You’ve probably had a chance to see the results from the Everts Resort "Freeze Your Butt" tournament over the weekend. The top 3 teams had a combined total of about 100 lbs of walleyes (!). How does a guy tap into that kind of bite? Well, for a mere motal like me, versatility is the key!
Sunday found me on the water for the first time since January, joined by my friends Dave Markquart and Dan Meyer. Dave and Dan are both avid anglers, and wanted to get a bit of experience chasing the white tipped river carp of the Mississippi in March. With predicted highs flirting with 40, we hit the water with great anticipation.
The first 4 hours of our trip were….what’s the word I’m searching for….humbling. We started by pulling F5s, F7s, and F9s on 3-way rigs. With only one short eye in the net after 2 long passes and just about every pattern I had in the box, we switched to dragging ringies and paddletails through some slow, deep water. With no additional success, we switched over to vertical jigging some blades, with the same results….zero. A quick run downstream of Everts found us back pulling 3-ways again. Another two long passes with floaters and even a few plastics yielded only a couple of half-hearted tugs. Conversations with other river rats seemed to indicate that "slow" was the most family-friendly term that a guy could use to describe the morning bite. A perfect excuse to head back to Everts for a pizza and to regroup.
After lunch, it was time for our boat to start mixing it up just a bit. We began by pitching black or purple 1/4 oz hair jigs tipped with minnows to shoreline sand flats, and allowing the downstream movement of the boat to pull the jigs off the flat and down a steep drop into the main channel. The first pass accounted for two fish, including Dan’s beefy 25" pictured here. A nice fish, and Dan’s best open water walleye to date. While I was netting Dan’s fish, the rod I had set into a rod holder loaded up, resulting in a 20"-class fish. With the skunk (FINALLY) out of the boat, we proceeded to comb the same flat/drop combo for 3 more passes, without anything more that a few half-hearted taps.
What did we learn from this experience? Slow down, and don’t spurn live bait under tough conditions! With this bit of wisdom in mind, we moved up closer to the dam and threw the hook at the edge of a similar sand flat/drop off area. I told Dave and Dan that we would saturate the area with everything we had in the jigging arsenal: hair and meat, plastics, and blades. And you know what….the fish started to respond.
Not giants, mind you, or unbelievable numbers, but good steady action on fish suitable for mere mortals like us. Primarily walleyes in the 15-17" class. These fish fell for black hair and meat pitched into the flow and worked back to the boat, or for the same combo vertical jigged at the base of the drop. Fish fell for blade presentations as well, black or red in 1/4 oz size.
By this time, the net waving had attracted a crowd, so we started our way downstream, dragging hair and meat combos and plastics. Dave stuck another couple of eaters, but soon, snags stole the last of my remaining 1/4 oz black hairjigs (note to self: see Dean for more 1/4 oz black hair!).
With the afternoon wearing on, we moved up into the shallows to drag ringers in 8-15 fow. This is a classic presentation that can be very productive in shallow water under low-light conditions. While our action was by no means fast and furious, Dave, Dan and I boated around 15 fish in the last hour of the day on Camo and Plum ringers. These were rigged on 3/16 oz unpainted heads. We dragged exclusizely downstream, as some significant flow in our target area and a stiff downstream wind made an upstream drag a bit of a challenge. Speeds were in the 0.6-0.8 range. With a couple of decent CPR fish and a handful of eaters in the box, we called it a day as the last light was leaving the sky.
What was the key to our day? Versatility. We ran through most of the techniques that a guy can use to pop winter fish on the Miss: coverage techniques like cranks or plastics on 3-ways or dragging plastics or hair, and spot-specific techniques like pitching hair or plastics or blades. We needed ALL of those tools to get the net wet today. Don’t come to the river with the attitude that "today, I’m ONLY going to vertical jig," or, "today, I’m ONLY going to drag." If you’re a mere motal like me, you’ve got to bring your A-game to get the net wet, and bringing your A-game means being ready to use ALL of the tools at your disposal in pursuit of the white tipped river carp.
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a more versatile winter river angler, let me encourage you to attend my seminar this Thursday at Markquart Chevrolet, located on Bus. 53 between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, WI. This FREE seminar starts at 6:30 pm. Hope to see some of you guys there! For more information on the seminar, click here
Hey Jason, How far is it from the burnsville area?
Sunday’s trip was also a chance for me to get better acquainted with my Ranger Angler 1860.
Ain’t she purrrrrdy?
Thanks to Capt. John “Riverfan” Stears for the photo.
Eau Claire is 60-70 minutes from Hudson.
Great Report Jason
Yes she is
thanks for the report 
Nice boat and an even better bow mount
It looks good from Ireland as I am waiting for my next flight out of Dublin!
Glad to see that you were able to break-in the live well on the maiden voyage.
te
Jason,
I hope you broke her in right and got some fish slime on the new carpet!
John
Thanks Ted!
I have a good story about the one that *almost* got away.
While we were anchored up, I was pitching a red blade and popping a fish here and there. One 16″ eye ended up hooked with both trebles under the jaw, and I didn’t want to pick the hooks out bare handed. So, I set my rod *across* a rod holder and went in search of some pliers.
When I returned to the bow, I looked left and right for my rod….gone. Dan and I looked at each other, and Dan said, “that really didn’t just happen, did it?” Well, yes it did. One Avid 6-3 with shimano symmetre, red blade, and 16″ eye went back to the deep.
Fast forward 30 minutes. Now I’m pitching a black blade. I contact something funny feeling, and I begin reeling up what I’m conviced is a branch. Well not quite…it’s an Avid 6-3 with shimano symmetre, red blade, and 16″ eye STILL hooked. After a quick bit of pliers work, only the eye was returned to the drink.
Persistence pays off!
