River is high and fast. The main channel was downright dangerous on Friday with the high South winds creating rollers up to 3′ blowing against the fast current. We were in it long enough to spear a couple of waves and then headed back into bussey.
Saturday on 9 was much more pleasant but still ripping current and grass coming down in the main channel. Found bass in the backwaters by rolling spinnerbaits through pads and along weed edges in the running sloughs as well.
So one of my first tripsmout here in Iowa I had a dnr intern give me a talk about invasives, and provide me a sticker. He asked that I put it on the trailer so that future enforcement efforts would know that I was aware of the new regs.
When I visited Sturgeon Bay (WI), the dnr officer talked to me while I was prepping for launch, and gave me a sticker and a reuseable ice pack for transporting fish were I to keep any.
No $5, no harassment, no problems. I applaud their efforts and the spending that Iowa and Wisconsin have out forth. Furthermore, I applaud their initiative in taking responsibility rather than throwing it boaters by way of the regs and using spread of invasive species as a revenue generator.
This Minnesota business is unfortunate, and it would seem that display of the Iowa or Wisconsin sticker could be adequate. Looking at how the three are attacking the problem, which states do you think actually care about invasive species?
Tried to send you a PM but failed to accomplish said objective.
Looks like our annual guysnweekend on 9/10 will be the weekend of the 20th. As always, will trade beers for fishing advice.
It’s good to hear that someone is catching ’em.
We headed to pool 11 on Sunday 8/3 and fished for a few hours. Decent but not spectacular numbers of bass, and a bonus pike and walleye thrown in. The eye was nothing special, probably somewhere in the 18 inch range, he just happened to be dumb enough to follow a swim jig all the way to the boat. Threw back in with a crankbait and pipped him first cast.
Level is about normal for summer pool, but current is very strong. On the plus side, the fish are pretty concentrated once you find ’em, on the minus side, I could use a bigger trolling motor.
Similar story yesterday. Out for a couple hours with 4fish, 2 green, 2 brown bass.
Did everyone quit fishing, or are they all just tight-lipped?
Got out again yesterday for a few hours. Water temp dropped 10+ degrees into the 60’s. I explored some new areas and hit a few old ones. Cold front and high skies made fishing tough. A few smallies and a green bass or two was it for the day.
If the weather steadies, I would expect things to pick up a little. Of course, then it will be time to hit coralville for some crappies.
I’ve seen a lot of snakes this year.
Big snakes.
Creepy snakes.
No me gusta.
Fished the cedar again yesterday. Since I haven’t been up there since the flood I focused North of the edgewood bridge. Based on where the waterskiiers kept running, I had a fair idea there was enough water to float through. That got me about another mile upriver where I put the trolling motor down, flipped the knob to high, and kept heading upriver.
I was alternating throwing a crankbait along rocky shorelines and pitching a jig, the latter whenever I saw a likely looking break that failed to yield a crankbait fish. I caught a handful of smallies in the current, along with two flatheads, one of which I thought was a rock for almost a full 3 minutes, trying to pop the crankbait free. It wasn’t until I got the boat over top of it that the rock started swimming away in that slow, wallowing, “this is my river, stop bothering me” sort of way. Luckily, the crankbait popped free before I had to figure out how to land him, since I was not equipped to handle what I am guessing was a 30+ pound fish. Two carp on the crank, one snagged, the other with the back hook in his mouth, and a funny looking fish also – round head vs a common carp. Not sure what he was (though undoubtedly a junk fish).
Farther upriver I found the entrance to a backwater that held some good largemouth bass in the 2-3 pound range. That was the only flurry of big fish in about 2 miles of banging the shore. Not sure where the big smallies are, but the best ones I found werent much biggere than 12 or 13 inches.
Since the flood, the channel has shifted quite a bit, but once you find it, there is enough depth to run quite a ways, at least up to seminole valley. It’s an awesome time to be out, and some fish are always biting something, somewhere. Get out and enjoy.
Even during normal years with my old boat – 15 foot fish and ski – I cojld never make it more than a half mile or so above the turn at Seminole valley before running out of water. This year, in this boat, I just can’t see wrecking my prop trying. I have gone almost up to the turn with the electric flipping a jig on the west/south bank, which also has a couple of riprap points with current that you should stop and throw a crankbait at.
