Mississippi River Pool 2 Walleyes 8/11/08

With the leaves changing and the temperature dropping most Minnesota sportsmen/women are headed either to their tree stands or Mille Lacs in search of big walleyes that will chase stick baits trolled in the shallows. For those of us that live in the Twin Cities, this move leaves one of the best bodies of water around mostly vacant save a few river rats like myself. If you want to save gas, and don’t mind pitching light plastics instead of trolling Husky Jerks, fish like this 27 incher are within reach if you pay attention to a few details.

I have four rods in my boat all rigged and ready to go. One 6’3 MH St. Croix Tournament Legend w/ a crank bait (Shad Rap, Flicker Shad, or my favorite Bomber 6A). One 6’9 ML St. Croix Tournament Legend armed with a 1/4 or 3/16oz hair jig. Two 6’6 ML St. Croix’s, one armed with a 3/32oz and one with a 1/4oz BFN Precision jigs. These two rods I will switch between KGrubs, Paddletails, and ringworms with the grubs and paddletails getting the nod as of late. Earlier in the fall I find that the hair jigs, grubs, and paddletails are consistently better than ringworms which will take center stage later in the fall/winter. Here is a picture of a few of the offerings I am presenting currently.

As for the details, I have two words…windams/rocks and current. With the water as low as it is right now, if you can find spots that have both of these elements, you are more than likely going to find a couple of active fish and even more of them in low light with the water as clear as it is right now. Usually I anchor upstream of these structures and pitch from the back of the boat, but with the lack of current, I am slipping the current just upstream of the dam with the bow mount and that way can move from the bank all the way to the tip of the dam. Here’s a nice 22 incher that took an Ice Blue Pearl Tail on a 3/32oz Precision Jig.

I cannot stress enough the details and paying attention to your surroundings to maximize hook ups. Today would have been a mediocre day if I wasn’t paying attention. I set up on the first wing dam in a series of dams that is just downstream of a bend in the river. There was a bit of current on the tip of the dam but after hooking up on a walleye, my boat drifted close to shore and pretty close the dam. MORE CURRENT! Then I noticed baitfish everywhere breaking the surface. Current, rocks, baitfish = walleyes! 3 casts to this new spot, 3 more walleyes.

With the right tools, a bit of perception and knowledge, some big river walleyes are ready to smile for the camera, so get out and get em!