Today was a pretty good day despite the high winds and huge wave action. Myself and Dodge Boy met up with Bret and Mike C on pool 8 at 5:30 this morning. The winds were wicked, but the temps were pretty nice. Dodge did a heck of a job on boat control. We had waves coming over the back of the boat most of the afternoon.
We started the morning fishing on the shallow sand flats in the area. I landed one nice keeper walleye in the 16″ range. The action shallow was not happening for us today, so we just gradually moved out deeper as the day went on. The action was never real hot until later in the morning and early afternoon. Also, we had to move around a lot and would only pick up a few fish here and there. It seemed like the fish were really scattered today. ANother interesting thing was 90% of the fish we did catch were male walleyes. Very few sauger were caught today and the ones we did catch were in the 12-14″ range. We ended up with 4 nice 16-17″ keepers along with the bigger female. The female pictured here taped out at 24″ and in the 6#+ range. She hit like a freight train and fought all the way to the top. Coincidentally, she was also caught in 24 fow. Luckily for me, buddy Bret was there with his camera because my batteries were dead in my digital camera. One thing I learned when two boats come together in the waves. Keep your hands and fingers off the gunnels. I got my fingers smashed pretty good and have 2 swollen fingers for not thinking. But, this was my largest walleye ever and I was pretty excited. The very next drift, I then hooked into something very big. I am assuming it was a sturgeon or a huge cat. Either way, it was taking drag without a problem. I had a good fight going for awhile and then the hook popped free.
Techniques today was mostly dragging and little vertical jigging. With the wind blowing straight out of the south at around 20 mph, jigging was next to impossible. But, the dragging was working for us the best so that is what we concentrated on. We finally got it narrowed down to two productive colors and jigs. The first was an unpainted Precision jig head and a catalpa orange paddle tail. The jig had to be unpainted or you were not going to get many bites. The second was a Bucktail Wayne hair jig in the Perchy color without a minnow. We caught several fish with these 2 presentations. I don’t know how many 14″ male eyes we caught today. The next few years are looking very good.
I want to thank Dodge Boy for having some serious patience and boat handling skills to stay fishing in the wind today. I would have lost my mind trying to fight that wind all day. I also want to thank Bret and Mike C for going today. If they hadn’t gone and had the camera, I would just have a fish story to tell. By the way, the female is still out there ready for someone else to catch her. I also thank B fish N Tackle Co. for offering their line of tackle and for continually bringing in new productive colors and tackle for the walleye fisherman. Who would have thought that walleye can be caught on plastics and hair jigs without minnows. These guys are on top of their game when it comes to walleye tackle.
dang nice report, got me going to the river next week
Nice report Wats
That’s a beauty walleye your holdin there 
You were da man there Saturday Wats. Great post.
Hope those fingers are healing up. It happened so quick there was not time to yell “watch out” 
You’re right about the wind – Dodge and Bret sure had their hands full with boat control 
Other than the wind it was sure was a great day to be out on the river with you guys 
Swollen fingers, like Mike C said, it happened in a split second
That was a beauty eye Wats, the keepers were nice also.
Mike C and I didn’t have the patience Wats and Dodge Boy had. We moved closer to the dam to take home a fish fry around noon. My Saugers came off a Orange Fin-Tech Jig loaded with a BFN Catalpa Super Doo and minnow. Wats and Dodge called me a cheater for using the minnow
We ended up with some saugers 14 – 16 inches. They made for a awesome dinner.
Mine and Mike’s fish fry.
Good report guys. I was below Winona dam friday and had about the same luck except for big one. Was picking up a few smalleyes in 15- 18 ft. Biggest was just under 19. About 2 in afternoon the saugers went nuts. I have been fishing the river for over 30 years and have never been on a saug. bite like that. Was useing paddletail,lot of short hits,so switched to chart.pepper superdo and it was amazing. Nothing big,but as soon as jig was close to bottom a hit.It seemed like they were everywhere from 25- 15 ft.It was almost like being on a school of whitebass on Pepin. Fished there 3 times this week and had pretty good fishing other two times.Friday was first time I started picking up small eyes in any number. Big females must not be too far behind. Maybe time to start looking for them. Hopefully this storm stays north of us and can get out a few days again this week. Good luck
Mike and Bret-Great report as well. Actually, I think you guys had the patience staying where you guys did
There was a lot more boat traffic up that way 
You guys definitely got a nice bunch of fish for the pan 
On the fingers;They are good and you are right it happened so quick 
And of course I did the worst thing you can do when you get your fingers in between two objects, I immediately pulled my hand back 
Note to self: Don’t do that 
Art-I agree, the push is starting to happen with the eyes
Now we will just have to see how next weeks weather affects the walleye with the cold coming back 
The fishing is starting to heat up and will only get better for the next month or so 
Nice fish guys!
