Who said you need to spend Valentines Day with your Honey? 
I spent late Tuesday afternoon and early evening chasing some saugers and walleyes in Mike Westman’s (Mike W.) boat down on Pool 2. Our mission was to scout out of few wing-dams during the daylight and come back at night and try to pull some piggies off of them. Our selected presentation and weapon of choice was to anchor and pitch B FISH N’s 4" Ringworrm to our pre-scouted wing dams. We figured we would hit the water Tuesday before the really COLD weather sets in for awhile. We put in at the 494 Ramp and this ramp was ice free and in great shape. We later found out, we were the only ones dumb/smart (you pick) to be out there Valentines night. 
After scouting out a few wingies for later in the evening, it was decided to drift the channel edges looking for some saugers until dark. Well this proved to be our best decision of the night. 
Cause boy did we get into some nice ones. In the first picture here Mike is holding one that taped out just shy of 22”. I think about a half dozen saugers came to the boat in the 20-22” range. It seemed that this size range of fish was not quite as “chunky” as the 18-19” suagers we were catching, but very nice none the less. The odd thing was, we were probably catching as many walleyes as we were saugers. The walleyes that were coming to the boat were ranging in the 15-20” mark. All the fish were very decent and I think the smallest sauger we had was 16”. We were vertically jigging jigs tipped with BFN’s 4” Ringworms. They key to catching these fish, was staying in contact with the bottom vertically. Then we would just lift the jig slightly off the bottom, holding the jig still and wait for the train…. Huh, you ask? When most of these fish hit, they hit it like a freight train. 
I told Mike on one fish, that I think it had a 6 mile head start before hammering my offering. As you can see in the third picture, this sauger had totally inhaled my jig and 4” ringworm. If we did not get bit, we would drop the jig back down to re-establish bottom and bring it slightly off the bottom again. We would repeat this process through out our drift. Our original target depth to drift, was 12-18 feet. We found out that these fish were holding in 16-22 feet with most fish coming on the deeper side of that range. Live Bait stores can keep their live bait for vertically jigging these fish on the river at this time of year through Spring. I’m definitely hooked on these B FISH N plastics. No worry about keeping these things alive and man do the eyes and saugers love to absolutely crush these baits.
Well dark quickly came and we had to stop jigging the river channel and head to our pre-scouted wing dams. The afternoon weather was pretty decent but once the sun went down, the wind picked up and made things quite difficult to see wing dams and a little harsh on the exposed skin. These fish on the wingdams seemed to be even harsher to us. As we worked numerous wing dams, we could not either find a productive one or perhaps we were not pitching what they wanted to eat? We fished until about 8 pm and decided to call it quits and try another day.
Here in the last is picture, is what was working for us on the late afternoon walleyes and saugers. These 4” ringworms on a chartreuse or black jig head seemed to be what the fish were chomping on the best. Another note, there was some awfully big ice chunks and ice chunks in general out there. The best plan is to take it slow and be extremely cautious if navigating the river, especially so at night. I hope once this weather turns to the warm side again, I can get back down to Pool 2 again. I’m still fairly new to this fishery and have a ton to learn about it, but it continues to impresses me. 
I had another awesome time on the water with you Mike, thanks again. Mike and I were laughing in the dark because the scene was awfully familiar. The temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, out on the water with a full moon rising, and catching walleyes. Let’s just say it brought back some fond Fall memories of the Mille Lacs full moon bite we experienced only a few months prior. It was just too bad the “BIG GIRLS” did not cooperate to make it complete. 
**If you are looking to order some of these Ringworms or other plastics from B Fish N, click on the red text above in my report for their website.**
Until next time, be safe and have fun! 
*CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE*
A 19″ walleye that decided to get his picture taken
Nice report Rob! I’m definetly looking forward to March
and spending quality time on 2, 3, and 4.
dd
Thanks for the report boys!
I remember the days when late Feb or early March would bring a huge push of SUMO saugers in the popular jigging holes….That time is right around the corner.
Looks like I may opt for waiting until next week to get out due to the cold weather coming in this weekend. Thanks for the good read guys! C’mon spring!
Nice report, Rob! Looks like you guys had a blast.
John
Awesome Report Rob
As soon as we can get into the upper 20’s again, I need to get out on the open water on Pools 7-9. I sure hope they are as willing down here as they were up there
That was fun Rob. You are right. With the way those fish crush the plastics it does not take to long for a guy to switch over. Not haveing to dip your hands in the minnow bucket is great also.
Cant wait to get back down there myself. Even thought about heading out today but the winds did not look to apealing.
