After fishing pool #3 wing dams for a couple weeks it was a welcome change to break out the trolling rods and hit lower pool #4. Joined by my daughter, Morgan, and Tony Nigon (Tony walleye Kid), I dropped the lines along a rip rapped section and began our adventure. read on to find out how we fared.
We started trolling cranks in 16 feet of water. Shortly into our first pass a piggie hit a #5 jointed Shad Rap. After a great net job by Morgan I realized that I had a special fish in the boat. I’ve gotten close to the 30 inch mark for walleyes on more than a few occasions but have never cleared that hurdle…..until now. This fish taped in at 30.25 inches. What a great way to start the day.
After working the first section for a few more passes and picking up some small fish we moved to a different section of rip rap. On our first pass there this fish pounded a, you guess it, #5 red craw. Anybody sensing a theme here? This fish came out of about 14 feet of water. It was 28 inches.
It was time for Tony to get in on the action. We started casting cranks to a point on a rocky shoreline when he connects with this 23 inch walleye on….well it was a Bomber but it was red craw. Atta boy Tony, it was a pleasure to fish next to you.
Over both these days the action was slow and steady with no real peaks or valleys. We were, however, kept busy sorting through the many hungry sheepshead, pike, rockbass and catfish that seem to constantly take our crankbaits. Here is Morgan with one of these ,uh, other fish. I really believe, though, that during the heat (did I mention that it was very hot out on the river?) of the summer a well placed crankbait can be one of the most effective tools for catching big river walleyes.
Nice! Thanks for the report!
Great report Gator!
Good to see ya back!
Great job.
Ron
Congrats gator! Great report.
Dang, first report and starts out with a 30+ inch eye! That’s going to be tough to top!
So, what does a 30 incher taste like??? jk
…almost forgot! Tony! What color crank did the ladder come on?
Thats the fish I went looking for down south last weekend nice fish Lenny.I am surprised you did not pick up any northerns last week I found lots of them around the rip rap
Nice report sir!
dd
Nice report and Walleyes, Lenny.
Congrats,
Jack..
Congrats on breaking your own record Lenny thats a dandy looking eye!!!
Great job on the report.
Nice eye Lenny
. Good to see there are a few nice fish on the lower end of the pool also.
Congrats on breaking 30″, Gator!
I’ve had two in my boat but am still waiting to catch one myself… 
And great report!
John
That a boy Gator, congrats on the 30″!
Jami
Nice fish and nice report Lenny!
Where is pool 4, Redwing/Pepin????
Red Wing MN south to Alma, WI. Lake Pepin is basically in the middle of this pool.
Congrats Lenny
Way to crank ’em Lenny
Nice fish, good report
Thanks!
dave
Actually Briank, I found this week that ladders are big suckers for a willowcat rigged on a 1/4 oz egg sinker rig.
Let me tell you though, they hit just like a big walleye!! The key to telling if it is in fact a ladder that you have on the end of the line is when they don’t run after they hit it. 
Thanks Lenny for a fun and informative 3 days on the water. Oo, and I can still feel the head shake and the crank popping out. 
Aaah, its gonna take a while to forget that. What can ya do, except put the lines back down and keep fishing. 
See you guys on the water.
Tony
Thanks for the report and pics Lenny. Nice fish.
Thanks, Bill