WORTH IT P4????

Is it worth coming down this weekend (fishing wise,condidion wise)or wait a week? havent been out yet and i am getting the itch!! the ranger is packed and the rods are rigged…

thanks,
millelacseye51

i dont fish pool 4, but WELCOME TO IDO!!

It’s always worth it!

Just be prepared for the water to be high, fast, and with some debris in it. This weekend should be on the downward side of the crest, so there should be some reduction in junk in the water….but there will still be some!

Fish are biting now, and warmer water will really get them going!

I would recommend holding off a week if you can.

thank you,

i have been a member for a couple years now but i forgot my old email address i used to set up for this site so i just made a new account!

i know its always worth it to hit p4 but i was just wondering with the conditions down there? weve had 100 fish days down there but never have fished when the water was this high.

ya know what they say–“fishing is fishing”. High water, low water, cold water, warm water, clean water, dirty water.

You can always find an excuse why not to go, but if you do be safe, be prepared for emergencies and be prepared to catch your personal best walleye.

good luck!

I have next Wed. free and am thinking about making the trip again as well. (I fished the river this last Monday)

Anyone have any predictions on river conditions for 1 week from today? — Various ramp accesses, (more parking at Everts?), river temps/flow, fish bite?

I know its all conjecture, but I also know there are a lot of guys on this site who have fished the river for years and generally know what to expect. Will I be facing similar conditions as Monday? Another way to phrase it – how much will river conditions change in a 9 day span?

Mike

Red Wing River Forecast

Whit:

Looking over this graph it appears like you will be facing water that has not fallen back to a point where it was when you were there on Monday. The great thing about it going down is the stuff that was floating will start to hang up above the water and not be messing with your lines, anchor ropes, etc….

This is my favorite weather site and you can get to the warnings/forecasts by going to this easy National Weather Service site.

The map is interactive and it posts the watches/warnings across the U.S. By clicking on your forecast area you can get up to date weather for a week, very good wind forecasts for a couple of days and the above mentioned river forecasts from across the country.

Mark

We fished Sunday and Monday out of Everts. There is another river of leaf litter etc… moivng slowly along the bottom of the river bed. We could not get a single “clean” cast to fish. Fished from the Dam down to Youngs w/o marking any fish and did not have a single bite in that time. The water is still rising so I am of the opinion that we need warmer, stable water and give the debris a time to clear out…
That being said…go out and give it a try…just don’t expect much with these conditions…I’m sure (as Dean remarked) there are some big spawners there somewhere…
Be safe though…many logs coming down…

These pictures speak louder than words

Everts Conditions… Wed

There is a report on here somewhere from a guy who did great on Sunday. Many people struggle in these conditions but the fish are there — you’ve just got to go find them. You’ll never have a better chance at a giant walleye than these next two weeks. In late March/early April you’re always one cast away from holding a 13+ pound walleye for the camera.

Here is a link to that report from Sunday: Sunday 3/21

The guys watching TV & on the computer all got skunked today!

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The guys watching TV & on the computer all got skunked today!

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Must be present to WIN!

If I can get the FW to vacuum out the boat I’ll be down to fish Saturday Dean! Leave the you know what’s out for me!

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The guys watching TV & on the computer all got skunked today!

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Just trying to weigh a skunked computer day vs a skunked on-the-water-day (like I had on Monday)

3+ hours drive time, gas, extra tackle purchases, bait, launch fee, time away from the family, etc. add up.

That poor woman.

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The guys watching TV & on the computer all got skunked today!

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Agreed, Was down a couple days ago and ran into a decent bite. Nothing huge besides some awsome looking saugers and a fat 24″ female. We caught fish almost everywhere we stopped….Like others said the fish are there and they do not go on a hunger strike. Now is the window of opportunity to get yourself a true pig. I plan to spend the weekend down there regardless of junk in the water. Just use your head with safety find a nice current seam and your bound to run into a few bites right now!

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The guys watching TV & on the computer all got skunked today!

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Just trying to weigh a skunked computer day vs a skunked on-the-water-day (like I had on Monday)

3+ hours drive time, gas, extra tackle purchases, bait, launch fee, time away from the family, etc. add up.

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Next launch is on me but still cant gaurentee anyone the mood of the fish!Everyone gets skunked sometimes!

Not complaining, (and certainly not blaming you or anyone else, Dean!!! ) just debating the options out loud… When it comes down to it, I’m sure that its always worth it to make the trip… Hope is always there, right?

Although…. I tend to get skunked more often than most on the river… I’m either a terrible listener, or just a crappy river fisherman… Probably both…

I’m pretty sure its me, though… The big girls and I don’t usually see eye to eye….