The wind sure did not help our pitching efforts that night. Trying to pitch light jigs in the wind just does not match up to well. It gets a little tough to feel bottom contact when you have that bow in your line.
Hopefully it warms back up again a little faster than what they are predicting. Other wise mid 20’s and light winds might find me back out there.
Great report Rob, those are some dandy sized saugers you dudes found
In the second picture of the report someone has a very red nose. Are we drinking schnapps to stay warm???
Nice report!
Great report and pictures Rob!!
Very enjoyable read!!
Nice report Rob…but those are some funny looking deer!
I’m looking forward to getting some time in on pool 5 soon! 
Rob. Where you hiding tyhe schnapps from me. I was wondering how you where staying so warm out the way you where dressed. No hording the schnapps on the next trip.
Awesome report Rob…very informative with nice pics…
I will be paying “homage”
to Pool 4 before the end of March. Hope to see ya on the water. We’ll probably still need the Schnapps then! 
I look outside at building snow drifts and zero temps and can’t wait to hear that big Yammy hummm me up the river!
Yes it was a great being out on the open water again. Think I will stay home today and do other things though
What!!! You’re not going out today? Wimps!!!!
Dartman, actually we did see some deer and a stand or two. Seems to be a lot of deer hanging around that strip.
Martin, if I went out there today my nose would probably fall off
Have you found any sheds? I haven’t even been out yet!
Starting to think about getting the boat out…but I think I’ll wait until this cold snap passes!
Nice report and you are one tough guy go go out fishing in Feb. Have one question for you and any one that may know, I live in Hastings, and has anyone fished for Walleyes South of Prescott on the MISS.Between where the St.Croix comes in and downstream? There are some dams and rocky areas down river on the WI side??? I never hear much about this area, No Fish or a well kept secret??
Theres just no fish down there.
There are a few guys that fish down that way. They do get some fish also.
Dartman, I have only found one shed with my buddy while we were making the last bow drive of the year in ND. That was January 8th. I have been out for a total of about 15 hours with no luck. Just one dead deer that had been arrowed.
Old Hastings Guy. I have not fished down there, but Brian K., Chirs Tuckner, Ritt14, Corey (Wallerbass), might be a few guys that could chime in and give some insight. I know they fish Pools 3, 4 and the Croix. So, they probably know the area you are talking about.
Good luck.
Lip Ripper, My nose did fall off when I ran my dog at 6:00AM
Thats what a few of us guys are planning on finding out. And hopefully soon. It seems that 3 just doesn’t get the attention that 2 and 4 do. Or it could be a well kept secret. I know Chris Tuckner fishes it a lot in the summer.
dd
Pool 3 doesn’t get near as much attention as Pool 2 and Pool 4 in the winter and early spring for a couple of reasons.
1. The Hasting ramp and the Prescott ramp are often iced up when the 494 ramp on Pool 2 and Everts on Pool 4 are wide open. The waste water treatment plant on Pool 2 and the nuke power plant just upstream of dam #3 contributes to this. There are no big, warm water discharges to help keep the Pool 3 ramps open.
2. The stretch of Pool 3 from the confluence with the St. Croix to the Hastings dam (dam #2) follows the MN inland water rules which means it’s closed to walleye and sauger fishing from the end of February until the regular season opens in early May. That mean the few miles below the Hasting dam that a lot of people would like to fish is not open to walleye/sauger fishing. You can still fish white bass there I suppose. Pool 2 is open to full year fishing due to the 100% catch and release rules for walleye/sauger/LM/SM.
I have tried on more than a couple of occasions to find walleyes and saugers downstream of Prescott in February and March but have not had any success. When I tried, I’ve been the only boat out trying these areas. I was fishing during the day so if it was a night bite, I would have missed it. I’ve just got to believe fish are there. I just think most people would prefer to drive the extra 20 minutes to Everts for better, more consistent fishing.
Boone
Hastings Guy, I lived down south of town for a few years and spent a ton of time out there. The biggest thing I can say is you need the water to hit 50-55 degrees till your usually areas start seeing fish agian. And with the Croix dumping cooler water in there it usually take longer than other areas. If you do the homework and spend the time you will find a pattern. My biggest eye last year came from P3 in the begining of april. There is a lot of water that warms quick down there and if you can find the right conditions with the water temp in your favor you may hit the jackpot. I will tell you if you find concentrations of white bass the eyes are not far away and a bonus pike will usually end up in the mix
Usually rattle raps work best to cover ground and find some active fish but plastics are what will put big fish in the boat. Hope that helps a little.