Since you said there was oil mix sprayed on the motor, does this have idle bleed tubes from the cylinder backs to the carbs? My merc has a clear fuel line going from each cylinder to the carbs for bleeding off excess fuel and oil. One had split at some point, causing a light spray of oil and gas inside the cowling.
If there is a leak in one of them, that will cause rough idle as well.
My boat takes 2-3 feet to float it, and I will put in at mowhawk and fish fromthe quaker railroad bridge to the edgewood bridge no problem. North of the edgewood bridge i put down the electric motor and tilt the prop out of the water.
It is overly paranoid, there is water up there, just not much in places and I don’t want to shell out 400 bucks for a new prop. The cedar just isnt that good of a fishery for me to take big risks.
Still lots of fish to be had in that stretch. If you’ve got a flatbottom, you can go about anywhere.
“New to me” motors get new plugs regardless of anything else. The last motor I bought had car plugs in it, which are too hot for an outboard. I also replace the water pump impeller, unless I trust the person and they’ve maintained it well.
Run a compression check, absolute numbers, unless extremely low, matter less than equality between the cylinders. Hopefully they are within about 5-10% of each other.
If all that checks out, run it with the muffs on using a portable tank with new gas in the driveway. Check the timing, I would be suspicious of that given that it likes to die when you throttle down. Check the spark for each cylinder while you have the cowling off also – I had one bad cylinder of 6 on my current motor and had to replace the trigger.
If everything checks out, then you’ve got 2 of the 3 key ingredients – spark and compression. The only thing left would be to pull the carb(s), disassemble, scrub in a solvent bath, blast out all the little passages with an air compressor, and reassemble with a new gasket kit. Most merc carbs have no adjustments other than replacing the jets, and this motor is old enough that wojld have already been done if needed – not sure about the force line, but may depend whether it is a merc/force or a chrystler/force.
If all that fails, i guess you can learn to live with it while you save up for a replacement, but most people give up on gas engines far too easily when something relatively simple is at fault.
Also, spend the 20 bucks and get a,service manual. It will have all the tests and checkouts, along with wiring harness diagrams, carb diagrams, etc. If you are like me these are invaluable during reassembly.
Good to hear from you all as well. Been fishing whenever work lets me stay around, but lots going on right now.
Most fishing has been 3-4 hour trips to Macbride and Kent park, since they’re both so close to home. Tons of largemouth in both lakes right now. Once summer hit, the fish at kent went deep along the dam, and I forced a few baits into my hands that I hadn’t used a lot. Funny how it works that now they are my main go-to baits now, where the traditional favorites have been resting in the tackle box.
Hit the cedar a few times after smallies, trying to practice up a little. Seems to be working.
Headed on a 3 day trip starting tues after labor day. Not even sure where I’m headed yet, but hoping to whack some smallies. Was thinking green bay, but the guy going with would rather drive less and fish more, so if anyone’s got good advice on a smallie hotspot, please share (Lacrosse?)
I fished it a couple of times when the water was high. Visibility was actually 2-3 ft, which is pretty clear for that lake, even at normal summer level.
Crappies were a bust for me, so i was mostly throwing a spinnerbait, picking up an odd bass here and there. That said, i was north of macbride spillway amd hadn’t gassed up the boat, so i didn’t run much.
With the high water everywhere, i have mostly been fishing macbride and kent park, both of which have been giving up some decent bass. Clouds and wind are your friends, otherwise the fish go deep and slow down. A lizard on a carolina rig will still pull some out if that’s the case.
I used to eat fish when I could catch them due to my limited time on the water, but the overtly self-righteous preachy discourse about how one guy can ruin a fishery from Itasca to the Louisiana Delta has really had an impact on me.
These days, even being a Catholic during lent, I choose to eat vegetarian on Fridays. Just for good measure I go to the local Hy Vee and purchase fish to release back in the system. Last week, a box of Van De Kamp’s fish sticks were set free here in North-central Iowa while I ate cream cheese stuffed portabella heads, establishing me as the new ethical standard by which me and those of like mind are passing judgement on the remainder of you. Please note that when I say, “those of like mind” my unconcealed need for superiority drives me to push the frontier of ethical purity to the point where none can match my clearly superior state of enlightenment.
