Pool 8 and 9

Can anyone tell me how the current speed is on both Pool 8 and 9 are. Also hows the Pool Height? Upcoming BFL Tourney and trying to get flow speed so I might know what I want to do first. Anyone been catching LM in Lake Onalaska?
Just curious. Have a friend that does well there. I head south….Thanks..

Went out on the Lake last night. Caught about 18 or 20 from 6 pm to 9 or so. One 17 inch, one 16, 5 or 6 14 to 15 inch. They were biting real well the last hour.

Stripers were schooling shad in MASSIVE schools, but would only bust the surface every 15 minutes or so. But when they did, about 50 were jumping at one time.

Fished pool 9 this weekend and did ok. Caught smallies on rip-rap shores along the main channel. Caught 2 good largemouths on weedlines and on docks with rock near them. Rats and arkie jigs worked best.

Fished Pool 8 last night. Did very well. Had 2 smallies over 3lbs and a largie over 3 lbds as well. Caught another 6 fish in the 1 hour period that I was fishing for them. Was trolling walleye when I saw them blasting minnows in the shallows. All this was in the jungle aroung Goose Island.

River stage last night was at 5.73ft and falling. The bass fishing is only gonna get better up here now if it is anything like it was last august!

Is there a name of a slough that runs back to the Goose Island area. Know of guys that say they fish the area. But can never tell me how to get there from the main channel. I am familiar with the Pool. Just never had the need to fish that area. But need to find some new fish. I can say that both smallies and bucketmouths have been biting in the main channels. Thanks………

Yes…its called running slough. That slough is just south of green island. Here is how I get to goose. Go into running slough it winds a bit to the left and you will come to a 3-way intersection. Go straight! Take that little shoot until it dumps into bank slough. Trim up a bit where it dumps into bank slough. Then go down bank slough to the right a long ways say 2 miles?? There will be a little shoot that goes to the right that looks scary as hell but its pretty easy to get through just go slow and watch for an occasional dead head. Once through that little chute your their! But just be careful and go slow and use common sense and you will be fine. Let us know how youre doing in there.

Thanks Hougie for the directions. Will let you know how it was. But won’t get up there till next Weds…For the BFL. But unlike others will share what I find. Could use info on how fast of flow the main river channel is running. If don’t wnat to post you could e-mail me at dhnitro at hotmail.com. thanks again………….

Just click on the miss.river stage and flow link at the top of this forum.

Here is the link:

http://www.fishtheriver.com/noaa

It will tell you that flow readings for pool 8 is currently at: 39000 feet per second which as low as its been in awhile and it should be getting lower every day barring any terrential rains. By all accounts fishing has been pretty good lately. Their also is always plenty of current in goose island. Send me a private and let me know where all the bonus walleyes are caught!

http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/navigation/charts/map29.pdf

Map of the pool. Another way to get down to the north landing on goose, is take Running (Mormon) to the 3 way intersections. Head south then you will hit the “S” turn (turn left headign south) and when you exit this “s” turn DO NOT RUN SOUTH ANYMORE! Shallow as hell with a sand bar, vier off to the left there is a cut the goes to the south east a little bit and then you will make a turn back to the south west (this is where hougies slough runs into it) this will run you back over to running slough. When exiting the “S” turn trim it up a little and stay close to the bank (10yds out) when running down to the sw. Some shallow water (2-3ft) enought to run wide open through, then she drops off pretty good when bank slough meets up with this cut. This will uptimately put you at the north end of Goose Island, from there you will have to find your own fishing hole and your way back out.

Good Luck. Take a not of caution. They are dropping this pool, so watch out. Alot of these sloughs are normally 5-8 ft deep and with the water down they tend to be 3-5ft deep and stup and sand bar infested. Take it slow your first couple time to get the feel of the area.

tolden

OK, now will someone please draw those directions on top of the map? I will crash trying to read them and drive at the same time!!

Alright…this is about the best I could do. Sorry Im not a graphical genius but it should get you in the ballpark.

Be careful and use common sense. Just go slow and watch your electronics. Once you get to the North Landing your home free until you hit those stumps below the swimming beach. Then your going to have to ask someone else!

Holy Smokes Hougie, I was just joking around!!

Thanks man, above and beyond the call of duty!!

Yeah, a guy has to be careful around here… you ask, chances are you’ll get it!! Awesome job ‘der Hougie.

Where else do you find service like that?!

WOW! Steve you are a god! Ask and it shall be done! Nice job! That is what this site it about. Friends helping friends.

What an unbeleiveable reply hougie with map and all. I, too figured mossboss was just kidding. But a big thanks away. Fireflick your right. This site is friends or unknowns helping each others out. I heard it was a challenge to get back to the island areas. Not that water is extremely low maybe I better just wait. Have plenty of other spots for the tourney. But a big thanks to all anyhow. I will be fishing these areas soon……Keep up good works…..

Just remember that islands on the map are not all the same in real life and getting there for the first time is easier than getting back unless you have GPS. If you have GPS jump into someone’s tracks and follow cautiously! With all the traffic this won’t be a problem. Also beware of canoers paddling around corners, they were kind of thick 2 weeks ago. If you wait for high water a lot of these islands are just under the surface.
But since you guys are being so open…is it possible to navigate Raft channel and adjacent islands and how is the fishin’ there? I know this pool fairly well but haven’t been to this area.

What kinds of patterns do guys fish in the Goose area? Slop? Wood? Dead water? Current? Sand?

Does Mormon slough = Bluff slough? I have several maps and I thought one of those had 2 names on two different maps. Thanks

Mormon/Running Slough starts just below green island off of the main channel and then bends to the south toward goose and bluff slough starts by the gravel pit and runs into bank slough. I get bluff and bank slough mixed up sometimes but those two run together. Mormon or more commonly referred to as running slough is a seperate cut. Bluff and Bank slough run along the far east bank below Dairyland power. Running/Mormon slough is the next chute west.

sf26708,

All of those patterns exist in goose. It has it all. But is a real bear trap to get into in terms of hazzards. Its a maze of turns and there is alot of sand points that drop off into holes that hold fish. Lots of grass banks. Lots of wood and there are slop opportunities. Basically my theory is if your going to goose….you better have a few days of pre-fishing planned and know your way in and out. Its a swing for the fence without a doubt but does carry some risks.

That’s what I figured…I don’t get up to La Crosse very often. I’ve nosed around Goose a bit, but usually I get too nervous about bonking a stump or dry-docking it on a sand bar. Have caught some nice largemouth off of mud/grass banks but have never found a concentration of bass in the few areas I’ve stumbled into. I’ve heard guys rip the smallies back there sometime.

Is the gravel pit the round, widened part of the slough behind Lutheran hospital way at the end of Bluff slough? Beyond that, it then goes into another thin channel then stops according to the map. Is that correct? We drove back there once just to see what there is to see. I’ve heard “the gravel pit” mentioned before. Worth fishing?

Greg I believe the gravel pit is more behind the seminary. If you drive east ave. and see the offices for dairyland powr or xcel, it is the body of water just below there. I haven’t fished it, but know a guy that fishes it all the time and does very well. John R

Actually there are three pits in this area. The Hospital pit at the top of bluff slough, & then an other pit down stream at the lower end of bluff, & then down stream of bluff about one half mile. My question is at the top of running “Mormon” slough next to the channel there used to be a rock pile right in the center of which you normally would approach running slough, I pulled a bass boat off it 10 years ago. Is it still there? “John”