After being gone for almost two weeks fishing the RCL on the Illinois River( finsihed 10th) it finally felt good to get back on the Mississippi River. I do realize how spoiled we are having such a good walleye fishery from pools 4 and 5.
Two different presentations have been working for me this past week, three way cranking and Hair. Both pools have put numbers in the boat but no major pigs,YET!. This first picture is I with a walleye I took on a fisherflick jig just after sundown on pool 5. The best presentation for me this week on pool 5 has been working sand flat with deep water next to them under low light conditions. During the middle of the day I have shifted off the main channel to side cuts to find some of my better fish. The fish off the main channel have been running in the 20"-22" size. Throwing hair on the side cuts has been the best presentation. I have had lot of good numbers with this presentation. Cranking the main channel has been very good also. The only thing with pool 5 is that every thing is been changing every day. With the fluctuations on the dam fish have been moving constantly. Trolling has been the best and fastest way to locate their new locations. Once locations have been found I have been anchoring up and throwing hair.
My other go to presentation this week has been pulling three way and cranks in 18-22′ of water. Firetiger and clown #9’s and #7’s have been the best bait. Keep in mind when pulling cranks one need to find the right program for pulling cranks. What I mean by this is sometimes one needs to adjust either the leader of the dropper to be successful and consistent. This is something I learned while I fished the RCL on the Illinois River and guiding this past week. Have you ever been pulling cranks and one rod seems to keep catching all the fish? What one has to do is start adjusting all the leaders or dropper to make all rods start popping. My client, Kelly Rotgers had that happen this past week up on pool 4. She managed to kick all the guys but because she had the right rod with the right program. Before I could get all the rods switched over she had her 6 fish in the boat. Nice job Kelly, just don’t rub this into your husband too much. She also had two of the biggest fish for the day.
During the RCL pre-fish I kept having the same rod go off. In pre-fishing I had all my rods set up with different dropper lengths, weight and Sizes. By the time the tournament was in its third day I had my program dialed in. Letting me finish with a 10th place finish and $6,000 for the wife of course. On the fourth day my program totally changed I didn’t figure it out till it was too late in the day.
As far as smallies the smallie are in great shape right now. A lot of 3lb smallies are coming to the boat for us plus some additional 5 pounders. Here is Dylan latest report for smallie on pools 4 and 5.
Nice report Jarrad. Congrats on your 10th place finish. Let me know when your going to sell your new boat. Buy that time, I’ll be looking for one. Good luck on the RCL this year.
Hey Jarrad nice report.
Hopefully things are going strong in a few weeks 
Always enjoy the pics…
Tight lines…
good report Jarrad, and congrats in Illinois, and best of luck at Erie. Jack.
Hey you forgot to mention the worm bite
Very nice report of pool 5 on the walleyes and the smallies.
Hey Gang:
We were lucky enough to put together an almost non-weather related evening with the hair bite king Friday night. In the three years that I have fished with Jarrad, we have endured 30 mph gusts from the south making boat control ridiculous even for the veteran that Jarrad is. Last year the river decided to come up 3′ the day we got there and even this year as we drove into Alma from the south, I knew Jarrad would be sitting in the parking lot with a big s^#%-eating grin waiting to give it to me as a good t-storm rolled through. After that though, it was a great evening as the temps remained mild, there was virtually no wind and the fish bit!!! Unfortunately, while we able to find four keepers, we were entertained by many species caught by myself and lots of smaller walleye and sauger caught by Jarrad and Carl.
They didn’t bite as well on Saturday night, but we still found some them. Here’s the master with a non-bottom feeding species from Friday. I bet Flick will get a kick outta this!!!
Jarrad:
Cullyfish got another one on Saturday night without a worm!!!
In the pic with Jarrad, there is proof that Jarrad was using hair. His father at the Main Channel treated us well both nights and has a great selection of baits to use including his Fisherflick jigs. Here is my ugly mug with a species other than a catfish, mooneye, sheepie, northern, small walleye or sauger that I managed to get Friday night!!! This 16″ walleye pounded a 5″ firecracker K-grub in about 7′ of water. I am off the schneid!!! Jarrad, Carl was asking me when I was going to set the hook on this one!!!
If you have time and you can hook up with any of the Flicks in Alma, get it done. Jarrad has been great in the boat and get him when he isn’t finding a way to become one of the best on the RCL!!! Good job in Ill. and good luck next week on Lake Erie!!!
Mark
Nice report and pic’s Jarrad.
All right cullyfish!! I didn’t want have to go there but you asked for it. Carl had the hot hand on Friday afternoon catching fish on almost every cast. Nothing huge be he was on fire. The only thing was is Carl snuck a can of night crawlers in the boat. While I wasn’t looking he would bait is Fisherflick jig with 1/2 a crawler.He even got to dirty up the carpet.
By the time I figured out what he was doing he was about out of the worms. Do you think he would share?? HMMM!
As far as the weather Mark. I knew you guys were getting closer to the landing every second. First the day was in great shape and then as Mark and Carl started making their trip to the landing the weather seemed to get worse. I was thinking not another night of 30+ Mph winds and three years in a row, again
. But it cleared up and we had a blast. I could of stayed out there forever that night.
Mark, you are definetly the rough fish king.
Carl and I were so glad you could clear all the rough fish out for us.
Keep in touch guys.
Almost forgot..Mark is the turtle catching king
jarrad:
I forgot about that damn thing!!!
It is too bad that you had to get back up at 3:30 a.m. to get up to that other pool and catch all those walleyes for that gal the next day. I am sure we could have kept Carl out there a lot longer, night owl that he is!!! Oh yea, I got up at 3:30 to hunt turkeys the next morning. Great story there I’ll relate to you another time.
Your dad was really funny in the shop the next talking about you catching all those walleyes in your boat.
Mark