Even when I do go fishing, I tend to protect the resource by not catching fish. The critical element supporting my protection of the resource is that I sit on the best spot with the Humminbird lit from top to bottom, not catching a thing while others are prevented from getting to the “spot on a spot” due to my excellent blocking and boat handling skills.
At times, I’ll cut unnecessarily close to someone who’s anchored or cruising the shoreline flipping and casting. While they seem heavily annoyed by this, my keen understanding of what’s best for everyone allows me to maintain an inflated sense of righteousness and pride, knowing that by costing him (or her) a successful outing, I have likely spared a heavy toll on what is clearly a limited resource.
Although I do try not to twist the knife of their inferiority too much, saying things like “you’re within your legal right” and all, it’s a little irresistible at times, and I have to exercise a little more self control. This is clearly a skill I’ve mastered having not eaten a walleye in many, many years despite their tasty deliciousness. Further evidence is the subtlety with which I jab at people, rather than just coming out and saying, “I’m better than you, and I’m judging you… harshly.”
Usually after stating that what you’re doing is perfectly legal, I’ll pick up a pay phone (yes they still exist) and anonymously ring the Dept of Homeland Security with a hot tip. I suspect that being wired to a polygraph under the spotlight in a vault is a nearly ideal environment to reconsider your transgressions against our precious natural resources, and if you’ve done nothing wrong then you clearly have nothing to worry about and should just be OK with this. One day you’ll be thanking me in your dreams for aiding in your cultivation toward a higher state of being.
I’ll post some release photos next week, when I plan to introduce a dozen or so filet-o-fish sandwiches with cheese into the local ecosystem.
Peace out, yo.
(as much peace as you can have, at least, knowing that your feeble attempts to reach the new ethical standards established by… well… me, will only result in failure)
P.S. If this doesn’t get deleted, I’m hoping to win a “post of the year” award.
I was starting to wonder why nobody was fishing. I went out on MacBride Saturday for a bit. ~5-6″ around the main ramp. Didn’t venture out on the North or South arms.
Thanks to all who replied, especially you Brian, since wherever I go, I expect you to show up and provide the entertainment. I’ll throw a few small (~4lb) channel cats in the rear livewell and you can drop a line in there while the rest of us are chasing bronzebacks.
With my girl graduating from HS the last weekend in May, I’m guessing I’m looking at departure no earlier than 11 June. Would Chequamegon bay be far enough behind Door county that the fish would still be pre-spawn?
After all the replies, I’m thinking Chequamegon bay, with Round lake mixed in if the weather doesn’t cooperate with big water fishing. If the third week of June is “too late” for primetime, maybe I’ll have to rethink this whole plan.
Macbride has some thin spots too where springs keep the ice soft – the one I encountered was near the marina on the North arm. Pretty miserable experience going through, fortunately it was only waist deep.
Around the main ramp I’ve never had any problems.
Headed out on Coralville yesterday in search of some crappies. The fish still seem a bit scattered, not sure I was in the best area, but there were a few around. Size was good, which surprised me since most of the people doing well with numbers are saying they’re short. Still not gangbusters by any stretch.
Water temp is finally dropping, sitting around 52 degrees give or take. The guys pulling out next to me had two walleyes, one of which was a hog @ 6+ lbs. There must be a fair number of them in the res this year, since it seems like every time I’m out someone hits one.
Last I was on the lake a couple of weeks ago, baitfish were starting to push up on the shallow flats in the bays and creek arms. Bass were right behind them.
I’d start with a white spinnerbait or rattletrap and see where it takes you.
If MacBride is lousy, the crappies are starting to bite on Coralville. That’s where I’ve been hanging out.
There are 6 public ramps on MacBride – which one you want to use will depend mostly on what you’re after.
I’d say that 90% of the time I go there I’m just bass fishing and use the North ramp – on the road from Solon to the park, you’ll see a boat ramp sign pointing to your left before you pass the clubhouse at the golf course. This time of year, if there’s cloud cover, either of the bays flanking the boat ramp should have baitfish moving in and the bass will be following them.
Crappies: main ramp – enter the park, I think the sequence is left at the first “T” and right at the second. There will be signs marking it. I’ll warn you that I’ve had lousy luck on the specks there the last year or so, but that could be my willingness to abandon it and fish for bass.
