First trip this season (Any Suggestions)

[luv2senko]

I'm going up to get my new boat on Saturday and I have to get it out in the water. Hopefully, I can escape from the family for a little bit on Easter and head out to Pool 4 for some smallies. I'll probably be throwing some jerkbaits and maybe some tubes. Weather doesn't look good, but I'm still going to try (Im going through withdrawls). Any good suggestions for this early outing on the river or Lake Pepin.

Thanks

[EBass]

I read some where that they are on the main channel break or "staging". Of course each day is different. If you try shallow and dont find them go a bit deeper and what the other guy said fish SLOOOOooow.

Good luck and report back. I'll be there on Friday for that 14 lb eye with my name on it. Of course I'll catch carp and mud puppies. LOL

[luv2senko]

EBASS, Where u gonna put in at on Friday?

[RossT]

I made it out on Pool 4 fishing Smallmouth today. We caught a fair number of Smallies. All fish came on a Berkley Firestick suspending minnow in 4-7 feet of water, except one fish that came on a tube. We caught the majority of our fish in the afternoon.

They bit when the bait was ripped hard, then paused for only 3-5 seconds, not long at all for this early! When they did hit it, the fish almost ripped the rod out of your hands.
Good luck and stay warm.

[This message has been edited by RossT (edited 04-07-2004).]

[Mark Christianson]

3-5 second pause????

That is an eternity for me.

Although, I can't say I have fished bass before opener, so I have no clue what they are like this time of year.

[BigMike]

What kind of structure did you pull those smallies off (or out) of? That is a really short pause for jerks... most magazines would say pause between 15 bare minimum all the way up to 60 seconds... but hey you can't complain with that, the shorter the pause the more water you can cover!

I'm jealous!! Any size to those smallies? Maybe I don't want to know...it might drive me crazy !!!

[huskiesplayer15]

I would try close to stumps and other structure in the warmest water you can find, fish slow too. Thats what I would do.
Best FIshes
Chris

[RossT]

The smallies were on riprap shoreline near transitions to a sand gravel bottom. All of the smallies were between 2-4lbs.

[EBass]

We're going out of Everts, but for eyes. Well anything that will bite, but mostly for eyes. I'll be with Tonka Boy and Josh in a 16' smoker craft that's white with a 60H. Look for the boat that catches the mud puppies. That's us - LOL

When I get MY boat fixed then it's smallie time. Just waiting for them tax returns.

[BigMike]

Ross,

I'm jealous. I figured that the smallies would be coming off of that type of structure... pre-spawn should start to kick in here within the next couple weeks down there. I think one more major warm spell should just about do it!

Dan Wood and I will be down there fishing May 1st...should, be the perfect time for some big bass! It's an open fm invitation (see bass forum - May 1st tourn??) It's no longer a tourney, just a FM get together! It will be cool to meet some other FM'ers out there.

Ebass - Maybe your name should be Ewalter or Ewally... with all of this 'eye fishing you've been doing, I'm starting to question your roots!

[luv2senko]

EBASS, I live right by Evert's. When you turn on the road that goes down to the launch, there is an old cabin looking house on the left. It doesn't look like much right now, but we bought it last fall and are slowwwwwly fixing it up, the location can't be beat though. However, the drive to work in St. Paul blows. I have a black 99 GMC. Give a honk when you drive by! Good luck on the eyes.

[LOWinEYEin]

Ebass,

I would have to agree with BigMike, I wonder if Dan can do a "forced-handle change" Ewally or EmuddPup. Hows those sound?

Come on Prespawn!!!!!

[Coach Dog]

If you want to get away from the crowds, try down by Winona. There are acres upon acres of backwaters in that area and it has some of the better bass fishing in the state, in my opinion. Granted it is a little longer of a drive, but that can be a good thing as it keeps the crowds out. This time of year can be productive for both smallies and buckets. I'm not sure of the water levels right now as I haven't been down there this year yet, but if they are not too high, I would say you should find some bass.
If you are interested, you may want to post under the Miss. Forum Pools 4-11 and some of those guys can point you in the right direction. Guys like Willowcat, Yeahmon, Iron Man, and eyehunter all know the river down there pretty good. I used to always launch out of the St. Charles street boat landing and head across the main channel and hit those sloughs over there.

Coach Dog

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GIT-R-Done!

[This message has been edited by Coach Dog (edited 04-09-2004).]