, As we get closer to the tournament, hopefully we will be able to give you a better picture.
Pool 14 is an exceptional walleye fishery. I’ve fished it many times. I like the lower half of the pool the best from Albany south but the upper half of the pool can also be hot.
There has been a stocking program going on in pool 14 for many years which is one of the reasons it is such a good walleye fishery. The nuke plant at Cordova raises and stocks walleye fingerlings every year. Some of these fish get stocked in pool 13 but the majority are put right in pool 14.
As always guys….thank you for such terrific responses. I look forward to testing out these waters. Thanks again. Brandt
I would fish 14 for sure. The slot has really grabbed hold and there is alot of fish that will push 27.
I fish 14 mostly. I think it is the best bet for quality of fishery, but time is a major issue as well. The FLW and RCL championships that where here had lock times set reserved which gave them an edge for locking up two pools. If you are launching on 16, without locks reserved it may be an adventure getting back to 16 on time. It’s a tough call!
16 is hot right now with the trolling bite. The water is going to turn over by September. Just look to the reports on 16 by the end of August. I’m seeing alot of tourney boats out there, but they are not giving these areas that we a fishing just due. Oh, well. Good luck guy’s. 
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