What’s Everyone’s flood stage prediction for the last week of March/1st week of April. I know there is no way to predict what Mother Nature can throw at us but I’d like to know what everyone’s opinion is for the spring 2011 bite. We’ll be up no matter what so your not going to scare me.
I predict that the water will be high and fast and that I will be fishing it 
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I believe the crest happened the last weekend of March (at Red Wing) last year and we caught fish all three days on the water that weekend. 
The trick may be where and if you can get on the water if the landings are open and usable. 
P4 at the dam crested on March 25 and dropped just over 2 feet by April 1st in 2010.
Bring your high waters!
I predict i will be in a very dirty and debri filled current seem some where in the tree tops
Everts Resort was closed (high water) during that time last year… 
Also closed again (high water) the first week of October
So we didn’t fish… I am not listening to this 
lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalal
River will be closed.
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River will be closed.
Many people seem to think this in high water but not a chance. Ramps may get closed but the river will stay open.
The fish will be biting somewhere to. If they didnt bite in high water they would of starved themselves to death a long time ago.
Evert’s is never really closed, just the ramp is moved closer to the baitshop. Versatility is the key to high water-the fish are still there.
Now, the dead floating cow last year was a little much, but the fish were snapping so we put up with it. 
I agree with cold budwieser. “Maybe we sould leave the spawning walleyes alone for once.”
And maybe even honor the sings in the spawning areas that say no fishing this time of year instead of molesting the hell out of them.. Here is another idea. Maybe we should start protecting the large walleyes with a one over 28 inch limit. Of coarse this comment will be joked about by a certain group of people on the river that think the fishery is indistructable as they profiteir on it (you know who you are). Nothing is indistructable and i really don’t care who you are, what you say or what you think you know. Or how good of a fisherman you are, or how many tournaments you win or lets face it how many tournaments you loose. Which reminds me, Does there really have to be a tournament every weekend on the river. Almost every walleye i caught last year over 26 inches looked like it had been netted a thousand times and bashed across the lake at 55 mph a dozen times. But i guess some people need to make themselves feel like a MAN. Here is a pic of what I am talking about from a June walleye from the nest and one from pig point. I used to not mention these spots ever, but all these same people blab about them all the time to total strangers, so i don’t see the point. I tried to hold the good side of the fish toward the camera, but you can still see the bleeding fins and tail net laserations.
X2 mudneck 
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What’s Everyone’s flood stage prediction for the last week of March/1st week of April. I know there is no way to predict what Mother Nature can throw at us but I’d like to know what everyone’s opinion is for the spring 2011 bite. We’ll be up no matter what so your not going to scare me.
Just a guess… 17′ – 19′ crest. First week in April.
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maybe we should leave the spawning walleyes alone for one year
really? 
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I agree with cold budwieser. “Maybe we sould leave the spawning walleyes alone for once.”
And maybe even honor the sings in the spawning areas that say no fishing this time of year instead of molesting the hell out of them.. Here is another idea. Maybe we should start protecting the large walleyes with a one over 28 inch limit. Of coarse this comment will be joked about by a certain group of people on the river that think the fishery is indistructable as they profiteir on it (you know who you are). Nothing is indistructable and i really don’t care who you are, what you say or what you think you know. Or how good of a fisherman you are, or how many tournaments you win or lets face it how many tournaments you loose. Which reminds me, Does there really have to be a tournament every weekend on the river. Almost every walleye i caught last year over 26 inches looked like it had been netted a thousand times and bashed across the lake at 55 mph a dozen times. But i guess some people need to make themselves feel like a MAN. Here is a pic of what I am talking about from a June walleye from the nest and one from pig point. I used to not mention these spots ever, but all these same people blab about them all the time to total strangers, so i don’t see the point. I tried to hold the good side of the fish toward the camera, but you can still see the bleeding fins and tail net laserations.
IBTL…
I guess your guess is as good a guess as the next guy’s guess. 
I think you all should leave the walleyes alone and switch over to flats and cats. I wonder how many wally eggs a hungry cat on the prowl will gobble up in a day? 
Is there an “opened a can of worms graemlin”?
Take the fight where it really matters, Indian spearing and netting. Better yet, rip on the scour hole fisherman–eagles are looking very well fed these days.
contact your local fisheries biologist and get the real poop on the matters and put your efforts into the real direction of promoting the fisheries.
Asian carp anyone?????
BTW, you are entitled to your opinion, so thanks for sharing-now you heard mine.
Johnny thinks this – > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fpbCLNyPUA
What!!! Theres some beat-up 25 year old fish living in the mississippi??? Gotta be the tournament guys fault for sure.