PS Bret…swollen fingers make the fish look
smaller… 
Hows the boat landing there? Last couple times I’ve been there they were really shallow. That was last fall. Want to get there this spring but just got a call and sounds like I am going to be real busy from now on. Makes wife happy but I sure like fishing middle of week. Thanks and good luck.
Nice report Wats! It is always great to hear about the walleye bite on Pool 8.
Were you guys drifting and dragging or casting and dragging?
Curt
Both lanes are open Art. If you stay to the south side it is deeper
It will be nice when the lower landing opens!
Great report! makes it tough when you feel the need to get out ice fishing one more time
Art-We were drifting/dragging. I would have like to have pitched to the shallows yesterday, but there just wasn’t any way we could have done it. The wind would just make a huge bow in the line and picking up any bites would have been really tough. It is calm as heck right now of course
And I have to be doing other things besides fishing 
It was hard enough just long lining. My left hand is black and a little sore just from holding the tiller all day!
I must be a Nancy
Thought I would add that before someone else did
Man those waves were something else, 3 foot rollers sure put your boat control skills to the test. That is where the 24″ transome comes in handy, saw alot of people bailing. I had some water in the boat but not too bad.
How come it still feels like I am rocking?? 
A good net man is a good thing to have along, Right wats
Nice Report Guys!! Gotta watch those fingers…
I think I learned that when I was 2….
Well, the wife and I arrived in TN last night, we are right around the corner from nashville- we are going to look for some fishable water in about ten minutes-
Keep after them Mike, and Bret, and the rest-
And wish me luck!!!
A good net man is very hard to find, ggod thing I had one that day
I am surprised you were able to land any fish at all trying to keep the boat under control 
I was still rocking at Midnight last night 
I went down by the river today and it looked like glass 
For the record-For those of you concerned about the female walleye pictured above. SHE WAS RELEASED!! I do not keep any walleye over 20″. Heck I rarely keep any walleyes for myself. I may keep a few to give to friends who can’t get out and fish, but I rarely keep any for myself.
I know what you mean about the rocking Dodge.
I was fighting 3 ft rollers in my recliner last night. Almost fell overboard once 
Great looking fish guys
.Thats a dandy eye Wats 
.
Great fish Mike,
Way to go on the release also!!!!
Nice looking fish wats, Bret those are some nice eaters too. I did get out this afternoon until the wind, sleet and rain hit. I fished for 2 hrs, without a fish, did have a couple of hits tho. It seemed I tried every combination I had in the tackle box and still nothing. Then I thought ya know, you haven’t tried a sonar in a long, long time. So put one on in blue/white. Well that must have been what they wanted, caught 3 fish in 15 minutes, 1 small and 2 at 17 inches. That’s when the weather turned and I left. Trying to remember the last time I used a sonar, it has been so long, I can’t. oh well it worked. good luck on the water.-John
Thanks for the report and pics Mike. Sure like following your reports around. Never know if the next one will be on the ice or open water with the weather the midwest has been having lately.
You are doing a great job Bud. 
Thanks, Bill
Nice Fish Wats! Just got back last night from three days of fishing at Guttenberg myself. We did very well and I’ll hopefully have a report up tonight when i get the pics.
Sounds like the fishing is picking up! Good posts and good fish, nice to see open water starting again. Was wondering the conditions of the landings at Dresbach? Is the landing below the I-state open in the bay? Is the river landing high enough to get a larger boat in? Got the itch, and want to scratch it, but want to make sure I can get in before coming? Thanks for the great reports and the info.
The landing below the I-90 is still locked up, but you can launch good sized boats from the upper landing. The fishing does appear to be picking up
There have been several bigger Lunds and Crestliners using the ramp, so you should be good 
Thanks Mike for the info. Hope to see you on the water over the weekend. Good luck and be safe.
Lookout fish, I am coming down next weekend to get things moved out of the house. Plan on hitting the water for a day. Eyes beware of me in march!