Pool 2, Saturday, Feb 28th

I fished the community spots between 494 and the airport from about 8:30 until noon but came up empty. Tried a variety of techniques (jig/plastic, jig/minnow/ three-way trolling, sonars, a few wingdams, etc.) I saw a couple of fish get caught by the airport but in general it seemed pretty slow based on what I saw. Maybe things picked up later in the day when the clouds moved in.

I think I saw TBO in his new rig cruise past me on my way back to the 494 ramp. Both side of the ramp are totally ice free and there was very little floating ice this morning.

Anybody have any reports from this afternoon or evening? I think I’ll try it again tomorrow. How were things on Pool 4?

Boone

I launched at Lilydale and hit several spots from there to the Ford Dam from 12:15-2:34. Marked fish everywhere-much more than normal, but nothing would bite. I had 2 guys in the boat w/ me who said they had a few bites, but I never even had a sniff.

It may be better today, but I wouldnt launch at Lilydale w/ a heavy boat or if you dont have 4wd.

Indeed it was me, Boone…

I would have stopped to say Hey, but I was involved in getting to know the new pride and joy. Got about 3 hours on her, and am so impressed with the rig. I talked to several fisherman, and the bite did seem to pick up a little later in the afternoon. Most of the fish came from the airport area, and the flats just north of there.

TBO/MN

Your new rig really looks sharp.

I did talk to my neighbor who fished Saturday afternoon and he did pretty well. He said he got 5 walleye/sauger, all decent size, with an exceptionally nice 22″ sauger.

Boone

Hey Joe-I KNOW that wasnt you in the new Ranger that blew through the No Wake Zone in front of Watergate at about 50mph.

I spent most of the day in Red Wing yesteray with Dustin, on my way home, I just had to stop at Pool 2 for the nice evening that was there!
IT started out a bit slow and then things heated up pretty good. I ended the evening with 21 fish with a couple of 25″ fish taking top honors for the night!
Anyone fish the confluence area at all?
I think we are about a week away fro mthe start of good things to come for the day bite.

I spent about an hour at the confluence. The fish were stacked in there, but I couldnt get anything to bite. Mostly just up from the confluence in 17-20′. It was midday, I would have loved to have been there at sundown.

I fished the 494 up to the Airport area on Friday. The day bite was pretty slow for me too. I did get 2 small walleyes pitching hair jigs to the wingdam I chose, that was about 3pm I thought that was a good start as it was still light out. I camped on that wingy till just after dark and only pulled 2 more fish, both whitebass!! Oh well.

Fished the upper end of pool 2 out of Hidden Falls yesterday. Caught 4 small sauger in 4 different locations from there on down to Lillydale. As Dave mentioned, lots of fish on the Vexilar, but not many bites. Nice day to be out.

I also spent some time down in Red Wing Saturday. Checked out some areas down towards the lake and back channel, can’t say I found what I was looking for. Then on the way home dropped in at Prescott and fished the Pool 3/St Croix confluence. Nothing there either!

So, I can sit here this morning and say I fished Pool 2, 3, 4 and the St Croix with out much to report for my efforts…..

Jon J.

One other note. I noticed a shad die off all up and down the river this weekend. The eagles were eating well on pool 2!

Jon,
I had noticed the same thing the past ouple outings of mine. Oddly enough, of the bigger fish that I caught this pst week were all much skinnier than back in Jan when they had some extremely full tummies. Maybe it was just a fluke?
Saw quite a few dead shad in Red Wing on Sunday with Dustin as well.

Pool 3 and the Vermillion have a huge shad die off every year at this time. We used to use a frog spear and freeze them for catfishing in the summer. They all run about the 6″ size. Do they die after spawning?
Tuck

I too was part of the posse enjoying the afternoon of ncie weather. We spent some time up by the dam casting and pulling raps to no avail. We did manage to find some eyes down where everyone else was, off Pike Island just above the confluence. I was marking lots of shad stacked within 2 feet of bottom (on an X15 they almost look round with just a slight hook) and just downriver from where the shad were, the eyes were located. There’s a little trough out there that drops off to 21-22 from 17′ and thats where our action was. Did manage to get one 3lb channel down on the lilydale wingdams in 32′ or so.

MikeT

Mike,

How was the bite at the confluence?
See any big fish caught while you were there?
As you know that area will turn on good this time of year for piggies!

Steve

no big fish that I saw, the couple we got were standard pool 2 18″ fish. We worked that spot till about 5:30 or so, then wanted to try that deep wingdam by the launch.

I’ve had my best luck on that shoreline up about 1/2 way to the no wake, there’s an old wingdam on the pike isalnd side that is not very pronounced, but it’s the biggest diversion in that stretch. Last year we also did well early in the back channel around the island when there was enough flow. my favorite presentation on that stretch is casting cranks on the beach and digging them down the break.

miket