The first true sign of Spring is finally here 
When I see that first post about closing the walleye season during spawn on the river I know that Spring truly is right around the corner A wise not so old guy once told me that if you wanted to truly protect the walleye you would save many more fish by closing the season in May or June rather than earlier since so many more fish are killed then. This is a topic that will come up from time to time and we will just have to agree to disagree but I think most of us will agree that the fishery on Pool 4 is amazing and showing no signs of decline so the powers that be—along with catch and release—-are doing something right. It doesn’t hurt to bring it up from time to time but I am not sure it changes anyones mind since we all pretty much are set in our beliefs. Now since I know Spring is on the way I better go start getting my gear ready
well doc,
#1 Im sure that you know that ealges are scavanger feeders and only eat dead things or prey they steal because they are the biggest and baddest.
#2 It is funny that you hold the DNR biologists as the know it alls of the earth and then mention asian carp problems because these same Know it all’s are the first ones to tuck their tails and run when you ask them to stop asian carp. There is a misconstrued ideal that the DNR is there to protect nature. Their actual job is to promote the use of natural resources and appropriate funds for their use not their conservation! And as you know if you use your natural resources they diminish.
It is not about closing the season during the walleye spawn. It is about not fishing the spawning areas that are clearly posted and say not to fish there during that period. Or simply put. Not breaking the law.
How did my question on Pool 4 stage prediciton turn into a conservation argument?
All my group cares about is being able to get a boat in to fish and a jerk burger and bloody every day from the Harbor Bar. If anyone can promise me those 3 things I’ll throw back every Pool 4 walleye I catch the rest of my life(we pretty much do anyway).
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well doc,
#1 Im sure that you know that ealges are scavanger feeders and only eat dead things or prey they steal because they are the biggest and baddest.
Only Half truth
http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle3.html
Even though they are fish eaters, they will take ducks and birds or whatever prey is available and easiest to obtain. Bald eagles which live along the coast and on major lakes and rivers feed mainly on fish. Bald eagles fish in both fresh and salt water.
Once an eagle spots a fish swimming or floating near the surface of the water, it approaches its prey in a shallow glide and snatches the fish out of the water with a quick swipe of its talons.
“how did a topic about water flow turn into conservation talk” more or less.
Because the peak of the crest is linked to walleye spawning and many people target these fish.
The truth about bald eagles.
Eagles were refered to as preying on walleyes. So if eagles fish for fish swimming near the surface, what percent of a bald eagle diet is walleyes that generally swim towards the bottom Tom? And we are talking about the pool 4 area.
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I think you all should leave the walleyes alone and switch over to flats and cats.
You basstard! 
We don’t pay for all the stocking of walleyes in MN just to fish for some over grown bullheads!
Jez Tom! I wasn’t holding Dean’s hand in the bait shop with the doors shut! I don’t think! Certainly was short on parking, but I was impressed with how many boats motored up to the docks to stop in, say hi and pick up a scoop.
I’m thinking he just told 
you they were closed and the fish weren’t biting! (I jest)
I think what Doc was getting at was when a person pulls a fish out of the scour hole it generally dies. I think the DNR report said 40% of the deaths happen within 24 hrs. I’d have to look to be exact, but that’s close enough for this purpose. With the scour hole fish being released, they float to the top and our eagle population gets a little heavier.
Either way spring and high water is just around the corner…here’s to hoping for a slow melt so Tom can catch some fish and Herb leaves my cats alone!
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“how did a topic about water flow turn into conservation talk” more or less.
Because the peak of the crest is linked to walleye spawning and many people target these fish.
Yeah, Me and about 600 other boats.
Doc, opening a can of worms? Absolutely, but for bk’s sake. Got to get him every chance I get. He’s quick ya know! I agree with you on scour hole fishing and I’ll leave that one where is sits. But, as for Indian netting and spearing, last I knew it don’t happen on the Miss. River and this thread is about pool 4.
Eagles are fat here in Iowa because we let the pig poo run all winter along with dead pig carcass dumping.
Ever hear of “picking chit with the chickens”?
Lots of bald headed Chickens in these parts.
Asian carp? None of us will have any say in the matter.
Dang, my worm can is empty. bye bye
Hold on, found one hiding in the bottom of the can.
More walleye and sauger are killed every year than will ever be harvested by fishermen due to the fry getting caught in the prop wash turbulence of the tow boats that run the river early in the year. That info comes from one of the river’s best fisheries biologist from Iowa. John –can’t remember his last name.
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