Pool 4 report…4/13 thru 4/19 and a PB!!!

After two earlier tough weather trips I returned on Monday to have another crack at the Walleye/Sauger. Inspite of dropping water levels and rising temps the fishing was still not easy. Dragging was still the most consistent technique with the pitching bite improving. Tuesday morning as we drifted back to make another dragging run this beauty smashed my jig…She was 28.25" long and scaled out at 12lbs 12oz with a huge girth and shoulders… My PB! I was using a 7′ MLF Extreme rod, Pfleuger 9025 reel, and 6# Cortland Endurance Neon Tangerine mono (I love this mono)

Another tip we learned from Jason Halfen…the front(elec motor) guy when dragging, needs a longer rod. My EX 70MLF was not long enough to avoid getting hung up on the boat corners so I pulled out a Limit Creek 8’3" extendable spin rod I bought for Lindy Rigs last year… and that worked exceptionally well from the bow of the boat…Thanks Turk!

My partner Al Erickson quickly got going on the next pull with a nice Sauger…one on several the next 1/2 hour…by around 8 AM several boats began anchoring along the Wisc shore, making Dragging runs impractical…so we ventured across to check out the Minnesota side.

We drifted the outside edge of the Wingies vertical jigging plastics and also blades…Suddendly a large Cat smashed my BFT Red Tiger blade and the fight was on…this Flattie was very long and fairly lean…I have no idea what she weighed, but I’m sure over 20lbs.

Al’s friend Bruce shared the boat with us on his first trip to P-4. Bruce had four big Pigs up to the boat during the week but unfortunately could not "seal the deal" with any of those…but did net this nice 24" Eye…matching his PB.

We ended up doing very well for the four days we fished…we caught several nice 20-24" Walleye/Sauger that were released and many, many smaller eater sauger to fill our limits.

Our best low light colors were Cotton Candy and Purple. Midday colors were FireCracker/Chart, PurpleCracker, Chart Pepper and GoldCracker/Chart. We dragged with 1/8oz Nuckleballs and BFTs…Pitched the current seams with 3/16, 1/4, and 3/8oz BFT or Everts jigs with trimmed Paddletails or Ringworms.

The 6’9 and 7′ St Croix Extreme rods are a definite advantage to anything else I’ve fished both for sensitivity and hookset ability. Several times I would be retreiving a jig back and have a fish hit with my rod almost back to my chest and just by snapping my wrists back I could still hook them up.

Please scroll down for more pictures…