I’m sure Joe and I will see you guys again bright and early on the 31st. Save me a parking spot….

Whitt

Whitt,

Time on the water is the cure for what ails you. Seriously, one day you’ll be out there and it will start to click. Then you’re off to the races.

John

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Is it worth coming down this weekend (fishing wise,condidion wise)

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Does this answer your question?

CLICK HERE

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Is it worth coming down this weekend (fishing wise,condidion wise)or wait a week? millelacseye51

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Today we caught more than three limits of fish on my guide trip.

So if you like saugers running from 15 to 20 inches, and a handful of walleye in the mix, go for it. The popular sentiment in the bait shop is that the big eyes are up in the trees. I agree. The good news is that the saugers are not. Remember though there are always subsets of fish that do different things and some walleye are on the sand holding in depths from 12 to 18 feet (and of course shallower, we just got our fish in these depths).

We caught fish 50/50 dragging jigs on plastics and with meat (not meat and a plastic, either or – you can be shot for putting a minnow on a jig with a ringworm on it – btw). Fatheads for the meat, and mainly ringworms for plastics. Chartreuse tailed anything worked, plus lures with gold sparkle. Paddletails also did the trick and are a nice option to throw at the fish. When the sun was high in the sky minnows seemed better. Have fun keep catchin’

Water flow at Red Wing Dam 100,900 CFS Water temp 36.5 and Stage is 12.71 going to 13.3 on Friday. The water is clearing very fast.

i was out there for the first time on Monday, caught my limit….. and by limit i mean 5 plastic bags, 2 t-shirts, and a GB Packer hat(dang rough fish)
but it was well worth it just to meet Dean.
he gave us good advice but newbies on the river with the high water current = fail….. but its a learning process now i will know what not to do
i will be back soon, fishing is more fun when its fishing

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Is it worth coming down this weekend (fishing wise,condidion wise)or wait a week? millelacseye51

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Today we caught more than three limits of fish on my guide trip.
So if you like saugers running from 15 to 20 inches, and a handful of walleye in the mix, go for it. The popular sentiment in the bait shop is that the big eyes are up in the trees. I agree. The good news is that the saugers are not. Remember though there are always subsets of fish that do different things and some walleye are on the sand holding in depths from 12 to 18 feet (and of course shallower, we just got our fish in these depths).
We caught fish 50/50 dragging jigs on plastics and with meat (not meat and a plastic, either or – you can be shot for putting a minnow on a jig with a ringworm on it – btw). Fatheads for the meat, and mainly ringworms for plastics. Chartreuse tailed anything worked, plus lures with gold sparkle. Paddletails also did the trick and are a nice option to throw at the fish. When the sun was high in the sky minnows seemed better. Have fun keep catchin’

Water flow at Red Wing Dam 100,900 CFS Water temp 36.5 and Stage is 12.71 going to 13.3 on Friday. The water is clearing very fast.

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Turk, where did you put in?

Dean, how many times did you fish pool 4 before you even had success?
Think people would be surprised to know.

First time I fished pool 4, got skunked and frustrated and did not come back for 2 years. Went back, got skunked again. Then, read up on river fishing, read IDO reports and hired Dustin Stewart during the different seasons of the year for teaching trips—-bam, I can count on one hand how many times I have been skunked now in over 5 years of consistantly fishing pool 4-plus, personal bests in walleyes, saugers, crappies, flatheads, channel cats, sheephead, carp, buffalo,sturgeon and a few others accomplished multiple times.
If you learn to fish a river, lakes are a piece of cake!
Anytime on the water is golden long as you learn something-catching fish is just the byproduct of correct application—obviously Turk had the correct application going. BTW,reread his post, some good stuff there that a few should write down, including me!
good luck and be safe!

Jeremy

Very good thoughts Doc. The first time I hit Pool 4 the boy was a rug rat and we fished hard all day in April for one 17 inch Sauger. From there it was reading reports and poring over details and making a ton of mistakes. Booked a trip for the boy with some local guide out of Evert’s—James Somebody???—and we were hooked. What most people fail to realize is that Pool 4 is the perfect classroom in the Spring. Walleye will be walleye but at least you can be confident that your bait is in front of fish on a regular basis whether or not you are catching fish. I have never had a bad day on Pool 4—I have just had days where I ran out of daylight or energy before I figured out what they wanted. I still can’t catch those walleye on a regular basis but at least I know who to BS with in the baitshop now Any day on Pool 4 is a learning experience and your chances are much higher of hooking a trophy than if you didn’t go—that’s just my opinion though

Ruger – I put in a Everts there is a little bit of parking space.

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I have never had a bad day on Pool 4—I have just had days where I ran out of daylight or energy before I figured out what they wanted.

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That is right on brother!