The heavy rains in south central Minnesota were starting to wash through pool 2 over the weekend. Almost reminded me of the spring mud-wash we get every year from the Minnesota river. By late Sunday there was an excessive amount of trees, sticks, grass, trash and mud coming down river. Water temp remains in the 62 to 64 degree range. Water lever is up about a foot and the flow is kicking along at 3-4 mph in many areas.
I did manage to get out for a few hours on Thurs, Sat and again on Sunday. Thursday was about as perfect a night you could ask for. Both weather and water conditions. I was set up on one of my go-to wing dams and had just stuck into a nice 25 incher on a bomber at sun set. Thought that may have been the only fish on that dam but continued casting thinking I’d finish the night there. (OK, I was lazy and didn’t feel like pulling the anchor and moving!) Two more cast and I tie into a heavy fish that starts running upstream on me! Two, maybe three minutes later I have convinced myself I have a catfish on the line. But still having fun here I take my time and play the fish to the boat and eventually into the net. WOW – HUGE – FREEK OF NATURE – BIG EYE!!! Now, here I am, alone. One of the biggest walleyes I have had in the boat for a couple of years. Beautiful fish. Normally when you see these older river hogs they look like they have been through the ringer a few times. Torn tails, missing scales, bite marks missing eyeballs….. But this fish was pristine. I lay her on the judge and the tail flops about an inch past the end of the 30 inch end of the ruler. I made one attempt at a self portrait (that I totally botched) and quickly as possible let the fish swim away. This is only the second 30+ incher from pool 2 to see the inside of my boat. I lost another one a few years ago that I’m sure would have broke that 30 inch mark but spit the hook boatside. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Saturday, after waiting out the morning thunderstorms my brother and I hit the water about 7:30am. Starting out where I had left off on Thursday. The flow had increased and the water was a little more muddy. Early signs of the Minnesota starting to wash through. We pounded this dam with cranks for about an hour and set off to check other spots. Spot number two was no better, still no fish on cranks. Convinced there was still a fish or two on spot number one, we headed back. I decided to toss the anchor and work the middle of the dam over with plastics. The switch paid off immediately as I tie into a nice 27. That fish came on a green BFT paddletail, black jig head. We put 2 more sub 20 inch eyes and 4 white bass in the boat from that dam. At about 11 we headed back to spot number 2 and worked that area over from and anchored position also switching over to paddletails. That move brought one more fish to the boat. Another plump pool 2 twentyfive incher.
Back down Sunday morning only to find the river really turned into garbage disposal. As I mentioned above, trees, trash and mud! YUK. The increased flow and decreased visibility had but the kibosh on my bite. It will be 3-4 days before things push through assuming we don’t get any more gully gushers!
On a side note, the duck hunters on lower pool 2 are getting a few birds. The pelicans are migrating through and the jet skis are gone!
-J.
! Nice fish. I noticed as early as last Thursday that the water was looking muddy.
ya should join me terry
