Mississippi River Pool 4 2/19/07

By Eric Rehberg 0

After a long break from fishing the river I finally got back out in full force this weekend, and made the best of it. Which ended up very nice. The warmer weather they forcasted was much appreciated and the fish decided to responed to it very well also.

I spent my day on Saturday with a good buddy and his dad, Jim and Jason B. We started out the afternoon pitching B-Fish-N blades to sand flats and rocky shorelines with not much to show for our efforts. About 1 hour before dark we decided to switch it up and start dragging some ringworms. We were targeting that 8 to 15 FOW and using a 1/8 oz. and 3/32 precision head tipped with mostly purple chartreuse and fire cracker chartreuse tail ringies. We ended the day with 9 keepers but no big fish to show for the day. Sunday brought us a little warmer temps. and no wind. We spent our day the same as yesterday. We were pitching blades and dragging ringworms. The morning bite was a short lasted bite but it proved to be worth it with Jason B. landing this beautiful 27" 9 lbs. 13oz pig. That was caught on a firetiger blade. We spent the late afternoon dragging ringworms again and ended up with about 20 walleyes and saugers making it to the boat. 2 of them are pictured here.

We found ourselfs in search of a big fish on Monday. We spent most of our morning and mid afternoon pitching blades and ringworms with not much to show for that. During the morning and afternoon we spent a fair amout of time looking at the aqua view. In most places that we looked we say a fair amout of walleyes and saugers but we just couldn’t get them to bite. So we just keeped with it knowing that they had to feed sometime. When we stoped back at Evert’s for a mid afternoon break we found fishing buddy Roy at the dock looking for someone to take his picture. I was pleased to take one of this PIG that went 28" and 10 lbs. 13 oz.

From about 3:00 up until dark we decided to target the areas that we saw the most fish in on the aqua view. I spent this afternoon with Jim B. and Dean. We started off pitching blades again with only a few fish to show for it. We dropped the aqua view down again and saw that most of the fish were up off the bottom about 2 feet. That told us that these fish should be active and willing to chase a ringworm that was being dragged up off the bottom. We switched it up to dragging and finished out the eveing with 8 fish being a mix of saugers and eyes, and this eye that went 25" and around 5 lbs. Our best depth range for dragging ringworms was 8 to 13 fow of water with a 3/32 oz jig tipped with a Purple Chartreuse Tail ringworm. Our best blade for the weekend was once again gold, but firetiger and black had a strong showing. For those of you that are heading down to fish the river stick with it if your not catching anything at the present time because them fish are there and it just a matter of time before you will get them to bite. I would look for the bite to get better each day and for the bigger fish to start showing themselfs a little.

Until Next time.

0 Comments

  5. Thanks for the report, I’m pumped to to get out tomorrow morning.

    Is it worth it to be on the water 6am (earlier?) or just stroll out sometime in the morning.

  6. After the 3 days I spent fishing it seemed the best bite was just as the sun was rising or when it was setting. We did catch some fish during the day but it wasnt the best bite. With the warmer temps coming I would look for the fish to get more aggresive therefore making for a longer lasting bite.

  11. Thanks for the report Eric! Nice to see some biggies already. I’d say that first fish is not only busting with eggs but has been doing some eating as well. What a pig!

  13. Thanks for the report Eric! Hope the weatherman is wrong for the weekend
    Man, those are some beautiful fish.

  19. Thanks for a very informative post.
    Wow, the itch is only getting worse now. I’m definitely going to have to plan a trip up there.

  25. Great report Eric good to see you getting back on the water
    You have got me all pumped up to get out there I just might have to play hooky from work one day this week

  26. Quote:

    Great report Eric! And thank you and Jim for the rod and reel info in the baitshop Sunday.

    Joel

    Not a problem. I just wish dean wouldnt have already sold you on them so I could have told him I sold 2 rods and reels but he beat me to it It was nice to meet you also. Hope you get to put them rods and reels to use soon.

  28. Eric-well done. It seems you are finding a couple of really nice fish each time out. Way to go. Hope to get out this week before the snow comes.

  29. Great report Eric!
    It sure seems like its been a long winter and we are only in mid Feb.
    I cannot wait to get back on Pool 2 starting early next week (after Madison Expo) and get at it hard!
    Thanks for making me wish I was on the water right now!

  31. Excellent report and information. I can’t wait to get out there again! I sure wish the weather wasn’t going to get nasty thi sweekend.

  32. Thanks for a great report Eric! Those are some awesome sows! It never ceases to amaze me that you can be fishing open water 250 miles north of me, and we are frozen solid here, after two 45 plus degree days the river is still iced over!
    We have a nuke plant here also, but it does not keep the water open with zero and below temps. You’ve got me doing another sort through of my tackle, one last pass before the ice moves out here and we can wet some lines on open water!
    Thanks for some great info and pics!

  33. Question, Is it true that if you launch on the Minnesota side of the Mississippi river you are only allowed a one day posession limit? Thank you in advance, Hairjig

  34. As far as my knowledge is on that, it is partitally true. From what I understand if you are staying (overnight) in minn. you can only have one possesion limit no matter where you launch. If you launch in minn and are staying in wisconsin I BELIEVE you are still allowed 2 daily limits IF you have a WI license. Im not 100% sure on this but I will try and contact someone this weekend to find out for sure.

  35. Walleye Fool, Thanks for the info, I’ll wait to hear from you after this weekend, Great Fish…….Later, Hairjig

  36. The one person I did get a hold of this weekend was not sure on how this went. From what I have been told before by other DNR people is what I had stated earlier. If I get a hold of the right person and get a simpilier answer I will let you know for sure.

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