Mississippi River, RedWing MN, Pool 4 Walleye/Sauger Fishing Report

This years spawn has come and gone, every walleye I have taken on the last 2 trips has been spawned out but I have still seen a few sauger with fat bellies. The last 2 times I have been on the river the bite has been very sporadic with a typical post-spawn bite in effect for my boat, on one day, off the next. The bigger fish are on the move right now and their location is constantly changing. You can still find the smaller males around some of the same areas we had during pre-spawn but don’t expect a great number of biters. I’ve not seen one particular presentation being best for me on the last couple of outings. I’ve taken fish on plastics, 3-way rigs/minnows, 3-way’s/ cranks, hair jigs and I have even taken a few long lining wally divers and shad raps in 5’ to 9’ of water. It won’t be long and long lining cranks will be one of the most effective presentations to take good numbers of quality fish. Once those water temps reach the mid 50’s and stay for a period of a couple days the shallower crank bait bite should be very effective on the river and lake.

All of the above applications will put a few fish in the boat on any given day right now. Overall the bite on my 2 trips this week has been slow. This past weekend the hand-liners made a good showing in the tournaments with a couple of good weights coming from the jiggers as well. If you are set up to hand-line, now is the time with the water on the rise. The river is projected to rise from what is was yesterday at 3.5 to 5.4 by this weekend. Of course if we get more rain that will change.

Early last week before a bulk of the fish were done with the spawn we were seeing a fair bite with 13 to 18 nice fish in the 17” to 26” range make it to the boat with some smaller fish as well. Early on last week Darwin Viker spent a day in my boat and wanted to learn more about fishing plastics, as do most people who step on to my rig during the pre-spawn bite. The day started slow but as you can see in the pictures Darwin had a few good fish right from the start. We new we were in the right area as a lot of big pre-spawn females walleyes have come from this area. On this morning the bigger pre-spawn mama’s were there, only problem was the bait got the fish before the fish got the bait, meaning………..both of these fish ended up coming to the boat foul hooked <img src="http://www.in-depthangling.com/forums/lake/images/graemlins/bawling.gif" alt="" />. Myself and customers have foul hooked more fish this pre-spawn than I ever have in years past, not sure why <img src="http://www.in-depthangling.com/forums/lake/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />. But one things for sure, it’s can be really frustrating when you know your on the right spot and you can’t make um bite the right way. Just a side note. I am also seeing other boats foul hook a fair share of fish as well. Just want to remind everyone that it is illegal to keep a foul hooked fish. <img src="http://www.in-depthangling.com/forums/lake/images/graemlins/hah.gif" alt="" /> No one can possibly be that hungry and still own a boat!

The long and slender walleye pictured above was my first big post-spawn mama walleye of the season going just a tad over the 29” mark. I caught this fish mid last week in about 3’ of water on a rip rap section located below a feeder stream that the fish run up in to and spawn. She inhaled a 5”chartreuse pepper K-grub on a 3/16oz jig. I took another 21” and 19” spawned out fish as well in the same spot as well.

I have not been in the dam area the last 2 trips to the river so not much to report on the walleye/sauger bite up that way. I have been spending my time from Everts Resort down to the head of the lake area looking for drop back fish. The river stretch from bay point park to the sewer plant has been the best bite I have seen for numbers of fish with reports of some good ones making it boat side as well. The action is not fast and furious but the fish are there to be had.

From talking to guys staying at Everts Resort the white bass action is really good in the dam area right now. This bite can be really fun and it’s a great way to get the kids in on some action. Lot’s of presentations will take these fish. Minnows, plastics, hair jigs and smaller style blade baits. I can honestly say there hasn’t been an area on the last 2 outings that I could not get one of those white bass to bite while casting K-grubs, ringworms or hair jigs up in to the shallows. They have definitely been on the chew.

That’s all for now. I’ll see ya’ on the river <img src="http://www.in-depthangling.com/forums/lake/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />!