Pool 14 Report

Fishing on Pool 14 has been Excellent the last couple of weeks. The water has stabilized and gotten good and clean. The big Saugers are starting to move up to the dam and the Walleyes are still on the wingdams. I have been on vacation the last couple of weeks and have been fishing every chance I get. Have gotten my limit of 16″ to 20″ fish every day I went out. Had a Sauger the other day that was 21″ long. Have released 22 walleyes over 20″ One was a 30″ bruiser. All have come off of Ringworms or Shadbaits. Been running a 3-way with a 3/4 oz Jig and a ringworm as the dropper and a plain hook with Berkley Gulp Minnow on the drop back line. The hook-ups are about 50/50 but with the ringworm they really tag that thing. There has been no real preference in ringworm color you just have to play with it. Some days Purple is the color, the next day it will be White or Green or Black. They all seem to work well at times. Now that the water is getting down in the 40’s, the fish will start milling around down on the flats chasing shad. That’s when you start pulling crankbaits. They will rock your world. See you on the water.

Great news Muddy, plan on doing just that this week. How deep we talkin?

When the water was a little dirtier they were up around 10 or 12 feet and their still there early in the morning. But after the sun comes up they are out in 18 to 24 feet. Now on the wingdams they are still on the face of the dam, right at the base or up closer to the top if they are feeding. Just troll across the face with a 3-way and you’ll get bit.

I’ve pulled cranks on a dubuque rig on the last couple short outings. They are working. Pulled the flats by the dam and put a few fish in the boat, but the wings have been producing some sows on both the dropper with ringworm and the stickbait.

Not as much fun for me as pitching plastics, but the flow and the wind have made pitching a bit difficult the last few outings for me.

John, I’ve noticed that they don’t start down on the flats till the water temp gets down in the low 40’s or high 30’s. Once they put the rollers in the winter set, they really get down there. The big fish are still on the wingdams, but for numbers you have to go up to the dam and fight the boat traffic. There are some real idiots up there. If you catch a fish and they see you, they seem to think that the fish are right under your boat. They just don’t get it.

Ain’t that the truth Hey that guy over there just caught one lets move over there Hey there’s one lets move over there They are so busy finding out who just got one instead of how it was taken and why

THANK YOU!!!!!

Easy now I am probably one of those idiots you are talking about. I am retired now and trying to learn this new game. I observe and learn sometimes close, apparently to close. One thing I observed recently was some good ole poaching. Two guys in a boat that I have seen doing quite well before pulling in some nice 17″-20″+ saugers with a few eyes sprinkled in. I kept count, I cannot prove it nor do I want to, they kept 17 fish. No fish released at the boat ramp they kept them all. Legal limit for two fishermen one boat I know is a mixed bag of 12. Correct? You know who you are and so do others I asked, they were not surprised. I might be an idiot but I can read BOAT NUMBERS quite well. I am sure glad they close the dam off Dec 1st….Good Fishing

little clear, i’ve seen guys keep darn near every walleye they caught before…i once got a peak at some gentlemens livewell while loading up the boat and there were probably 30 walleye in the livewell…it was just packed to the brim of the 17′ lund.

A couple of years ago I decided to hell with feeling guilty about turning over a fellow fisherman, but anymore if I see somebody poaching I’m going to call them in. Maybe it’s me, but rules are rules and the DNR isn’t ALWAYS out to hurt the sportsman. The slot and # limits are there for a reason, and the biggest reason the walleye fishing just keeps getting better every year. It only takes a few to screw things up for the rest, just ask anybody who’s been turned down by a landowner when asking to hunt or fish. Sorry, maybe I sound harsh there, but it’s been a long day and my tolerance for stupid is at a low ebb.

You go ahead and take down their boat numbers and turn them in and don’t feel guilty about it at all. Most guys try to obey the law and respect the laws and other fisherman. But there are those that give the rest of us a bad name. Their greed has no limits. Everybody makes mistakes and can miscount fish on a day when their really going. But these morons think that the laws are for everybody but them. I see it all the time. If it comes in the boat, it goes in the box. And their the first ones to start complaining when the fishing is bad. They just don’t get it. And as for getting too close – I have no problem with someone getting within 10 or 20 feet of me. What I have a problem with are the guys who think that the fish are right under my boat and they try to push me out of the spot I’m fishing. And if your just learning and want to know what I’m fishing or how – Just ask. I be glad to show you. We all just need to show some commonj courtesy on the water. The outdoors is for all of us, let’s enjoy it together.

the only time i really dont’ do anything or even get ticked is when i’m shore fishing down on the river and guys will keep slot fish there. not a tone of them but if they get a slot fish they’ll usually take off with it. tons of the guys down there i know are having a rough go of it right now and while a law is a law, i have rough time turning in a guy trying to feed his family.

I am entirely with you reverend! I carry the U.S Fish and Wildlife officer’s number, and the Illinois DNR poachers hotline numbers in my cell. I guess the little time I spent at the dam this year From what I saw people where being pretty good, but the only thing I noticed was some slot fish being released. I don’t stay in one area usually long enough to see a lot of fish go into the wells, but I would certainly not hestitate to report anyone abusing the resource!

I also believe the limits and slot have been a tremendous success for our walleye fishery. Fortunately, most of the abusers will soon be without a place to fish when the dam closes. I’m sure most are not skilled enough to find and catch quantities of fish down river.

Quote:

---

I also believe the limits and slot have been a tremendous success for our walleye fishery.

---

I would agree – I don’t ever recall the numbers and quality of walleye in pool 12 being at the level they are now. I don’t get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I see abusers trying to reverse this. I would feel no guilt in reporting them.

Lets not forget the often ignored Posession limit laws. I’m not telling you not to keep fish. I’m just saying no one needs more than 12 walleyes in there freezer. I just think lots of are pool 14 eyes are filleted and put in the freezer never to be seen again or intill they are freezer burnt and throw out. I personaly don’t freeze them at all. When I’m hungery for fish I keep enough for dinner that is 3 fish for my small family. I no this is going to tick a few people off , but just take what you need. You don’t have to catch a limit to have a good time on the water.

Well here goes, I’m heading out at 4 am Friday because of the 3 hour drive. Have never been on P14 so it will be a learning experience for sure. Will make a few runs with the SI to see what I’m getting into then get a game plan. I’ll be setup for trolling and V-jigging. Should I stop by and pickup some minnows somewhere?