After seeing a little slow down with the warmer weather, the sudden drop in water and air temps as got the fish going pretty darn good right now on pool 5. Most people are getting a lot of good eaters right now with a few quality fish thrown in.
The higher flows this week has concentrated the fish a little more making high number catches coming each day. My trip on Sunday was very good. We boated over 50 fish. Keep in mind a lot of these fish were bait size but sure kept a person waiting for the big one. The biggest key for me this day to get the eaters was to work one spot with kicker motor over and over. If you work one spot like this you eventually will get the little ones cleaned out or the bigger one ticked off to bite. I worked a three-way with a 4 oz. sinker with a 5’ leader to yellow chartreuse rattlin’ rogue. I worked a current seam that in front of the dam that went from 24’ up to 15’. I slid up and down this hump and produced most of good fish 18’. As soon as the saugers dipped in action I knew we were ready for a good fish. It worked like clock work. One other thing that played a major role for me this day was to hold my rod while doing this. My weight was heavy enough to almost jig vertical however I kept just a slight angle on it and pumped the rod forward. Most of the hits came on the drop back. If we sat the rod in the rod holder the action of the Rogue just didn’t do it. I think with the pulsating of the rod made the rogue rattle just a little more creating strikes. Next time you in a heavy current near the dam and find a hump check it out you might be surprised what you find. That hump will act as a current break and create a seam. Don’t get me wrong a lot of other techniques are working for guys down here. Blade baits have been the most common followed right be hind Fisherflick jigs tipped with minnows. Most people that have used these Fisherflicks have become really impressed with the sensitivity these have.
Other areas that are still producing have been the side cuts. Usually I have seen these areas dip a little this time of year and find the dam area and wing dams to be more productive-not the case this year. We are still finding out biggest fish in these areas. Like the picture of Ted Kadzie from Illnois. He boated this fish with us. Nice fish Ted and great realease. Ted nailed this fish while trolling cranks through one of our favorite side cuts. Trolling speeds have been slow anywhere from 1.1-1.5. Working the mouth and the bottom end of the cuts are what is working for us.
Another hot items on pool 5 right now have been the smallmouth and largemouth. I am not a “BIG” smallie guy but sure have running into a lot on a few sandflats and wingdams. Not small one either. Most have in the 17-19 inch size. Hair and Kalin tails are taking all the credit for these. The last picture is a fish my ol man got just before evening in front of a wingdam on Fisherflick and minnow.
Lastly the Main Channel bait store is moving. Not more nasty parking! The store is moving back to it old location on the south end of town right across from the landing. I hope this will benefit all of us. I will be up on pool 4 this next week so if you see stop and say HI.
Does anyone else fish this pool? We would like to know what you think about this area.
Tell your dad a big congrats from all of us here on the move. His old location and shop was good. That new location is PRIME!
Yes, the move will give people easy parking right there. Very nice and smart move Lee. Thanks for the report Jarred. I really like reading reports on pool 5 as its a very fun pool to fish and not crowded.
Thanks, Bill
Tell Lee I said good luck with the move. I just might see you in a couple of weeks. I’m planning a trip up your way. I’ll give you a call. By the way, nice report.
I fish Pool 5 between six and ten times a year for mostly largemouth and smallmouth bass. Growing up I used to fish Pool 5 and lower Pool 4 both days on the weekends for April through October. It’s a great fishery and I like it a lot.
For instance we had one day on Pool 5 where we caught 92 bass in 2.5 hours between 13 and 19 inches. The bass were still biting extremely well, but we decided to go try for some walleye. Casting many different crank baits on the wing dams didn’t produce a willing walleye in the remaining 3.5 hours. Though the smaller smallies and largemouth were out on the wing dams.
I haven’t focused much on walleye since I don’t use live bait. I catch them in the spring in May (especially on lower Pool 4 near Alma), but I’ve never taken the time to learn their seasonal patterns after that. It’s very tough to get my fishing partners to try something different when they know we can catch bass.
I saw you fishing by yourself in mid October on Pool 5. I couldn’t believe the number of people fishing that day. About 2-3 times as many fishing boats as what I see during the spring and summer.
Hey Osprey,
Pool 5 is defintely good for smallies. Next time you see me stop and say hi and if I don’t have anyone with me feel free to jump in the boat.
My younger brother would say I was fishing with all my friends that day
Hey Flick,
Waterfowler and I are going to be on Pool 4 tomorrow morning, I will keep my eyes open for you. We will be in Waterfowler’s Crestliner not my Ranger.
I am hoping to get enough pictures taken to fill out that camera with the big cat on it. If I don’t I will take it in and get it developed next week and put on a disk so I can get them posted here….it has only been a month….and a half.
Great report Jarrad! I’ll have to give the sidecuts a try down here the next time out!
John
Bought bait from your dad on Thursday, and I gotta say guys, the new/old location is the handiest bait stop one could ever make. Pull off the road right into a very trailer friendly parking lot, get a quick report along with bait from Lee, then it’s just about 100 yards to the right turn to the boat launch.
Flick,
Stoped in the new store yesterday. What an improvement, lots of space and parking. You guys are going to like it!
PS The bass fishing is still good!
Hey flick nice report. Catch you here in Chicago via CLF.
Pool 5 is a favorite for me. My bro had a hockey gig at Winona State (15 years ago)
. Between the partying and all night ice fishing, I have to say it was a good time.
Loved the fishing from trempeleau up, especially the backwaters near 5A. Loved the wingdams, one of my favorite places to fish. Dam always produced.
What I dont get is the 4oz sinker comment. That is some mighty weight. You would know I figure, seems kinda heavy though.
Keep up the good work.
Welcome to the site. Please feel free to post all you want.
Thanks, Bill
M komo,
Welcome to the site.
Why so much weight?
Well, there are a couple things that I was doing. First thing was I was working the rod in hand and concentrating on one spot. Using that much weight put me in the zone while I let the kicker do all the work. I can have the rap just below me while watching the structure just below me. I can be in the zone all the time. Another reason I had so much weight is I kind of use my three ways like handlining. I don’t actually let them hit bottom all the time but use the rod in a chugging way just like the handliners do. The smithwick rattlin rogues also get a good rattle to them when you chug them. Triggers alot more bites that way. When I am done with my spot on spot I then can just turn and go out and work the three ways in deeper water like most people do. I hope I didn’t confuse you more.
Jarrad:
What are you up to this weekend?
Mark