I am pleased to report that walleye slime now decorates various locations on the interior. The pike avoided us yesterday, however, so your plan to be the first to flop a slimer across the front deck can still happen.
Thats Awesome! Ive been there before
Except I cought a spare rod with my lure and casted it over all on my own… 
After a little work I got it back 
Thanks for the detailed report!
Thanks for the update Jason.
Good job on finding those fish!
Jeremy
Good report Jason and glad you guys found them later in the day. That sure is a purty boat!! I know the morning was humbling for us yesterday with only one sauger finding its way to our boat. Of course we had to have a new guy in the boat that we were introducing to river fishing. I spent most of my morning telling him how the bite is usually much better that this. Some times it just doesn’t pay—-we got spanked on Saturday but at least we caught alot of fish and yesterday our bite was gone. What a weekend
Great report Sully and good job on mixing it up until you found what they wanted!
And nice looking Ranger!!!
The only thing that would make it look a little bit better is if you had me in it too while pulling some cranks with planer boards on Mille Lacs! 
Nice report Jason.
Great advice Jason I get guilty of not changing up enough especially if it is tough and I pop a couple of fish.
I can not BELEIVE you gave up your Crestliner for that……
Well we both know that boat really isnt broke in till she has some coffee spills in it!
Nice job hanging in there on a very tough bite day for most that fished sunday.Sounds like there might have been a horeshoe involved with the Avid going overboard and coming back to the boat in such a short amount of time.
Good report, Jason. How are the electronics working out on the new rig?
Good luck with your seminar!
Everything seems to be working fine so far.
I’m running a Lowrance 38C at the helm, networked to a 25C at the bow. Both of these units as well as the marine band radio and antenna and some new chips are from Wade at Jolly Ann Marine.
One of the things I’ve noticed so far is that the universal sonar (US2) on the Terrova 101 is OUTSTANDING compared to the old US I had on the powerdrive unit that powered my Crestliner. The definition I was seeing at the bow just blew the old US right out of the water.
While my time on the motor is limited, I am REALLY happy with the Terrova 101. The steering response is much crisper than the powerdrive, and the stow and deploy, while not effortless, is much easier than the PD unit. I need to get more used to the heel-toe steering (I’ve never been a cable-drive guy), so for now, I really appreciate the ability to tap left or right in addition to the heel-toe steering.
I owe a major debt of gratitude to Kevin Krumenauer at Absolute Powersports. Kevin did all of my electronics rigging and networking, and built in some really great features that I’m VERY happy with. I’ll snap some pics and post a description of what Kevin did for me in the next day or two. Kevin even updated the software on the 25C to enable it to talk to the LGC-3000 GPS receiver through the LowranceNET, which he also installed (perfectly, I might add). If you’re looking to have some new electronics mounted, some old units remounted, or to have anything of an electrical nature done on your boat before the lakes open up, you owe it to yourself AND your boat to get in touch with Kevin (715-723-7705)!
And some cookie crumbs too, right Dean
Jason, that Boat realy does look nice in the water, congrats on the new ride.
When we going out to the deadsippi
Thanks for the report and pics Jason.
Thanks, Bill
Jason,
Very nice detailed report, and the NEW boat looks terrific..
Just throw a pot of coffee on the carpet and get it over with, then you won’t feel so bad when I dump MY cup..
Keep those Great reports coming..
Jack..
Jason you are right about the 101 terrova I have the same unit and the universal transducer is very very nice and I LOVE the left and right foot pedal instead if the heal to toe!!! a million times better than my previous…nice lookin rig sir
Fabulous write up on that tournament Jason.
I’d love to be in that boat NOW!!!
If a guy fishs on pool 4 long enough in the spring somebody is bound to bouce into it. Unless a guy stays out away from everyone. That first scratch really hits.
Hi,first post here…What’s the “deal” with Everets resort? I hear lots about them,sound like good people…Is there a problem with the main launch near the highway? Or is $7 worth putting in at the resort? With that said,I have never fished in pool# 4,only Below Alma and that was too many years ago.Should I head north and fish pool 4 or head south to Alma.ANY help is greatly appreciated! Paul
Oh,I might try and get out next Tuesday.TY!
During the majority of the winter, Everts is the only launch option as ALL other ramps on the pool are frozen. As of last weekend, people were driving trucks on the ice in Baypoint Park.
When the other ramps start to open, you will still find advantages to patronizing Everts. The backchannel ramp you refer to is steep (tough to use when it’s icy), has no dock, and has a rip-rapped shore that is nasty to use for beaching. The Red Wing ramps are farther from the primary “community” spots, and one of them is two no-wake zones downstream (30 minute boat ride).
Beyond those advantages, you will find Everts to have the best information, the best live and artificial baits, the only fish-cleaning facility, and the best fishing camaraderie on the river. I wouldn’t think of patronizing anyplace else.
Those are some nice fish!
Hi i’m new to the site and have been thinking about fishing the mississippi on sunday. Any advice as where to fish and where to launch a boat in minnesota
Come on down to Everts, just across the river from Red Wing. Click on the Everts resort link in my signature to get driving instructions. Dean, the resort manager, will get you all squared away with regards to locations and tactics that have been working lately. I’m plannning on being down there too, for at least half a day.
I’ll maybe see you out there on sunday. i’ll be there around 8:00 in the morning
My wife give heck, because I was paying to launch my boat. I told “you’ll see why it is alot nicer”. That figured she could park the truck. I asked if “she could back the trailor in the river, while I waited for her”. That evening, When we left she seen the line of trucks and the guys waiting for thier trailors to show-up.She changed her tune real fast, saying “Your so smart.” My last trips few trips I get on the river about noon, fish until sunset. I have done better fishing those hours. Plus it’s warmer.