It’s been awhile since my last report back in the fall of 2007, so I cannot think of a better way to kick things off for me in 2008 than hitting the river with a good buddy and a few hours to burn in search for some big river walleyes. James Holst and I took the water yesterday afternoon in my jon boat in search for some big pre-spawn river walleyes. I have not been on the water for nearly 2 weeks and I had a hunch it was time for this bite to be in full swing.
This is the time of year in which big female river walleyes start their annual migration pre-spawn run up major river systems in search for favorable spawning haunts. This is also the time where the bigger females have a big appetite and typically the biggest fish of the year are caught by savvy anglers. Typically walleyes in this migration mode often find staging areas where they will stay put for a couple or a couple weeks depending on the surroundings it offers. These areas often include neck down areas of the river with slow tapering points or shorelines with deeper water in the vicinity. A simple jig/minnow combination is a very effective way to pinpoint locations, but one that can be just as deadly and might speed up that learning curve is pitching plastics to these fish and covering water. BFT’s Precision jig heads and Ringworms can be one of the best arsenals to have rigged up this time of year that I have had the pleasure to fish with over the years!
James and I pulled up to one my old stand by pre-spawn holding areas and James immediately stuck 2 fish on back to back casts with one of the fish being a giant at 9-1/2#! What a way to start things off….We continued to work this area over thoroughly picking off a quick 4-5 fish and then a slight lull and again a small flurry of fish. This pace kept up for several hours during the midday span before slowly coming to a halt nearing sundown. By sundown James and I were able to boat nearly 30 walleye with 5 nice big walleyes over the 26″ mark.
With water levels fairly stable right now not yet on a rapid rise, current speeds are very subtle and walleyes have been found as shallow as 6 feet and as deep as 18 feet and everywhere in between. James and had our best results pitching the 10-14 foot areas adjacent to the deeper surrounding holes. Spring is officially here in my book and its been a long winter for this guy. Having a busy work schedule throughout the winter, the river welcomed me back in a warm fashion!
See you on the water!
Yea! Nice fish guys!
-J.
Great fish guys….Right back in the saddle
GIDDY UP!
Good report. Keep it up boys. Looks good
Awesome!
Great report Steve! 
Great report Steve
Any filming being done at the time?
As always, great report Steve
Those fish are just pigs
Nope, no filming. Just a couple hours of fishing with a buddy.
You might want to cover up that background
Nice to see you guys out there. I tried to copy what I saw going on; but my pitching is a little on the weak side.
Fortunately the dragging bite is pretty good too.
Joel
You mean our secret spot!
Nice fish guys. Nothing funner than pitching up big walleyes.
Great report guy’s
When you say “secret spot” do you mean not very big?
Joel
Good report Steve!
Looks like you guys had a great day on the water. 
It still amazes me that we have this unbelievable fishery just minutes out of downtown St. Paul!
Nice report and great fish! I can not wait until Friday.
The weather looks very nice for the coming weekend.
Nice report and awesome fish guys!
How big was that sauger James is holding?
That thing is a pig!
Boog
Very Nice Guy’s!
Congrats BOYS!
Now that is what I’m talking about! 
Those are some awesome looking fish and pics. I love it when they stick the fins out like that. Kind of like a struttin’ Turkey. Man, those girls are beautiful!
NICE!
Bet it was even “funner” hauling ’em into the old skool jon boat. Sure do miss my old puddle jumper.
Does not get any better then that right there
I have been itching to get out down there since it’s my back yard, but Red Wing was hot. Now my motor on my river boat is in the the shop. Looks like I’ll have to put the 6hp envinrude duck boat motor on the lund to get out. If you guys see a Lund Alaskan with a 6hp offer a pull
Good report Steve.. I agree hide the back ground..
What happened to the jet boat??
Awesome report Steve! I’m thinking about hitting Pool 2 on Saturday for carp but might have to give the ol’ Walleyes a try also.
wow some great eyes there guys
Great report guys!
James and DZ, I am going to Everts in April and I plan to put in an order with BfishN Tackle this weekend. If you both don’t mind, can you give us your top 5 (or top 10) ringworm colors for Pools 2,3, and 4 for that time of year.
Does Dean carry every color at Everts? I may just pick these up there if he does. Thanks guys!
Very nice!!
Hmmm… everyone has their own confidence colors, but I will give it a shot at least from a P2 perspective.
~Firecracker/Chart tail
~Cotton Candy
~Oyster Shell
~Chart/Pepper
~Purple
~Pro Blue
~Chart/Orange core
Paddle tails in the same colors……as well!
Yesterday 3 colors really stood out for us. Oystershell, Pro Blue and Firecracker Chartreuse Tail.
Oystershell worked the best middle of the day in both ringworms and paddletails. I believe two of our largest fish actually came on a oystershell paddletail. The only time firecracker chart. tail worked was when we had a peek of sun and once the clouds rolled back in that color went dead. But… when the sun was out I had a heck of a run of fish while the other two colors fell way off.
As evening approached Pro Blue dominated.
If I had to have a small selection of plastic colors I’d go with the following:
Oystershell, Pro Blue, Firecracker / Firecracker Chartreuse Tail, Chartreuse Pepper, Purple, Cotton Candy and Orange Core Chartreuse.
Mix in a few paddletails in those same colors, add a selection of Precision Heads in dark and bright colors with head weights in 1/8 – 5/16 and you’ll have your bases covered.
I’ll add one that has been a “go to” for me down there and that’s the electric blue/pearl tail. These guys talk about confidence colors and that’s a lot of it. when the purple or darker colors get the nod, don’t be afraid to throw that one in there.
James, DZ, Micah, Thank you!
