Pool 3 – November and December

Nobody ever posts about Wing Dam fishing on Pool 3 during these cold water months. I see stuff all the time about Pool 2 Wing Dams and fishing at the Dam on Pool 4. Why no Pool 3 reports? Is it a secret? I am pretty sure that the water bodies are all attached, in some way, to the same river system.

I have fished a lot on Pool 4 this fall and I have done pretty well. The bite has not been fantastic, but I am able to put some fish in the boat and I have, of course, had a couple bigger walleyes get away.

I fish Pool 3 in the summer and get smallies, wallyes, drum and other species off the wing dams, but I have never hit it very hard in the fall. Do the fish all migrate up to Hastings? Do they take a right into the St. Croix? Do they hang out on wing dams and wonder where all the pitched plastics are?

Just wondering.

I started fishing the lower few miles of pool 3 around the end of last year. It’s been pretty consistently poor fishing for me regardless of the time of year but i’m still learning and no river guru by any means. Though there always seems to be a few to have if you mix it up and put the time in. When I do catch fish it seems to be more of a random occurrence than a focused effort or anything that i’m consciously doing right.

I do agree with your thought that a good portion of them this time of the year must be making their way upstream just like they do in pool 4.

I’m a beginner to the river as well for the most part. Every stretch of river is different , and my particular area is only 15 miles dam to dam and middle of winter I will catch the biggest smallies of the system no more than a mile from the lowest dam, as well as some eyes around the area as well. I read a stat once that only about 25% of the walleye population will actually make it all the way to a dam, and most of those males, with the females hanging farther back downstream.
Right now you find the bends in the river you will find fish, and bigger ones. Hasn’t failed me yet for the last couple cold seasons now.

Most of the anglers that I see, fish the confluence of pool 3 and the St. Croix or around the bridges by Prescott rather than running down river to the wing dams. The wing dams of pool 3 do hold good fish but locating them can be difficult at times. One day it’s very typical wing dam fishing and the next you have a hard time finding the fish in the same locations. Have not fished the pool 3 wing dams for over a year so take this for what it’s worth.

I tried fishing the pool 3 wing dams last year about this time and in several trips never had a bite. I’m sure the fish are there somewhere. I would bet a lot of them winter in the Croix, I think the smallies do.

I remember one year, several years back, right before the inland walleye season closed in February there was a decent bite below the dam at Hastings. There was ice to work around but we caught fish. I imagine there are fish below the dam there but most years I think it is iced up until after the season is closed. It would be interesting to try now but for some reason I can’t bring myself to try it when Pool 4 is calling.

Remember it’s inland waters above the St Croix!

Only one hook.

Way too often I’ve started casting a second rod and realized what I was doing was wrong.