Last weekend PDW and I where able to make our 1st trip in a long time to the upper Mississippi near Aitkin MN to look for walleyes. Low water levels have kept us from this yearly fishing hole for the last 2 years. Recent rains in the area have finely raised the water levels to the point that we where able to get the Jon boat out and go do some exploring. After a few slight changes in our presentation we where able to find what we where looking for.
Most of our time fishing this section of the Mississippi we long line troll shad style crankbaits like shad raps and rattle traps. The river is not very deep and this lures only need to hit the 5 to 6′ range at the most. Often much less. The walleyes this day didn’t want anything to do with these types of lures. A quick change over to stick style crank baits started putting fish in the boat. #12 husky jerks where what we used but I’m sure many styles of stick baits would of got the job done.
Areas we targeted on this trip where deeper holes on the bends of the river. If there was some wood or current breaks near these areas it was a big plus. Slow trolling up stream is what the fish wanted this day. As some of these holes and bends are very small I spent a lot of time sweeping the boat back and forth from side to side of the river. This would help with turning a 5 minute trolling run into maybe a 20 minute and just kept the lures in the right areas for longer periods of time.
Towards the end of our trip it was time to try a different approach for finding these walleyes. Out came the ringworms. I was very excited to try this and about the time I was mentioning to Nathanial I think we are going to get something doing this a nice 24″er was on the end of my line. We spent just a few short passes vertical jigging/dragging ringworms with 2 fish for our efforts but Im sure we will be looking at this option more on our next trip.
Great report and nice fishies Mike
I need to figure out how to drag 2 boats up next week~ Looks like a lot more water than there was this summer!
Mike,
Very nice report, and very nice Walleyes…
Congrats on your trip…
Jack..
Hauled mine up on last sunday Jon and left it there thinking it would be getting used in the next few weeks. Im thinking we just got in on the tip of this bite. Hoping to spend a fair amount of time on friday exploring some new water up river from palisade.
You the man Mike!
Small river fishing is a hoot. I used to do a lot of it on the Rum up by Cambridge.
I’m gonna have to try and clear the schedule and join you up there sir!
dd
Great report Mike! I like to fish the stretch near the Pine River area but haven’t been up there since late August. I’m sure a lot has changed with the rain… And big walleyes too! Some how I always manage to keep them under 20.
Very nice fish! 
We usually keep a few under 20″s to for diner. What is the river like near Pine River? Its a lot of gravel and boulders where we fish. Can be very rough on the boat. Down river not to far it changes more to muddy banks and much deeper water. I still havent figured out a good walleye pattern for that strech yet.
Let me know when you can get away Joel.
Thanks Mike! That was a blast