Great report Steve
Its great to see you back on the river
If I was just a bit better with the photo shop, I’d be set
Get my self a picture with a couple of those beautiful girls 
There were at least 8 boats out there about an hour ago … now I know why! Doesn’t anyone have a real job?
Good report, guys!! 
There were 5 or 6 yesterday too.
@ 11 am today there was a dozen, at least that is what the little birdy told me.
Nice report fellas!
Nice eyes guys!
Went draggin on pool 4 today and saw some good action on pro-blue ringworms. Fished with 3 other guys today, we never took time out of the day to look for them shallow water walleyes. The action was good enough on 15″-19″ male and low 20″ female walleye that we just stuck with the dragging bite
. Found our fish in 13′-17′ of water.
Good job boys…..
You bet we stock-em Wade!
Atleast a dozen boats there all day today. Stuck it out with purple/chartruse tail and the same with a white tail today. Saw fish caught by everyone. Plenty of fish also.
Did the big fish cooperate today for you Mike?
Thems some nice fishes!
Do you guys notice much of a difference up there in the painted heads compared to non painted?
Yesterday they wanted black heads to go with the dark or natural colored plastics. I tried orange, chartreuse and blue and never had a hit.
On pool 4 I see a definite advantage when fishing colored heads as the water clarity starts to fall off. An orange chartreuse jighead and a chartreuse pepper ringworm has put a ton of fish in the boat for me when the water clarity goes to heck.
Thanks for the info. I just now posted the same ? in the walleye forum before i seen your answer was up already . Because after thinking about it I wasnt sure if it was rude for me to kind of get off track on someones report or not. Anyway very nice fish!!!!!
Any and all questions are welcomed.
Yep.
Photos are coming.
Eggzellent!
Black heads worked today also. Well as black as I could get them with a marker. My stock of black was a little low today. Orange heads seem to be a good color as it rolls into may and june on pool 2.
Heres a couple from today. Purple/white or chartreuse tail ringworms work well today. I didnt even try any other colors. But from what I saw fish where coming in on many different presentations. Dragging up and down stream, vertical jigging, pitching jigs and even pulling stickbaits on 2 ways. I wouldn’t say the fish where jumping in the boat but there was plenty of action on good sized fish to keep us happy. The photos are of a 10.5# and a 7.8#er. There where also lots of large saugers being caught today. Our biggest was 4.5#. Ill try to get a photo of that up tomorrow.
Excellent fish & reports.
Now who wants to swing by and get me on this water??
Nice fish Mike!
`
Stuck a couple more piggies this morning!
Man, you guys are AWESOME at photo shopping Pool 4 fish onto Pool 2 backdrops.
Remember, THERE ARE NO FISH IN POOL 2, just carp and drum. Now get off MY water.
James,
Looks like the weather has changed to 70% chance of snow tomorrow. Thinking of heading up tonight and fishing tomorrow and Saturday.
Anyone have a guess at how the drop in temp. and snow will affect the bite? Appreciate any input!
-Mark Krakau
Nice job Mikey! Looks like you’re having a good time there buddy!
Mark,
My guess this slight drop in temp will have little effect on this bite right now. Lots of fish are staging in key areas right now with one thing in mind…to eat. I would not change your plans unless you had the flexibility to put it off a couple days. Its always comfortable fishing in nicer weather, but in all honesty this bite will remain good for another 10-14 days or so.
Nice fish Guys! I hope the bite stays good for another 10 days since I can’t get back down there till next week. Darn work is always getting in the way of my fishing.
Nice fish guys!!! Good to see things starting out great on the river here! Hope to see you guys back down there! Mike we ended up with a few fish after you guys left. But she shut down pretty good after dark.
Thanks Steve! I would have the flexibility if it weren’t for Easter Sunday.
Was planning to come up next weekend, but may just have to give it a go! Wish it wasn’t the same weekend as the start of March Madness…
As a former player and big basketball fan I can understand your feelings. But we are talking the opportunity to possibly catch dozens of fish and maybe even multiple 10+ lb fish. Its killing me that we are heading out of town for the weekend tonight.
Go fishing! 
dd
So where is everyone launching down there? Is Fort Snelling opened up yet? How about Lilydale? Thanks for the help.
You guys are amazing!
Welcome Cody to IDO!
non-stop action up there guys! great report and once again, beautiful pictures
Lilydale or Hidden Falls are open. Typically, Fort Snelling and Watergate are still iced in for a few more weeks.
I think fort snelling may be open as the water patrol seemed to come from that direction yesterday.
Anyone heading down today. I will be after work!
I’d like to, but I need to run some errands tonight so I can go Saturday morning.
Not So Fast! After a long winter anticipating spring river fishing yesterday was finally the day! After mading sure the boat was working, battaries holding power and all the other tasks that as the season goes on become second nature I put in a Hidden Falls in the early afternoon and obviviously headed down river in this post-winter daze. All of a sudden I see this boat flashing its lights, dang its the seriff! I immediately thought that it was just a routine check then looking at the shoreline I realized that I was speeding in the Watergate no wake zone. I was so busted! These guys were really professional and after checking my license and registation not only was I speeding but I didnt have a throw life jacket or a fire extinquisher and I didnt know that both of these are mandatory river items. Instead of ticketing me we had a very pleasant conversation on the regulations regarding boating one the river and they let me go with a warning and reminder to get it together. So to all of you in a hurry to get on the water, slow down and make sure your all together! As for the fishing, I got one walleye and missed a very nice fish, I did see several nice fish caught mostly on minnows but I was not able to stay for the evening bite.
It was good to see you out there Fred. Glad you didnt get a ticket.
Wow, nice fish fellas. Now if I knew a spot on P2 where those pre-spawn walleyes hang out
I hope you all left some fish unmolested for me!