What can you do with 60 degree weather in February-? Find fish and have fun! Now, these fish aren’t huge, but being the only boat on the water, watching the eagles soar, and catching walleye’s proves to be a most memorable time on the water!
Finding the fish, we kept it simple, for us it was a deep hole. We started fishing at the beginning of the drop off, no fish- slipped down a bit, and boom. The fish are stacked! The majority of the fish are in the 12"-17" range, with the occasional larger fish. We didn’t tie into any pigs, but I had so much fun catching the little guys, I didn’t care. I have never in my life, caught walleyes cast after cast, even though they are small, I don’t know who wouldn’t find this to be a good time.
The three baits that were consistent, BFT ringworms, darker colors, Jigging shad raps and fuzz e grubs. Now, everyone knows that ice fishing is my passion, so what was I doing-? Vertical jigging a jiggin’ shad rap below the lx-5, and watching the fish hit! Just like through the ice, minus the ice! Fun Fun Fun!
I love seeing the smaller walleye’s. This is showing me that this river system is doing well. And more importantly, they will grow into pigs like this. This fish was caught earlier last year and released, but from the same area. They grow up!
This outing was truly a wonderful time on the water!
Small river walleye’s are on the feed Iowa guy’s! Time to get out the boats, and have a blast!
Good Luck, and we’ll see you on the water!
Nice report Luke. Had to be a blast!
–Whitey
That looks similar to the Vermillion up here.
Nice report!
Tuck
could not agree more on the bite and the weather. took off yesterday afternoon headed to everets to see dean and cought some nice fish. what a great day!!!
Here on the Cedar I have been catchin’ alot of males from 15″ to 19″… good year class of these fish! I have been catching them in 3 foot of water! These fish are up on a known spawning ground..no females yet! With this cold front it should push them back alittle deeper..but not for long!
These guys I believe are getting ready to spawn so if I was to fish the big river…I would be shallow 5-9′!
That’s a good lookin guy in the green jacket there, eh?
I had a lot of fun catching those walleyes, especially on the jigging raps!
Wish we could do it again, but the weather is not looking good. We’ll just have to see. Maybe Sunday.
Andy- I see three (3) “good looking’s” in that photo-
1) The IDA hat
2) The BFT ringy
3) The walleye…
I do not see a fourth…
…..
…..
I suppose you’re right
Great report Luke,does the Waspi hold smallies also? Gramps was telling me about a shallow river down your way that holds alot of smallies?? What is a deep spot for the Waspi and does it ever freeze over?
Great job on the reports Luke.
Ryan Hale
smallies….
is that a type of fish?
Um…15 feet is a DEEP hole, majority of the river will bust your prop big time…I have heard of deeper holes, but I haven’t found any yet. The freezing over…that is a good question, I am going to give that a look next year..
Don’t you guys have jobs? If you do are they hiring, I need more time off!
Nice fish guys, the big girls can’t be far away.
Ryan, the wapsi holds alot of numbers of smallies and quite a few dandies too, in the past 6 pounds is the biggest i’ve heard of. I know the dnr here has been stocking walleyes in the wapsi and the Maquoqueta river for some years now and they have been doing good. If your after walleyes in the wapsi theres a good chance you’ll get anywhere from 3 to 5 pounders and up with the occasional bigger guys. The wapsi and the maquoqueta are both very good rivers for descent size and quantities of both walleyes and smallies. Both are hard to beat in those out of the way holes from a canoe. i’ve heard from reliable sources of walleyes up to 13 pounds coming from the Wapsi over the years, a guys just got to find the holes around with gravel bars in the area and fish as much as he can, thier in there too.
Dave,…work? Is that fishing related..?
Yes, I work, but fortunately I have a very slow time in the winter, so that allows me to fish a lot!
Just for fun, if you guys go to Iowa DNR fish pictures
There is one from the wapsi and two from the Maquoketa in the photos-(walleyes)
Some BIG fish, for anywhere, but especially for small river systems in Iowa!
the wapsi holds more smallies than anywhere i’ve fished. many willing small ones w/ a lot of 15-19 inchers to write home about. i love that everyone who fishes smallies is so catch and release oriented. keep it up and hit one of the many public boat ramps on the wapsi. andy
Luke,when you going to make it up and fish with Dad and I??
Cole “Kid” Hale
Hey Cole- I don’t know yet- It looks like I might have fishable ice by tuesday…maybe. I need to make two more trips to mille lacs, hopefully. We’ll see what happens, keep in touch, don’t catch them all!