Wapsi walleye

Has anyone done anything on the Wapsi or Cedar so far this spring?

Yo Yankman– Waters been up, dirty and swift !! But the Northern Pike are in their prespawn bite right now. Best thing about this is that you don’t even need a boat to enjoy this!!

I got some real tackle busters the other day !! Find a feeder stream that is 4-8′ deep with mild current. Cast #9 Rapalas

or some kind of swimming bait. Biologically, the fish are moving up stream to spawn and use the feeder creeks to duck the heavy current. Sorry, you had to ask didn’t ya !

Gofish

Kensyl Reading—–EFN ProStaff

Ol’ Miss guide Service

I was at Independence in late Feb when the air temps were in the 60’s and people were catching decent sized eyes and a few hammer-handles in the slackwater to the right of the main dam. Went back two weeks later and the cold snap had turned things off. Mother Nature can be a heartless wench sometimes.

Son Sean fished the cedar last Sun. and caught only one walleye. Fished Backbone,Sny Magil and the Turkey river yesterday and brought home only two trout. He says it’s time to go to the big river…I say I have the explorer cleaned up and on display to sell and move up to a bigger one……..he said give it up and then he put all his gear back in the boat……I said now I’ll have to sell that stuff with the boat……he gets a menacing look and stomps away……..I see alot of his mother in that boy….LOL!!……I think. He is probably right,it’s time to go fishin!

Big B, I feel your sons pain, after having success earlier in the week this weekend trout fishing was tough. Walked one section of a creek for three hours yesterday without a bite until finally finding a hole that produced some trout. Fished about 3 hours today with only one little one to show for my efforts. A couple of more days like this weekend I might be tempted to head for the Mississippi myself.

Need you guys to educate me. Where is Wapsi? What kind of river is it? What are the main species you fish for on Wapsi, etc. Thanks, Bill

Bill, the Wapsipinican River runs from n.central Iowa southeastwards to the Ol’ Miss emptying into it below Clinton, Ia. Since the river flows through farm country I don’t need to tell ya the environmental problems it has, plus the usual flooding associated with river tributaries. That being said it can be a very nice river suitable for canoe, tube, and in places boat. A 14-16′ flat bottom & 25hp is the standard.

Every kind of freshwater fish is in the waters, obviously some species do better than others.

Iowa not being blessed with a Thousand Lakes like some States, has to rely on its tributairy rivers. Iowa has over 18 major feeder rivers running into ether the Missouri or the Miss.

Gofish

Kensyl Reading——–EFN ProStaff

The Wapsi is full of Northern Pike, Walleye, Bass, and Channel cats. The DNR annually stocks thousonds of Northern, Walleye, and Channel cats into this river system. The area of the Wapsi that I use to fish pretty regularly was from Littleton to Troy Mills. There are reports each year of walleye over 30″ coming out this river. This stretch of river is fairly shallow. The best bait I found for fishing the Wapsi was a floating rap of some sort and casting it up shallow and realing it back in. By doing this I never knew which kind of fish I was gonna catch.

kreading, where are you at on the Wapsi? I live in Waterloo but own some land on the Wapsi south of Fairyland near De Witt. In fact, grew up on the Wapsi. Up here (near Independence) the Wapsi is running low and clear which should be good for fishing. Down there it is a completely different river. We can be at normal river levels while you guys are at flood stage! Water temps are still low but things are going to pick up soon. Some of the backwaters, or creeks should be good for northern pike on the lower Wapsi right now. The big pike make their way up the river to spawn and you can take some real pigs in those spots from the lower 3 to 5 miles up from the mouth of the Miss. We’re talking the biggest fish you will see all year, Go get em!

Yo bigdog – I must have read your play book !! You hit the nail on the head !! I fish the Donahue section.

Did ya read my small stream pike post-you should have written it.

GoFish

Kensyl Reading——-EFN ProStaff

Heh Kreading, was on the Wapsi two weeks ago hunting crows in that section. Happy to say that a few more turkey eggs will make it to fruition as a result of our efforts! Could NOT believe how clear the water was. As clear as I have ever seen it. Has got to make you think that a big spinner bait would take some nice sized pike in those slack water areas. Not as big as James’ horse but a 10 would have to be a possibility. Good Luck! If you go turkey hunting this spring don’t forget to throw in the fishing pole.

Crimeny Guy, the river almost looked virgin. Took several nice pike while you where Crow hunt’n on a hand painted 6″

stick bait I made. Now if ya could get rid of a few Raccon, we’ll have to make the Turkey the new state bird !!

wow… the wapsi… clear.. what WILL they think of next? though I guess when I was a kid it wasnt too bad… but then that was before fencerow to fencerow farming… back when there was soooo much grass cover in the fields that northern Iowa was still the BEST place for pheasants… a corn field drive would easily put up a 100+ birds…. geeez…. now I sound like an old timer… and Im not THAT old… but the Wapsi was clean… and the Buffalo was clear perfect riffle pool habitat and FULL of SMB… big ones too… 4-5#ers were NOT unusual….. and the Wapsi was full of northern… and even a few walleye (though stocking would have vastly improved the walleyes!)…. within 10 years it had all changed… the habitat destroyed by intensive agriculture runoff…. populations crashed and that was that… I wonder if the Buffalo will EVER come back to what it once was? it was a wading anglers dream….. beautiful, running through wooded pastures.. and then into bluff country by freemont…. I feared it was all gone forever…..

its good to hear that its clear again… does it stay that way in the summer? I suppose thats too much to ask….

Eyes your living in the past !! The farmers are now taking out their fences!!! Crimeny, they can get 2 more rows in now !!!!!!

I never thought I’d ever thank the guys put’n cable in the ground. Hey, it keeps the farmers from plant’n in the ditches !!!!!!!!!!!!

Gofish