If your heart’s set on fishing the South arm, you have to go through Solon and past the high school, across the causeway and take an immediate right turn. I’d say the ramp’s about a half mile down that road. I’ve had a handful of good days around the causeway when the fish are deep, but that’s not where I’d be looking with the dropping temperatures. There’s a creek arm on the other side of the ramp that’s always looked interesting, but I’ve wasted enough time in there that I don’t spend much time on it now.
I’ve been told that walleye fishing is good in the North arm also, but walleye fishing has always been so hit or miss for me that I don’t really chase them much (at least not at MacBride).
Can’t think of any shallow/danger areas… at least during open water season. You’ll want to keep an eye out for sasquatches, though.
Well, the Coralville bite never really materialized. I caught a few, though the ones I picked up were very nice – 13″ plus – but no ‘fish every cast’ like we usually get during the spawn.
I blame the fact that I’m fishing when I can, instead of skipping out on work. I mean really, where are my priorities at???
We’ve fished Coralville twice since then also – still no crappie bite. I’m convinced they’re in there, just not so much on the aggressive bite.
Water temp @ Coralville is starting to get into the upper 60’s and low 70’s – should be a crappie beat-down any day now, but it seems I may have lost the ability to catch ’em.
I made something very similar to the cleat on a board above. I cut the notch from the far end, though, so that it runs about half the length of the board, and also just glued down L-shaped holders for the cord so that I could space them a little farther apart – didn’t want to “overbend” the cord, especially when it was cold, just to keep from overstressing the wiring and causing an intermittent break.
The other thing I did was to take a file and round all the edges so that they wouldn’t wear on the camera cord so badly. Then I doused the whole thing in a heavy oil-based paint (think it was some leftover rustoleum from another project).
Seems to work as well as anything I ever expected. Total cost: free if you have a scrap 1×4 piece sitting around.
Thanks to you and all the Rockin’ Individuals from IDO.
My plan is to have a terrific day @ work followed by some sunshine, a beach, and a beer (or two). Hope the weather is supportive of such a plan.
We camped at Massey Saturday night and hung out @ the beach most of Saturday. Fished a little bit in the late afternoon, but I think the flow must’ve been pretty high, since most of the spots where people directed us seemed to have a little too much current.
I did end up picking up one walleye on the way back to the dock (in fact, like 15 feet from the dock, making the other 15 miles of river we covered seem, well, rather rediculous). Regardless, it was an absolutely awesome day to be out, and a good time was had by all.
I was out with Robert on Sunday from about 3 till 7 right below the dam in Dubuque. Our adventure was dry, but regrettably walleye free. We tried cranking and casting jigs to wingdams on the main channel, trolling in both the main and back channels, and finally called it quits and started pitching laydowns for bass.
For some reason, I just suck at catching walleyes. Bass I can catch pretty well most of the time. I just don’t have the knack, I guess. I think I’ll spend some time this summer trying to learn the Dubuque area, though, since it’s probably the closest/easiest to get to from home.
I was out a couple weeks ago on the S arm with similar results. There is a point just west of the handicapped pier where the “lake” side of the point drops into about 12 ft pretty quickly, while the point itself and the cove behind it are relatively shallow. Bass were in there sitting underneath giant balls of baitfish and every few minutes they would come 1-2ft out of the water while smashing bait on the surface.
I found a spook type walk the dog bait to be effective when they were up top, and a deep diving crankbait on the lake side of the point to be the ticket when they weren’t actively smashing minnows.
Tons of 12-16″ fish in MacBride right now. This summer has been nothing short of spectacular.
It actually does come with a cajun accent that is about to drive my wife insane.
The outboard is actually an interesting story. It’s a Mercury 125xs. I figured it could use a little tune-up, and stopped by the merc dealer here in town, who was unable to find any record of a 125 being manufactured by merc within 10 years of the supposed date of this one. When I got home, I looked up the serial number and punched it into the merc website, which just lists it as “2.4L V6.”
It’s plenty fast in comparison to the old boat, that’s for sure. Idles a bit rough, but like I said, hopefully a new set of plugs and a little tune up will improve that.
As far as my reputation goes, I’ve pretty much settled into spending 90% of my time bass fishing or panfishing with the kids. Given where I live and the distance I’m willing to travel on a weekend morning, that pretty much makes me a bass fisherman by day and a grand chaser of the Mashwarohn (cajun for ‘catfish’) at night.
