Walleye/Sauger Bite Pool 8

By bret_clark 0

After a busy start to the fall season for Mike C and myself we finally found a window of opportunity to get out on the water and give the Walleye/Sauger bite a try. We have been hearing it has been hit or miss the last few days and we were lucky enough to get out on a good bite….that would be a hit An air temp of 42 degrees, a falling barometer, and a chop on the water caused by a South wind 8-14mph with a overcast sky made for a great Walleye/Sauger atmosphere. There was a good numbers game in the current seams and tail waters by the dam but only a few keepers were being caught first thing in the a.m. As more boats started to show up jockeying around for position we noticed the fish were becoming less aggressive and shutting down. There was no reason for us to play in the group of people anymore so the plan was to head down river.

After the move down river the target was the edge of the main channel keeping the boat in 17-22fow. We had the place to ourselves and found some dandy sized Saugers at 18 plus inches Long lining slowly against the current produced more fish than drifting with the current. Pitching out vertical from the boat and letting the jig fall while moving the boat slowly up river against the current and keeping a tight line was deadly on the larger sized fish. The strikes were hard with the fish inhaling our offerings. Dragging the set up just off the bottom was more productive than jigging.

After fishing with hair, live bait rigs and different plastics, it didn’t take long to realize the Catalpa Super Doo on a 1/4oz orange/black jig with some meat was going to be the best producing set up for the day. Mike C did take one nice eye over 17 inches on a red hook and minnow rig but made the change after the rig was just getting tapped.
The 1/4oz jig seemed to be the perfect weight for the technique, keeping the bait just off bottom while slipping up stream.. Other baits were getting bumped but the Super Doo set up was irresistible making for a solid thud and good hook up. It didn’t take any special touch to tell when you had a strike, bam…and that was that

The trip ended around 10:30am with a 2 man limit, 3 keeper Walleyes topped off with fat healthy Saugers 15-18.5 inches making for a couple great fish fry’s. What a great morning to finally be able to get back out on the water. I’m hoping the weather stays steady for awhile through my Thanksgiving vacation, I wouldn’t mind getting on a bite like the one Mike C and I experienced one more time before freeze up……..”Freeze Up”….did some one say FREEZE UP

Good luck on the water people!
Bret

0 Comments

  5. Yo targa….I didn’t even recognize you until we were side by side and on the way out

    It was nice to get out of the boats and fish south. I will say everyone up at the dam was very well mannered and just having some fun

    No bangin’ cutin’ off or pushing in, everyone slipped the current seam in turn. Way to go everyone up at the dam Sunday

  6. We should of did the same thing. We managed to only catch five or six up there but the northern made up for it. Noticed a couple more smaller pike being caught up by the wall also. The pike along with the boat pressure pretty much shut them down up by the dam. I like days like last tuesday when I get the whole dam to myself

  7. Wow! Those fish look awesome! I may have to head south and try that area. I bet they made for excellent table fare.

    regards,
    vinnydelpino

  11. Great report Buddy Bret Bret didn’t really hit on the wind vs current vs current seam challenge. He is the master at boat control with my front mount troller but he has me convinced that my next one will be cable controlled although that could start a whole new discussion.
    Another great day on the river and some great fillets.

  13. Nice batch of fish-it must have been worth waiting for to get some minnows. I was the guy that should have stayed because I ended up back at Bob’s as well. The place in La Crescent never opened either. Fished the WI side and lost a nice fish but after reading a few reports it was probably a slimer. Ended up with a couple decent sauger fishing down river as well working some side waters/wing dams. Good to be out on the river again.

  14. Nice fish Brett. Sounds like a very fun day on the water before freeze up comes. If we could only have 4 more months of this weather then spring.
    Thanks, Bill

  15. bret! ir really is true–you do shy away from the channel cats once in a while! looks like it payed off.
    p.s. I think i heard “FREEZE UP” too!

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